The Charlotte Observer’s 2024 high school boys’ lacrosse preview

Here is The Observer’s 2024 preview for boys’ lacrosse teams in the area:

Teams to Watch

Charlotte Catholic: The Cougars were 22-3 a year ago and lost a 12-10 heartbreaker to Cardinal Gibbons in the 4A state championship game. With all-America attacker Jack Ransom and all-state attacker Colin Mendicino back, coach Bo Turner’s Cougars could be the team to beat in the western part of the state. Other key players are junior attacker Brendan Leonard, junior faceoff specialist Cannon Ridinger, and senior defender Mark McMahon.

Lake Norman: The Wildcats reached the state 4A semifinals a year ago with a 21-4 record. A pair of all-America standouts, midfielder Brandon DeBerardinis and goalkeeper John Torpy, will lead the way this season. Senior defender Dylan Murphy, a Queens commit, earned all-state honors a year ago.

Marvin Ridge: Seniors Ryan Ormond, Jack Nicolette, Grant Griffith and Jack Sheridan give the Mavericks strong hopes of advancing beyond the state quarterfinals, where they were eliminated a year ago. Ormond totaled 65 goals and 17 assists last season, and Nicolette had 27 goals and 18 assists. Goalie Sheridan totaled 174 saves, and Griffith had 26 goals.

Cannon School: The Cougars are the defending NCISAA Division 1 state champions and are led by players such as all-America attacker Brevin Wilson and two-time all-state players Ben Maynor (defense), Will Swartz (midfield) and Cole Frood (midfield). Coach Steve Schattner’s team also has a very promising freshman class.

Providence Day: This will be goalkeeper Emerson Smith’s third year as a starter, and he gives the Chargers a strong anchor behind all-staters such as attacker Alex Jessey and defender Kyle Van Dam. The Chargers don’t have the experience to match Cannon School, but they look like a clear-cut No. 2 team in the CISAA.

Lake Norman Charter: The defending 1A/2A/3A state champions have goal scorers including Jack Dalton, Tyler Price and Riley Cerosky returning. The Knights lost several midfielders to graduation, but with the offensive standouts and goalkeeper Noah McGovern, they seem poised for a possible second straight championship.

Nation Ford: Any team with arguably the best player in South Carolina, attacker Josh Ameo, is going to be a championship contender. Also back for Nation Ford are attacker Trevor Keaton; midfielders Hunter Nickola, Zay Neely and Will Alvardo (an all-state selection); and defender Andrew Coffee.

Hough: The Huskies lost two seniors who accounted for 115 goals last season, but they’ll have one of the area’s best midfield contingents returning. Junior Will Stagliano won 67 percent of his faceoffs a year ago, and sophomore Alex Gregoloff won 65 percent. Stagliano and Gregoloff give Hough a huge edge in the faceoff circle.

Players to Watch

Mason Adams, faceoffs/midfielder, Myers Park: Adams won 72 percent of his faceoffs last season (274 of 382) and totaled 161 ground balls, earning all-America honors.

Josh Ameo, attacker, Nation Ford: Ameo, a junior, is considered to be among the best boys lacrosse players in South Carolina. He totaled 84 goals and 43 assists last season.

Braedon Chayes, midfielder, Pine Lake Prep: Chayes, a senior, is a three-time all-conference player who earned all-state honors last spring. Chayes, a Saint Joseph’s commit, is coming off an 80-goal season.

Jack Dalton, attacker, Lake Norman Charter: A two-time all-America selection, Dalton had some amazing statistics last season on a state-champion team — 69 goals and 89 assists.

Brandon DeBerardinis, midfielder, Lake Norman: DeBerardinis, a Harvard commit, earned all-America honors last season for a state semifinalist team.

Alex Jessey, attacker, Providence Day: The all-time career scoring leader at the school (325 points), Jessey is a Dartmouth commit who was named an all-American last season.

Ben Maynor, defender, Cannon School: A Delaware commit, Maynor is a two-time all-state selection.

Jack Ransom, attacker, Charlotte Catholic: This Georgetown commit earned all-state and all-America honors last season, totaling 54 goals and 31 assists.

Jack Sheridan, goalkeeper, Marvin Ridge: Sheridan, a senior, made 174 saves last season and anchored a strong Maverick defensive unit.

Will Stagliano, midfielder, Hough: A junior, Stagliano had 158 ground balls last season, by far the best on a team that reached the 4A playoff quarterfinals. He also won 67 percent of his faceoffs.

Brevin Wilson, attacker, Cannon School: A UNC commit, Wilson was an all-America pick last season and is a three-time all-state selection. He is the school’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points.

Key newcomers

Kaleb Markners, goalkeeper, freshman, Catawba Ridge

Dylan Sullivan, attacker, senior, Legion Collegiate

Boden Tindall, midfielder, senior, Butler

Josh Vining, midfielder, freshman, Cannon School

Tommy Underwood, attacker, freshman, Cannon School

James White, attacker, freshman, Myers Park

Ethan Wilson, attacker, freshman, Bradford Prep

Notes

▪ Butler has a strong junior class and appears to be on the rise. Key returning junior starters are attacker Luke Harmon, midfielder Tucker Daniel, and defenders Ashton Willoughby and Garrett Irby.

▪ Charlotte Christian hopes to pull an upset or two this season in the loaded CISAA, and the Knights have a budding star in junior midfielder Beckett Vance, the team’s No. 2 scorer last spring.

▪ Myers Park returns 84 percent of its scoring from last season. That’s a recipe for a strong season.

▪ Sun Valley will have one of the area’s youngest teams, with only four seniors on the roster.

▪ Several coaches point to Mooresville as a team to watch this season. Seniors Jason Schutt (midfielder) and Ben Butterfield (defender) lead the Blue Devils.

▪ Clover hopes to build toward a challenge of perennial South Carolina power Nation Ford. One player to watch is Jordan York, who switched from attacker to become the team’s draw specialist.

Predicted finishes

Greater Metro/Queen City: 1. Lake Norman; 2. Hough; 3. Mooresville; 4. South Iredell.

SoMeck/Southwestern: 1. Charlotte Catholic; 2. Myers Park; 3. Providence; 4. Ardrey Kell; 5. Butler; 6. South Mecklenburg; 7. Independence.

Southern Carolina/Rocky River: 1. Marvin Ridge; 2. Weddington; 3. Porter Ridge; 4. Cuthbertson; 5. Sun Valley; 6. Parkwood.

Catawba Shores/Metro/South Piedmont: 1. Lake Norman Charter; 2. Christ the King; 3. Community School of Davidson; 4. Pine Lake Prep; 5. Bradford Prep; 6. Mountain Island Charter.

CISAA: 1. Cannon School; 2. Providence Day; 3. Charlotte Country Day; 4. Charlotte Christian; 5. Charlotte Latin.

S.C. 5A Upper District 3: 1. Nation Ford; 2. Fort Mill; 3. Clover; 4. Spring Valley; 5. Blythewood.

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle