Fords host the Crusaders

Border Wars begin at Haverford School, 3:30 pm Friday

Haverford School opens the boys’ high school season on Friday with a characteristically classic “Border Wars” match-up with Maryland MIAA power St. Paul’s School. Both schools are highly ranked in the pre-season polls, St. Paul's is No. 2 in the LaxPower ranking; Haverford is in the Top 15. Both schools annually seek out top competition outside of their home turf and face grueling schedules; lacrosse afficionados from around the country will be watching. Haverford hopes to avenge its 12-11 OT loss to the Crusaders in Baltimore last year, a particularly heartbreaking loss after an impressive second half comeback.

How the Fords navigate their early season gauntlet will likely influence how coaches and pollsters nationally benchmark teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Only Haverford School and Conestoga from the Philadelphia area received pre-season recognition, though several other programs probably should have gotten a shout out, notably Springfield (Delco). Haverford is not carrying all the weight, Conestoga for the first time has a few out-of-state powers on its schedule, including Landon School (MD) and Darien (CT). Teams waiting in the wings to make an entrance in the polls after their early border war games include LaSalle (plays Georgetown Prep), Malvern (plays Loyola-Blakefield), St. Joe's Prep (plays St. Anne's Belfield), Episcopal (plays Bullis) and Emmaus (plays Ward Melville). A Haverford win for the time being will help, a rising tide lifts all local lacrosse boats.

By most accounts, the Fords appear to be a team to be reckoned with this year. After sharing the regular season Inter-Ac title last year with Malvern, and later dispatching the Friars in the Inter-Ac Championship game, the Fords return in 2010 to make their mark with a wave of talent and big game experience. They return a total of 12 Division I announced commitments, including nine from the highly touted junior class. The paper statistics, however, don't really matter, the Fords know they have to meet or exceed their advance billing on the field.

While Haverford lost All-American goalie Dan Wigrizer to a starting role at Duke, Conor Kelly, who’s bound for Notre Dame, is fully ready to fill in between the pipes. The Fords also lost several talented defensemen, but return 6'7 Princeton-bound Alex Beatty and LSM Goran Murray (Maryland). Stay tuned for some surprises as Coach Nostrant and crew quietly gerrymander their roster to fill any perceived holes on defense. There are underclassman waiting to step up, and some players may be asked to play new roles.

The midfield is led by All-American Liam O'Connor (Notre Dame), one of the top face-off men in the country. The Fords actually have a potent one-two punch in the Center X with Joe McCallion (Penn) at the ready to keep opposing teams guessing. Flanking them at midfield are, among others, junior Carl Walrath (Virginia), Brendan McGrath (Princeton), Matt Walters (Syracuse) and Grove Stewart. Senior Bill Annesley (St. Joseph's) will provide senior leadership between the lines. The Fords have a bevy of talented sophomores, including Sammy Rohr and Will McNamara, who can also handle a long pole.

The Haverford attack is big and and strong and is led by senior Steve Aitken, a Penn State recruit, and juniors Chris Hupfieldt (Penn) and Brent Tomlinson (Brown). Also handling the ball at attack will be sophomore waterbug Zach Rego.

The Crusaders for their part return loads of talent on both ends of the field and are gunning for the program's 25th MIAA conference title and first since 2004. St. Paul's lost few seniors but will have big shoes to fill between the pipes with Harry Krieger, now in a starting role at Harvard.

A whopping 15 Division I commits will suit up for St. Paul’s, including middies Pat Powderly (Syracuse) and Alex Chay (Georgetown), who scored the game winner against the Fords last year. St. Paul's also returns future Hoya, Jeff Fountain, the team's shifty and slippery attackman. All three starters return to the defensive unit.

Expect another thriller as the Fords hope to defend the home turf from the stick-wielding Crusaders, potentially Baltimore's best this year.