Orlando Lacrosse- A FloridaLacrosse.com Blog

Note: These are predictions from my personal witnessing of teams or reports from respected people around the state about the teams playing. None of these picks are intended for gambling or other illegal reasons nor the opinions of Florida Lacrosse & Sports. Please take my choices with a grain of salt, if I am wrong then great job by the winning teams. If I am correct, you’re welcome…Friday’s and Saturday’s Games…

Now for the predictions on the FHSAA State Semifinals games on Friday…

Saint Andrews Scots (District 10) vs. Lake Highland Prep Highlanders (District 8) @ 2:00PM

This matchup features the top private schools from the south and north facing off to move on to the FHSAA State Championship game. The Highlanders come into the game with playoff wins over Timber Creek, Bishop Moore, and Vero Beach featuring an extremely talented starting six offensive players and a goalie that has been taught by Tom Groeninger (Virginia ’91). The Scots from Boca Raton come off a dismantling of Gulliver Prep who is arguably the #2 team in the state. Saint Andrews features a lineup/bench that can beat every team in the South. The starting attack and midfield is loaded with scorers who can both dodge to feed and they can all score at will. Bernie Susskind will be in the cage after missing the prior game verse Lake Highland and the Dartmouth bound goalie will be a huge presence in the cage. The prior results from the two games the teams have already played this year was a 23-3 beating of the Highlanders on March 7th and a April 4th game that was kept close with the Scots pulling away in the 4th quarter for a 12-9 win.

The pick… Saint Andrews scores fast and early and doesn’t stop for a win over Lake Highland Prep by 13 (21-8). The Scots midfield and play in the cage is the difference maker. The Highlanders have issues at times hitting the cage and for a game against this caliber opponent they need to be hitting the cage on at least 80% of their shots and need to convert around 50% of them. Saint Andrews moves on to play the winner of Nease verse Lake Brantley in the FHSAA State Championship Game on Saturday night at 7:30PM at West Orange High School in Winter Garden.

Nease Panthers (District 3) vs. Lake Brantley Patriots (District 5) @ 5:00PM

Defense wins championships. Ask any coach at any level of play in any sport and you will hear the same motto. And the Panthers and Patriots defenses will be putting on a show. The Nease Panthers features an athletic and talented defense with the starting defense all moving on to play D1 Lacrosse and/or Football. Look for Panther goalie Nick Colon to keep up his yearlong hot streak in the cage and be a huge difference maker. The Patriots from Altamonte Springs feature an equally talented and athletic defense featuring Maryland-bound LSM Jesse Bernhardt. Bernhardt’s assignment for Friday night will be to remove Nease midfielder Brett Angerer’s presence on the field. This game looks to be an up and down the field battle that will be won in the scrums, face-offs, and transition rather than in the settled offenses.

The pick… Lake Brantley escapes in dramatic fashion over Nease by 1 in 2OT (7-6) with an assist from Jesse Bernhardt who corrals a groundball off second overtime faceoff, pushes the ball and finds an open attackman who barely sneaks it past Panther goalie Nick Colon. This game was the toughest yet to guess on (yea I said guess, this one will is too evenly matched to say outright who will win) besides the Bishop Moore-Lake Highland Prep game earlier in the playoffs and I wouldn’t put it past the Panthers from Ponte Vedra to pull off the upset. Lake Brantley moves on to play the Scots of Saint Andrews in the FHSAA State Championship Game on Saturday night at 7:30PM at West Orange High School in Winter Garden.

Now for the prediction on the FHSAA State Championship Game on Saturday at 7:30PM…

If my predictions are wrong in the semifinals for the Lake Highland Prep vs. Saint Andrews and/or Nease vs. Lake Brantley game, then I will write another blog with the updated teams…

Saint Andrews Scots (District 10) vs. Lake Brantley Patriots (District 5) @ 7:30PM

Defense wins championships. But offenses make the difference once you get to the game. Two of Florida’s top three defenses will faceoff on Saturday night featuring arguably the best goalie in the state, Saint Andrews’ Bernie Susskind (Gulliver Prep’s JP McCook and Nease’s Nick Colon are my top three), and the best defensive player in the state with Patriots’ LSM Jesse Bernhardt. Look for the Scots to let whoever Bernhardt is covering to not touch the ball and for the other Scots middies to isolate constantly against the other Lake Brantley short-stick midfielders in a very settle offense. The rematch of last years’ state championship game will be a huge test for the Patriots offense who doesn’t have the stud player presence that was found last year with Lake Brantley’s Jake Bernhardt (Maryland ’12 and yes, Jake and Jesse are brothers).

The pick… Saint Andrews wins its 17th State Championship over Lake Brantley by 7 (15-8). The Scots show why they are the #9 ranked team in the nation with phenomenal play at the faceoff X and in the cage. Lake Brantley plays a hard fought game that features their excellent athleticism and physicality, but there are far too many weapons on the Saint Andrews roster and without a gamebreaker on offense and a marquee goalie in the cage for the Patriots the Saint Andrews’ offense finds the cage more often. Great season for both Saint Andrews and Lake Brantley. Someone please have Saint Andrews spend a spring break in Baltimore or Long Island playing the top #15 rated teams in the nation, we want to see the skill of the Scots play the nation’s best and prove that Florida lacrosse is something to look out for. The Saint Andrews Scots will have won the Florida State Championships in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

FHSAA Girls’ Lacrosse State Semifinal Games Predictions…

Vero Beach over Park Vista in the Noon game Friday at West Orange High School in Winter Garden.
Lake Brantley over Winter Springs in the 7:00PM game Friday at West Orange High School in Winter Garden.
FHSAA Girls’ Lacrosse Championship Game Prediction on Saturday at 5:00PM…
Vero Beach wins over Lake Brantley to win the FHSAA Girls’ Lacrosse State Championship.

Next updates… Championship Weekend Summary and OrlandoLacrosse.com’s All-Orlando Team…

Feel free to send me messages on www.twitter.com/OrlandoLax and let me know of any current lacrosse information for the Orlando/Greater Central Florida.

-OrlandoLax

photo above provided from Hammer Sports Photography from the Biship Moore vs Lake Highlands Prep lacrosse playoff game.

Note: These are predictions from my personal witnessing of teams or reports from respected people around the state about the teams playing. None of these picks are intended for gambling or other illegal reasons. Please take my choices with a grain of salt, if I am wrong then great job by the winning teams. If I am correct, you’re welcome…Tuesday’s Games…

Lawton Chiles Timberwolves (District 1) @ Jacksonville Episcopal Eagles (District 2) – 6:00PM
Chiles and Episcopal both recorded upset wins against the district favorites to win to make it this far. Chiles became the first team in Tallahassee to actually beat the Maclay School, ever. While the Eagles from Jacksonville managed to pull off the largest upset so far, beating a red hot Bolles team who had recently beaten Nease and Bishop Moore. This game will come down to a matter of who has the ball the most and that thank do what’s best during that time. The Timberwolves will have to figure out how to stop Joey Sapora, from the reports I have heard, the kid can just win face-offs. And at this point of the season a hot face-off guy and goalie can do wonders for a team. Chiles brings to the table a lot of desire and fight, having never made it this far in their history, the new kids on the block want to continue to push the envelope with this senior lead team. Look for the skills of Episcopal and the athleticism of Chiles to make for an interesting matchup.

The pick… Episcopal beats Chiles by 2 (11-9). Sapora makes the difference, Chiles goes home with the respect they have earned. Episcopal moves on to face Saint Augustine Nease on Friday.

Winter Springs Bears (District 4) @ Lake Brantley Patriots (District 5) – 7:00PM
The favorites to win their districts, Lake Brantley and Winter Springs will square off on Tuesday to decide which of Seminole County’s teams will move on to the next round of the playoffs to face Apopka. The Swarthmore-bound midfielder Peter D’Amore is the main hope for Winter Springs to move on to upset the extremely athletic Patriots. Look for Maryland-bound LSM Jesse Bernhardt to be constantly hounding D’Amore. This game will be decided by the play of everyone on Winter Springs not named Peter D’Amore, if they can find a way to crack Lake Brantley’s athletic, skilled, and hard hitting defense, then they have a chance.

The pick… Lake Brantley breezes by Winter Springs by 9 (14-5). Jesse Bernhardt wins his matchup verse Peter D’Amore. Once D’Amore puts in a couple goals off face-off fast breaks the Patriots let Jesse push the envelope defensively and Winter Springs don’t have the firepower to top the rest of the Lake Patriots’ defense. Lake Brantley moves on to face the Apopka Blue Darters on Friday.

Saint Andrews Scots (District 10) @ Saint Thomas Aquinas Raiders (District 11) – 7:00PM*My first post listed Saint Andrews as the home team, according to the FHSAA website- which was incorrect; Saint Thomas Aquinas will be hosting the game.
This game will unfortunately not be very pretty, basically a warm-up for Saint Andrews to play Gulliver Prep. Saint Thomas Aquinas is a few years and a good feeder program away from being the next big South Florida private school to be dominant in Florida. The Scots have won so many state championships for a reason; the kids have played forever and they have the coaching to show them the way to be a champion. The Raiders have the coaching and eventually they will have the talent. Just not soon enough…

The pick… Saint Andrews by more than a little over Saint Thomas Aquinas, winning by 18 (23-5). Saint Andrews gets the horses warmed up and the offenses perfected to be ready for Gulliver Prep on Friday.

Bishop Moore Hornets (District 7) @ Lake Highland Prep Highlanders (District 8) – 7:00PM
The game to watch in Central Florida on Tuesday (Sorry LB verse WS), the private schools are ready for this showdown. Both feature potentially high-octane offenses and good defenses. The question will be who hits the cage more during the game, the overall skill of the Highlanders attack and midfield against the precision of the Hornets offense. Look for the Bishop Moore longpoles to have a huge impact or non-impact in the game.
The pick… Bishop Moore longpole finishes on a fast break late in the 4th to give the Hornets a one goal victory over the Lake Highland Prep Highlanders (13-12). Bishop Moore moves on to face Vero Beach on Friday.

Next update… FHSAA Regional Lacrosse Quarterfinals predictions and FSU @ UF prediction for Friday’s games…

Feel free to send me messages on www.twitter.com/OrlandoLax and let me know of any current lacrosse information for the Orlando/Greater Central Florida.

-OrlandoLax

First off, I would like to welcome everyone to my inaugural blog on OrlandoLacrosse.com, I hope you all enjoy, if you think there is anything interesting that I could get more information on, any teams, players, coaches, games, camps, or anything that you think would interest you as well as others, please let me know. This blog is for everyone who loves the game of lacrosse and has an interest in the game in Orlando.

Now to the exciting stuff…
I love that college basketball is finally over with their “madness,” now it is time for lacrosse in Florida to go through the insanity of the playoffs. I will be going over the Final 16 teams matchup to match, describing what I know of the teams and the impressive wins/losses per school.

District 3 Winners (w/First Round Bye – Play winner of District 1 vs 2, Next Game – Friday, April 17th):
- Nease High School Panthers (14-3):
o Defense, Defense, Defense. How many teams in the United States can say they are sending an entire starting defense to play D1? Matt Leighty (a sought after D1 football WR) will be attending Johns Hopkins to play lacrosse and football, another d-man is going to play lacrosse at Jacksonville U., and the third d-man is going to play football at Jacksonville U. (I am sure Coach Kerwick would like him to join the team as well). They feature arguably the best goalie in the state, Nick Colon, and top middie Brett Angerer (Army).
o Key Wins: Winter Springs (12-6), Lake Mary (15-3), Bishop Moore (7-5).
o Key Losses: St. Andrews (3-21), Gulliver Prep (9-13), Bolles (4-8).

District 1 Winners (playing @ District 2 Winners – Jacksonville Episcopal, Next Game – Tues., April 14th):
- Lawton Chiles High School Timberwolves (9-5):
o Athleticism, Fight, and Desire. First team in Tallahassee to ever beat the Maclay School in Tallahassee Lacrosse history. May not be the biggest team on the field but these dogs know how to fight! If you haven’t been to a lacrosse game in Tallahassee, then you truly don’t know what a rivalry is. Four teams (Chiles, Leon, Lincoln, and Maclay), 200+ fans in the stands every game, and hatred between the schools. The team is led by seniors Perry Dube (A), Zac Gregg (A/M), Garrett Ifland (LSM/D), Colin Smith (LSM/D), Mike Walker (M), and Patrick Thorsson (G). The best thing going for Chiles is that no one really knows about them, Zac Gregg would be on the top of everyone’s top midfielder list if he were in Orlando, Garrett Ifland would be a threat at the LSM position at any Orlando high school (except Lake Brantley), and Mike Walker is an amazing two-way middie who can play great defense, run the ball down field and stick it top corner in a matter of seconds.
o Key Wins: Maclay (8-7).
o Key Losses: Maclay (5-6 and 4-9), Flagler (8-13).

District 2 Winners (playing District 1 Winners – Lawton Chiles, Next Game – Tues., April 14th @ Home):
- Jacksonville Episcopal High School Eagles (15-1):
o Groundballs, Face-offs, and Coaching lead to wins and championships. Joey Sapora is the only thing I know about Episcopal. What I know is that he is an All-American face-off guy. If anyone thinks that it isn’t that big of a deal, that a face-off guy doesn’t mean anything towards success, please read anything about Alex Smith, Danny Brennan, Chris Cercy, and etc. Face-offs = Possession. Possessions = Goals. Face-offs after Goals = More Possession for more Goals. Any Questions?
o Key Wins: Lyman (14-4), Maclay (10-4), Boone (minus Dallas Humphreys, 11-6), Bolles (9-6).
o Key Loss: Bolles (7-10)

District 6 Winners (w/First Round Bye – Play winner of District 4 vs 5, Next Game – Friday, April 17th):
- Apopka High School Blue Darters (12-4):
o Athleticism, Physicality, and Inexperience. Ask anyone in the NCAA Basketball tournament how dangerous some of the teams from the weaker conferences can be dangerous. They are unknown, under-scouted, tend to be unorthodox in their schemes, and loaded with athletes. They have a first round bye and can watch Winter Springs and Lake Brantley beat up on each other.
o Key Wins: Ocoee (12-9), Olympia (11-8), West Orange (14-9 and 11-9).
o Key Losses: Hagerty (7-10), Trinity Prep (6-7 OT), Timber Creek (5-27), Lake Brantley (4-17).

District 4 Winners (playing @ District 5 Winners – Lake Brantley, Next Game – Tues., April 14th):
- Winter Springs High School Bears (11-4):
o Face-offs, Ball Control, and Takeaways. Swarthmore signee Peter D’Amore leads the Bears into a high intensity game after defeating Flagler in the District 4 Finals in the last seconds. D’Amore will be the player to watch, he has the ability to control every face-off and score seconds later. Look for Lake Brantley to make sure that D’Amore doesn’t move an inch on the field without Jesse Bernhardt on hip. Winter Springs features a control offense on one end and a takeaway defense on the other.
o Key Wins: Lake Mary (9-7), Olympia (12-3), Flagler (14-10 and 11-10).
o Key Losses: Lake Highland Prep (10-20), Lake Brantley (2-12), Nease (6-12), Lyman (8-9 OT).

District 5 Winners (playing District 4 Winners – Winter Springs, Next Game – Tues., April 14th @ Home):
- Lake Brantley High School Patriots (17-1):
o Defense, Team Speed, and Physicality. If you want to watch a team who is scary to watch when a player becomes isolated by a defenseman, then Lake Brantley is the team to watch. Featuring the best defense in Florida since Lake Brantley’s Class of 2002. University of Maryland signee (joins brother Jake on the Terps) Jesse Bernhardt is a starting college D1 LSM talent playing against high school middies. Every check he throws look like it is an illegal slash or body check. However, there are all violently accurate. He has quite possibly the best stick skills in the state for any position and is unnaturally athletic (a starting LB for the Patriots football team). The team speed on defense is the fastest I have ever seen and the team is loaded with athletes. The only difference between this team and the 2002 Patriots was goalie talent was better that year.
o Key Wins: Bishop Moore (11-3), Winter Springs (12-2), Winter Park (8-4), Bolles (19-7).
o Key Loss: Lake Highland Prep (12-13 3OT).
I apologize to Gulliver Prep, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Vero Beach. I was unable to see any of your games and do not want to write anything arguably wrong against any of the teams.

District 12 Winners (w/First Round Bye – Play winner of District 10 vs 11, Next Game – Friday, April 17th):
- Gulliver Preparatory School Raiders (17-2):
o Key Wins: St. Thomas Aquinas (12-3), Bishop Moore (14-3), Lake Highland Prep (9-7), Nease (13-9), Kinkaid (TX) (8-6), Winter Park (17-4).
o Key Losses: St. Andrews (6-16), Archbishop Spalding (MD) (5-11).

District 10 Winners (playing District 11 Winners – St. Thomas Aquinas, Next Game – Tues., April 14th @ Home):
- Saint Andrews School Scots (20-0).
o Talent, Coaching, and Intelligence. To say the Scots were not the favorite to win the state would be an insane statement. SIXTEEN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS TOTAL AND EIGHT OF THOSE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS! Try to argue against the true awesomeness that is the Saint Andrews lacrosse team. Coach Goldberg has been continuously be teaching, nurturing, and perfecting the best talent in the state every year. Eight members on this year’s team will be playing division lacrosse (Johns Hopkins, Army, Dartmouth, Yale, Brown, Trinity, Merchant Marine, and Wentworth Tech). They have the ability to win every face-off with FO/GO Blake Sufferling (Army). To score from the midfield with Shane McHugh (Brown), Lee Coppersmith (Johns Hopkins), Michael Lipin (Yale), and stop every shot they face with goalie Bernie Susskind (Dartmouth) in the cage (if you saw how good their backup played verse Lake Highland Prep you would be amazed that the future in the cage there was only an 8TH GRADER!!).
o Key Wins: Nease (21-3), Bolles (18-0), Lake Highland Prep (23-3 and 12-9), Gulliver Prep (16-6), Archbishop Spalding (MD) (18-13).
o Key Losses: Everyone in the state has been impatiently waiting for one for years…

District 11 Winners (playing @ District 10 Winners – St. Andrews, Next Game – Tuesday, April 14th):
- Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Raiders (11-6):
o Key Wins: Pine Crest (15-9 and 9-7), Cardinal Newman (10-7).
o Key Losses: Gulliver Prep (3-12), Lake Highland Prep (11-7), Bishop Moore (3-17), Pine Crest (9-13).

District 9 Winners (w/First Round Bye – Play winner of District 7 vs 8, Next Game – Friday, April 17th):
- Vero Beach High School Indians (11-6):
o Key Wins: Ponte Vedra (9-8), Melbourne Central Catholic (5-4).
o Key Losses: St. Andrews (2-23), Melbourne Central Catholic (7-14 and 7-9), Benet Academy (IL) (6-8).

District 7 Winners (playing @ District 8 Winners – Lake Highland Prep, Next Game – Tues., April 14th):
- Bishop Moore Catholic High School Hornets (11-6):
o Ball Control, Finishing Shots, and Takeaways. Bishop Moore, their worst enemy and biggest ally are themselves. They can play extremely well one day and fall down the next. Coach Hogan will need to ensure that the better of the two show up for another matchup on Tuesday with Lake Highland Prep. The Hornets feature and extremely well coached and talented offense led by Josh Haushalter, Tyler Auger, and Zak Cervasio and backed by a tremendous defense known for their takeaway abilities and ability to push the ball to the cage with Trey Darr and Robby Williamson. Look for Bishop Moore to try and slow the game down and keep the ball out of Lake Highland’s hands.
o Key Wins: St. Thomas Aquinas (17-3), Lake Highland Prep (17-13).
o Key Losses: Lake Brantley (3-11), Gulliver Prep (3-14), Winter Park (8-11), Timber Creek (10-11), Bolles (16-17 OT), Nease (5-7).

District 8 Winners (playing District 7 Winners – Bishop Moore, Next Game – Tues., April 14th @ Home):
- Lake Highland Preparatory School Highlanders (14-4):
o Talent, Ball Control, and Style. Lake Highland Prep has replaced Bishop Moore as the most disliked team in Central Florida, they can beat you with their excellently coached offense or their transition game. They are known for their flashy style of play featuring everything from stick fakes to behind-the-back shots and passes to the hidden ball trick on occasion. A talented offense led by George Proechel (St. Leo), David Vaughn (Wesleyan), Alex St. Laurent (Washington & Lee), and face-off/middie Brian Rotatori has the ability to dodge one-on-one or find the open cutter. They are seeking revenge for their loss to Bishop Moore earlier in the year.
o Key Wins: Winter Springs (20-10), Lake Brantley (13-12 3OT), St. Thomas Aquinas (17-11), Winter Park (12-6), Timber Creek (17-15 and 13-9 OT).
o Key Losses: Gulliver Prep (7-9), St. Andrews (3-23 and 9-12), Bishop Moore (13-17).

I hope everyone enjoyed my first blog on OrlandoLacrosse.com, if I missed some information I apologize. Especially to Vero Beach, Gulliver Prep, and Saint Thomas Aquinas for not knowing much about them. Feel free to send me messages on www.twitter.com/OrlandoLax and let me know of any current lacrosse information for the Orlando/Greater Central Florida.

OrlandoLax