Boy, did this past week again shake things up . . .Benjamin beats Jupiter and then loses to Bishop MooreLake Highland beats Bishop Moore with a last minute goalNease handles Maclay easily on the road and Maclay’s season is in free fallPonte Vedra knocks off Mountain Vista (CO), Wando (SC) and Charlotte Catholic (NC)Lake Highland gets handled by the same Mountain Vista teamSTA goes to Long island and splits two games and then there was the Oxbridge Jubilee for lack of a better term . . . Stoneman Douglas 8 – St. Edward’s 7Oxbridge 9 – Lake Mary 8Stoneman Douglas 12 – Oxbridge 7St. Edward’s 10 – Lake Mary 9 in OT Wow.I don’t remember if I used this one before.Actually I just searched the site and found that I did use this one back in March 2014, but it seems to fit pretty well again . . .
I can take a page from an the great Gordie Howe, who was given credit for a famous quote (although I can’t seem to find it on Google). Gordie went up to a referee and told him he was the second-best referee in the NHL. The referee, thinking what a great compliment that was, asked Gordie who was #1. Gordie replied that everyone else was tied for first.
Kind of feels like that now.STA is #1 and about 10 schools have a reason to be tied behind them.How do you solve this roundabout win history? I think I know someone who would love the challenge . . .But he passed away last week at age 87.One of my cultural heroes.Chuck Barris.The King of TV schlock.The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, The Gong Show and the $1.98 Beauty Pageant . . .What a resume.The Dating Game was FAMOUS for the celebrities that appeared on it BEFORE they were really big in Hollywood. The Newlywed Game was to test how newly wedded couples actually knew each other. To today kids these answers might seem tame but in the spirit of the 70’s the answers were pretty risque for the time. https://youtu.be/YIcoT8XYSk4 But in my opinion NOTHING was more cutting edge at the time than The Gong Show.This show was clearly designed to appeal to college kids and many others who looked at the world with an unusual approach.Here’s Chuck talking about how he booked the show to avoid Standards and Practices taking acts off before they went on TV . . . If you want to find the Popsicle Twins skit he refers to it’s all over YouTube. The two recurring characters that were most memorable were Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine and the Unknown Comic.Here’s a little taste: RIP Chuck Barris . . . you made me laugh as much as anyone. Memory Lane This Week 38 years ago today . . . the game that still holds the record for the MOST WATCHED college basketball game ever . . . Again, hard for today’s Kids to believe, but in the era before ESPN, etc., Larry Bird was only known to the most dedicated college basketball fans. Few had heard of Larry Bird until halfway into THIS year of this film. Indiana State was ranked #1 late in the season with an undefeated mark and they had not appeared on TV until their last regular season game. The years are starting to add up. This Week’s Key ResultsMondaySJP II defeats Columbus Catholic 13-9 on the roadCooper City over Cypress Bay 13-10 . . . I mention this game to congratulate Coach Rick Nash and his team for the season they are having. This result last year would have been up for Upset of the Year.Maclay 16-5 over Leon, eliminating Leon’s Top 20 considerationsPlant 16-5 over Sickles, with a similar consideration for Sickles TuesdayHagerty in OT over Buchholz on the road 10-9, continuing their breakout yearHill Academy over IMG 11-10 . . . a great effort for IMG NationalLake Highland Prep with a last minute goal at home over Bishop Moore 11-10 . . . look out for a rematchPonte Vedra with a 4-0 fourth to nip Mountain Vista (CO)Saint Edward’s takes #1 seed in their district with the 15-9 win over Martin CountySJP II nips Belen 10-8 at home WednesdayCrossing I-75 Barron Collier easily beats Boca Raton 16-5American Heritage/Plantation takes down Cardinal Gibbons 12-7 on the roadPonte Vedra shows St. Augustine how much further they need to grow in a 16-5 winRiverview-Sarasota takes down Cardinal Mooney 7-4 on the road after losing at home to CM 10-5. R-S is in their first year of varsity and 2nd year overall and are one of the pleasant surprises of 2017! ThursdayBenjamin pretty much goes end to end over Jupiter 10-5Wellington on the road wins in OT over Ft. Myers 11-10 . . . I mention this one because I have received disturbing reports of parents confronting the refs after the game. I’ll try to follow up further this week.Belen Jesuit gets a big road win over Gulliver Prep 7-6Jensen Beach continues its’ late season run with a 9-7 win over visiting Bolles . . . JB could really be a spoiler in their District playoffMountain Vista (CO) comfortably beats LHP 19-8 FridayNease goes on the road to Maclay and takes them down 15-9. 2 years ago Maclay went to Nease and won 16-3 . . . that’s some turnaround in 2 years!STA travels to Terry Crowley’s alma mater Massapequa (NY) . . . I grew up 4 stops before that on the LIRR . . . Baldwin, Freeport, Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford, Massapequa . . . and shows well in a 13-10 loss to the 2014 NY State Class A champs.Oxbridge 9-8 over Lake MaryStoneman 8-7 over St. Ed’sPonte Vedra over SC state champ Wando 13-10 SaturdayBarron Collier easily over Columbus Catholic 16-2Bishop Moore rallies from 5-0 down to nip Benjamin 11-10 in OT on the roadPonte Vedra tramples NC power Charlotte Catholic 20-8Bolles takes down Martin County 16-13 on the roadStoneman pulls away in the second half over Oxbridge 12-7St. Edward’s holds off Lake Mary 10-9 in OTSTA goes 1-1 on Long Island with the 18 win over St. Dominic
GonzagaNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaOregonWarren Buffett’s money is safe for another year.
And now the Underdog Upset of the Week
I was leaning towards Cooper City and in any other year I’ve been covering this sport it would be an easy choice but Cypress is having an awful year given their recent history.And I’d like to add another thought to this section . . .Matt Sofarelli, who built the Jensen Beach program and was a 3-year assistant for the Launch, took the AD position at The Pine School last year and after a 1-2 slate in 2016 has now gone 5-4 with his new program this year with wins in their final two games.The upset in this case is the entire season, gaining a winning record in the first real season of competition. Congrats to Matt and the team on that achievement! Last Week’s Top 20 Looked Like This #1 – St. Thomas Aquinas – the only undefeated big dog left#2 – Jupiter – what a week for them#3 – Benjamin – and them too but not quite as much#4 – Oxbridge – that road win at Jupiter earlier looks really good now#5 (t) – Saint Andrew’s – needs to get going again#5 (t) – Ponte Vedra – time off means no movement#7 – Bishop Moore – Tuesday with LHP is huge for BOTH . . . didn’t think I would be saying that earlier this season#8 – Oak Hall – why not? Keeps winning#9 – Lake Highland Prep – not a lot of games left to get it right#10 – West Orange – last two games really will tell the truth#11 – Lake Mary – now healthier and ready to compete#12 – Stoneman Douglas – another school that just can’t quite take the last step#13 – Pine Crest – keeps winning, district final with Stoneman is a great one to look forward to#14 – Tampa Jesuit – one easy home game win last week, nothing of consequence left until District#15 – Hagerty – great record, mediocre schedule holds them back#16 (t) – Barron Collier – not bad but not good at STA#16 (t) – Newsome – off this week#18 – Nease – a quiet week#19 – Martin County – the battle for #1 seed this week#20 – American Heritage/Plantation – only two losses were to STA and PC Also considered:Maclay – being on spring break is helpful hereMontverde Academy – ditto hereSt. Augustine – one northern coach says this program is making great strides This week’s Training Film for our younger readers . . . for the long poles! This Week’s Key GamesMondayNease hosts BollesMontverde hosts Boone TuesdayAmerican Heritage/Boca hosts American Heritage/Plantation in the AH DerbyBerkeley Prep hosts Riverview-Sarasota in an intriguing matchupLake Mary hosts West Orange . . . put up time for both teamsMelbourne Central Catholic hosts Bishop Moore . . . trap game?Oak Hall hosts CreeksideSaint Andrew’s hosts John Grant Jr’s Valor Christian WednesdayBarron Collier hosts Cardinal MooneyBenjamin hosts Boca RatonPonte Vedra hosts Maclay ThursdayBelen Jesuit hosts American Heritage/PlantationGulliver Prep hosts Berkeley PrepJupiter hosts STAOxbridge hosts Valor Christian FridayLake Mary hosts Johns Creek (GA)Ponte Vedra hosts Oak HallSaint Andrew’s hosts Centennial (GA)Stoneman Douglas hosts American Heritage/BocaRansom Everglades hosts Berkeley Prep SaturdayBolles meets Johns Creek (GA)Gulliver Prep hosts Barron CollierNease hosts North Gwinnett (GA)Oxbridge hosts Centennial (GA) Before I get to the lead in for the New Top 20 here’s an interesting fact from the MCLA web site . . .The MCLA is the NCAA for club lacrosse teamsDo you know who leads the MCLA Division One in points per game?LINKYep.Sam Khalil, freshman from the Florida Gators and a former starter from the 2016 STA state champs!Way to go Sam! Okay, this week we get led into the Top 20 by Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine! The Top 20 For 3/19/2017 #1 – St. Thomas Aquinas – no reason to even consider moving them out#2 – Ponte Vedra – the march north was really impressive, Jupiter loss now in rear view mirror#3 – Saint Andrew’s – spring break better not be dangerous to a team’s health#4 (t) – Benjamin – can’t be giving up 5-0 leads at home#4 (t) – Bishop Moore – an LHP win might have made them #3#6 – Oak Hall – really sticking my neck out here . . . Friday is probably the biggest game in their program’s history#7 – Jupiter – Thursday will be terrific#8 – Stoneman Douglas – really coming on strong. Swept St. Edwards and Oxbridge this weekend#9 – Oxbridge – maybe this is where they’ve belonged all along#10 – Lake Highland Prep – great win over Bishop Moore and an awful effort against Mountain Vista . . . I just can’t see it this year#11 – West Orange – now it gets real this week#12 – Tampa Jesuit – nothing to report#13 – Pine Crest – just cruising along#14 – Hagerty – schedule, schedule, schedule#15 – Saint Edward’s – the yo-yo season continues#16 (t) – Barron Collier – wins when they should, defense is stellar again#16 (t) – Nease – the schedule looks a heck of a lot better now than earlier#18 – Lake Mary – Coach Robinson could use a beer after the two one goal losses to Top 10 teams#19 – Newsome – this schedule does not, it looks worse every week when compared to the teams moving in front of them#20 – American Heritage/Plantation – a sleeper problem for STA . . . the likely district final matchup Also considered:Saint John Paul IIMontverde AcademySt. AugustineBoone Again, get out to a game this week!
Way to go Sam! Okay, this week we get led into the Top 20 by Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine! The Top 20 For 3/19/2017 #1 – St. Thomas Aquinas – no reason to even consider moving them out#2 – Ponte Vedra – the march north was really impressive, Jupiter loss now in rear view mirror#3 – Saint Andrew’s – spring break better not be dangerous to a team’s health#4 (t) – Benjamin – can’t be giving up 5-0 leads at home#4 (t) – Bishop Moore – an LHP win might have made them #3#6 – Oak Hall – really sticking my neck out here . . . Friday is probably the biggest game in their program’s history#7 – Jupiter – Thursday will be terrific#8 – Stoneman Douglas – really coming on strong. Swept St. Edwards and Oxbridge this weekend#9 – Oxbridge – maybe this is where they’ve belonged all along#10 – Lake Highland Prep – great win over Bishop Moore and an awful effort against Mountain Vista . . . I just can’t see it this year#11 – West Orange – now it gets real this week#12 – Tampa Jesuit – nothing to report#13 – Pine Crest – just cruising along#14 – Hagerty – schedule, schedule, schedule#15 – Saint Edward’s – the yo-yo season continues#16 (t) – Barron Collier – wins when they should, defense is stellar again#16 (t) – Nease – the schedule looks a heck of a lot better now than earlier#18 – Lake Mary – Coach Robinson could use a beer after the two one goal losses to Top 10 teams#19 – Newsome – this schedule does not, it looks worse every week when compared to the teams moving in front of them#20 – American Heritage/Plantation – a sleeper problem for STA . . . the likely district final matchup Also considered:Saint John Paul IIMontverde AcademySt. AugustineBoone Again, get out to a game this week! 
Way to go Sam! Okay, this week we get led into the Top 20 by Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine! The Top 20 For 3/19/2017 #1 – St. Thomas Aquinas – no reason to even consider moving them out#2 – Ponte Vedra – the march north was really impressive, Jupiter loss now in rear view mirror#3 – Saint Andrew’s – spring break better not be dangerous to a team’s health#4 (t) – Benjamin – can’t be giving up 5-0 leads at home#4 (t) – Bishop Moore – an LHP win might have made them #3#6 – Oak Hall – really sticking my neck out here . . . Friday is probably the biggest game in their program’s history#7 – Jupiter – Thursday will be terrific#8 – Stoneman Douglas – really coming on strong. Swept St. Edwards and Oxbridge this weekend#9 – Oxbridge – maybe this is where they’ve belonged all along#10 – Lake Highland Prep – great win over Bishop Moore and an awful effort against Mountain Vista . . . I just can’t see it this year#11 – West Orange – now it gets real this week#12 – Tampa Jesuit – nothing to report#13 – Pine Crest – just cruising along#14 – Hagerty – schedule, schedule, schedule#15 – Saint Edward’s – the yo-yo season continues#16 (t) – Barron Collier – wins when they should, defense is stellar again#16 (t) – Nease – the schedule looks a heck of a lot better now than earlier#18 – Lake Mary – Coach Robinson could use a beer after the two one goal losses to Top 10 teams#19 – Newsome – this schedule does not, it looks worse every week when compared to the teams moving in front of them#20 – American Heritage/Plantation – a sleeper problem for STA . . . the likely district final matchup Also considered:Saint John Paul IIMontverde AcademySt. AugustineBoone Again, get out to a game this week!