Quint Kessenich: Early look at 2013 title contenders
We're only a couple of weeks into the men's lacrosse season, but it's never too early to peek ahead to Memorial Day. No. 1 Loyola, No. 3 Maryland and No. 5 Johns Hopkins are among the early contenders to hoist the national championship trophy — with 13 long weeks still to go. Here's a team-by-team look at the favorites (with odds in parentheses):
—By Quint Kessenich, For The Baltimore Sun
—By Quint Kessenich, For The Baltimore Sun
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Loyola (5-2)
The 2012 national champion Greyhounds were 18-1 last season and return eight of 10 starters for coach Charley Toomey. Their transition offense and stingy half-field defense set them apart. How do the 'Hounds react to the pressure and expectations of winning the school's first NCAA title?
Strength: Attackmen Mike Sawyer and Justin Ward (Old Mill) form a potent one-two punch. Defensive midfielders Scott Ratliff, Josh Hawkins and Pat Laconi might be the nation's best trio at that spot. Weakness: Faceoffs. Blake Burkhardt and Brendan Donovan (Loyola) are untested. X-factor: Loyola's previous offensive coordinator, Dan Chemotti, is now the head coach at Richmond. Dave Metzbower calls the shots now. |
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