Catholic boys lacrosse preview

Friars and Flyers, those rhyming rivals, are in a league of their own.

"Whether we like it or not, it always comes down to us against them,'' St. Anthony's coach Keith Wieczorek said of his team's history with Chaminade. "I guess we know their guys as well as they know ours. They're motivated the same way we are.''

No changes in the script are expected for 2011. St. Anthony's was ranked No. 4 in the country by Inside Lacrosse and Chaminade No. 6. They split two regular-season games in the regular season last year and the Friars edged the Flyers -- in overtime, of course -- for the league championship. There are no other serious contenders in the CHSAA and it has been that way for nearly a quarter of a century.

Since 1987, either St. Anthony's or Chaminade has won every Catholic league title. Remarkably, they've each won 12 championships in that span.

"Don't see why it won't be that way again,'' Chaminade coach Jack Moran said. The first meeting this spring is Tuesday at Chaminade and the game is a showcase for Division I college talent.

The Friars are led by Maryland-bound middies Joe LoCascio and Charlie Raffa and junior Brian Sherlock (North Carolina). The attack includes junior Sean McDonagh (Harvard). The defense is rock-solid with junior goalie Kieran Burke (North Carolina) and, most impressively, three-year starting defenseman Greg Danseglio (Virginia).

"His stickhandling skills are as good as some of our midfielders,'' Wieczorek said. "He's one of our best defensemen we've ever had here, and that's saying something. He'll be an impact player in college right away; he's that good."

Chaminade has its own big-time cast, led by high-scoring attack Matt Kavanaugh, bound for Notre Dame. He scored five goals against Massapequa in the opener. "A killer scorer,'' Moran said. "He's a tough kid. A hockey kid. He finds the cage.''

Experienced middies Sean Mahon, a solid two-way player headed to Harvard, and Greg Rhodes (Duke) are a team strength. The defensive stars of 2010 are gone, so goalie John Connors, a three-year starter, must have a big season.

Taking a look at the other teams, Holy Trinity, led by goalie Dillon Mauro (19 saves in an opening win over Farmingdale), has experience. Kellenberg gets help from a strong JV. St. John the Baptist is young and improving.

But it's a two-team party in the CHSAA. "Everybody is looking at us and Chaminade again,'' Wieczorek said. History just keeps repeating itself.