The nation’s toughest high school boys’ lacrosse league, the MIAA A Conference, opens play Tuesday afternoon.
After watching St. Mary’s hoist the trophy in 2015, McDonogh School found redemption last spring, and its first MIAA A crown in more than a decade. With more than half the league ranked nationally, the next five weeks are expected again to be a grind.
Here’s some numbers previewing the 2017 MIAA A season.
6: Number of teams (Boys’ Latin, Calvert Hall College, Loyola Blakefield, McDonogh School, St. Paul’s School and Severn School) ranked in either Inside Lacrosse, Lacrosse Magazine and USA Today’s national Top 25 polls.
9: Years since a team repeated as MIAA A champion (Loyola Blakefield, 2008 and 2007).
10: Consecutive home MIAA A victories for McDonogh. The Eagles last loss a home league in 2014 to eventual champ Boys’ Latin School.
6: MIAA A players listed on Inside Lacrosse’s Top 100 Young Gun Seniors.
8: Wins improvement by St. Mary’s heading into MIAA A play. The Saints (9-1 overall) didn’t win a league game last year (finished 1-15 overall) after claiming the MIAA A title in 2015.
258: Saves made last year by St. Paul’s School goalie Alex Rode, the area’s highest-rated performer (No. 11) on Inside Lacrosse’s Top 100 seniors list.
2017 MIAA A LACROSSE SCHEDULE
Tuesday Apr. 18
Calvert Hall College at Gilman School, 4:15 p.m.
Loyola Blakefield at St. Paul’s School, 4:15 p.m.
Severn School at Boys’ Latin School, 4:15 p.m.
Mount St. Joseph at McDonogh School, 4:30 p.m.
Archbishop Spalding at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m.
Thursday Apr. 20
Severn School at Loyola Blakefield, 4:30 p.m.
Friday Apr. 21
Boys’ Latin School at Mount St. Joseph, 4 p.m.
McDonogh School at Calvert Hall College, 7 p.m.
St. Paul’s School at St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Apr. 22
Gilman School vs. Archbishop Spalding at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Apr. 25
Boys’ Latin School at St. Mary’s, 3:30 p.m.
Calvert Hall College at Archbishop Spalding, 4 p.m.
McDonogh School at Severn School, 4 p.m.
St. Mary’s at Mount St. Joseph, 4 p.m.
Loyola Blakefield vs. Gilman School at U.S. Lacrosse Complex, 5 p.m.
Friday Apr. 28
McDonogh School at Boys’ Latin School, 4:15 p.m.
Severn School at St. Paul’s School, 4:15 p.m.
St. Mary’s at Calvert Hall College, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Apr. 29
Mount St. Joseph at Gilman School, 1 p.m.
Archbishop Spalding at Loyola Blakefield, 2 p.m.
Tuesday May 2
Gilman School at Severn School, 4 p.m.
Mount St. Joseph at Calvert Hall College, 4 p.m.
Archbishop Spalding at Boys’ Latin School, 4:15 p.m.
St. Paul’s School at McDonogh School, 4:30 p.m.
Loyola Blakefield at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m.
Thursday May 4
St. Mary’s at McDonogh School, 4:30 p.m.
Friday May 5
Mount St. Joseph at Archbishop Spalding, 3:30 p.m.
Calvert Hall College at Severn School, 4 p.m.
Gilman School at St. Paul’s School, 4 p.m.
Loyola Blakefield at Boys’ Latin School, 4:15 p.m.
Tuesday May 9
Boys’ Latin School at Calvert Hall College, 4 p.m.
St. Paul’s School at Archbishop Spalding, 4 p.m.
McDonogh School at Loyola Blakefield, 4:15 p.m.
St. Mary’s at Gilman School, 4:15 p.m.
Thursday May 11
Severn School at St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.
Friday May 12
McDonogh School at Archbishop Spalding, 4 p.m.
Boys’ Latin School at Gilman School, 4:15 p.m.
Loyola Blakefield at Mount St. Joseph, 4:15 p.m.
St. Paul’s School at Calvert Hall College, 7 p.m.
Tuesday May 16
Archbishop Spalding at Severn School, 4 p.m.
Gilman School at McDonogh School, 4 p.m.
St. Mary’s at Mount St. Joseph, 4 p.m.
Boys’ Latin School at St. Paul’s School, 4:15 p.m.
Calvert Hall College at Loyola Blakefield, 4:15 p.m.
Friday May 19
Quarterfinals
No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed
No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed
Monday May 22
Semifinals at Homewood Field, Johns Hopkins University
No. 6 seed/No. 3 seed winner vs. No. 2 seed
No. 5 seed/No. 4 seed winner vs No. 1 seed
Thursday May 25
Finals at Homewood Field
C final, 3 p.m.
B final, 5:30 p.m.
A final, 8 p.m.
