The JuCo Report is back for another week of Top 10 excitement, close games, and OCC losing? Yup, OCC lost another game of lacrosse, just not on the men’s side… and we have video! The ladies get some love, we refocus on the men’s season, and we preview the rest of the NJCAA season, as it appears right now! Exciting times for NJCAA lacrosse in 2016!
(If YOU have NJCAA video, photos, stories, former players seeing NCAA success, etc, etc, please send it in for consideration and use in future JuCo Reports. This post is powered by me, and the people. So be the people! Info is credited! Please email JuCo Report info to Connor@LacrosseAllStars.com!)
NJCAA Poll – March 21st, 2016
1) Nassau (60) 6-0 – Last week’s #1
2) Onondaga (54) 3-1 – Last week’s #2
2) Essex (48) 6-1 – Last week’s #3
4) Genesee (42) 4-1 – Last week’s #4
5) Howard (36) 4-1 – Last week’s #5
6) Anne Arundel (29) 5-2 – Last week’s #6
7) Suffolk (21) 3-1 – Last week’s #7
8) Union County (17) 6-2 – Last week’s #8
9) Monroe (15) 3-2 – Last week’s #9
10) FLCC (3) 4-5 – Last week’s #10
Also receiving votes: Herkimer (2), Harford (1), Ocean County (1), Frederick (1)
Top 10 Excitement – JuCo Men
We saw a number of close games this past week, and OCC taking down Essex 13-11 was one of those gems. After losing to Nassau, Onondaga needed a big win, and while they got it, the game was pretty tight! Essex looks strong right now, and with some improvement, they have to be considered a true contender and the current class of the South.
Finger Lakes entered last week as the #10 team and played FIVE games in seven days. Three of those games were against Top 10 teams. FLCC lost four of the five, and lost all three top 10 games. This puts the Lakers at 4-5, and in a tough spot. The 20-8 loss to Frederick may have stung the most. FLCC still faces Monroe and Genesee, and is somehow still in the top 10, just one vote above 11th ranked Herkimer.
Howard looks strong, and they were one of the teams to top FLCC this past week. Here’s some great video from that contest. I LOVE NJCAA HIGHLIGHTS!!!! I’m yelling because highlights excite me. Also, because Howard is a solid program, with some kids going on to play NCAA D1 lacrosse next year! This kind of video exposure is fantastic for the program.
Thanks to Matt Stovall for sending both of the Howard videos over to us!
Top 10 Excitement – JuCo Women
First OCC loses on the men’s side, and now their women lose… all in the span of a week. When’s the last time THAT happened? OCC was undefeated and ranked #2. Howard was also undefeated and ranked #4. With only 16 players dressing for the game, Howard pulled out a BIG 7-5 win. Howard moves to 4-0, and oh by the way… this is their first ever win over OCC. Congrats to the Dragons!
A couple of women’s teams have played 5+ games, but many are still just starting their seasons, with only two or three games played so far.
NJCAA Trends & Looking Forward
While Nassau won this past week, and is 6-0 right now, they play FOUR top 10 teams in their next four games – Suffolk, Essex, Howard, and Genesee will all face the Lions between March 26th and April 9th. It’s a HUGE stretch of games and will tell us much more about Nassau’s capability’s this year. With only six regular season games left for NCC, these next four are really the meat of their schedule.
Onondaga plays only Region 3 opponents the rest of the way, but Monroe and Gensee are in that group, so it’s two more good tests for the Lazers. Genesee is up next and they visit OCC on March 26th for a huge game. Genesee’s only loss is a 11-10 OT affair with Essex. This could be a game, even if OCC is tough at home.
Another huge game on March 26th is Nassau vs Suffolk. Anytime you have two of the four counties on Long Island battling it out (and the two best lacrosse counties) it’s going to be a good one. When both teams are in the Top 10? Even better. If you’re on Long Island, go to this game if you can. It should be intense and excellent, and it has huge implications for both squads!
Anne Arundel is 5-2, and Essex is 6-1. Everyone has Essex higher than Anne Arundel, but the South is far from locked up. Harford on March 22nd shouldn’t be too tough for Essex, but who knows… that’s why we play the games! Essex also plays Howard and AACC to close out the year. Those programs have time to build and improve, so Essex must really continue to do the same. Watch Region 2o this year… it could get interesting late!
Bonus Video – ASA vs NOVA
Some good stuff in here, check it out!
Check back next week for MORE from the world of NJCAA men’s lacrosse, and remember, if YOU have NJCAA video, photos, stories, former players seeing NCAA success, etc, etc, please send it in for consideration and use in future JuCo Reports.
This post is powered by me, and the people. So be the people! Info is credited! Please email JuCo Report info to Connor@LacrosseAllStars.com!
