MISSOURI SCHOLASTIC LACROSSE ASSOCIATION DIVISION I

The Team to Beat: Christian Brothers

Three underclassmen were selected first-team All-State out of the 18 players chosen in the Patriot Conference in 2009. All three play for Christian Brothers, and they all will be back in 2010.

Manhattan-bound senior middie Gerry Leonard is one of the state’s top scoring threats, senior defenseman Jared Crowley is one of the state’s top long poles and senior middie Corey Briggs also made the first team last year. In all, Christian Brothers brings back six starters -- one on attack, two first-line middies, two defensemen and its goalie -- after graduating nine seniors off last year’s state semifinalist squad.

Returning starting goalie Jacob Redlingshafer will be playing college lacrosse at Division III Springfield, senior defenseman Andy Kihn will be playing college lacrosse at Division III York and senior middie Tim Cribbin is also looking at playing at the Division III level. Christian Brothers also expects a big contribution from junior attackman Connor Mullen.

Contenders: Rockhurst Jesuit, St. Louis University Jesuit, DeSmet Jesuit, MICDS, Chaminade Prep, Parkway West

Three-time state champion Rockhurst Jesuit has reached the title game four straight seasons, but the Hawklets have a tough road ahead after they graduated two U.S. Lacrosse High School All-Americans and five first-team All-State players. However, Kansas City’s premier program is known for reloading, not rebuilding, and there is a strong base of players around which to build. Senior long-stick middie Aaron Maassen was a first-team All-State selection as a specialist last season. He has a pretty good supporting cast in senior middie Tom O’Leary, senior goalie Scott Brown, senior attackman Nick Julian, senior defenseman Greg Meyer and senior middie Connor Flanagan.

St. Louis native Mark Seyer, a former Division I player at Providence and two-time All-State selection at DeSmet Jesuit, has taken over for Ron Kelam at defending state champion St. Louis University Jesuit. Seyer has inherited a program that has reached the state championship game two straight seasons but gradated five first-team All-State players. The Junior Bills will reload around Robert Morris-bound senior defenseman Sean Meagher.

Six-time state champion DeSmet Jesuit hasn’t won it all since 2002, and the Spartans must recover from losing 11 seniors. DeSmet Jesuit brings back five starters, including two on attack, one in the midfield and two on defense. The Spartans will be led by senior attackman Michael Curtis, junior defenseman Blake Abbenhaus and senior attackman Connor Kaiser.

Three-time state champion MICDS graduated 14 seniors, but only four of them started. The Rams return six starters, including all three first-line middies, two defensemen and a standout goalie. Junior middie Tucker Sanders-Lyle was the only sophomore in Division I to garner first-team All-State honors last season. He’ll be joined by senior goalie Bryce Potter, 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior defenseman Ethan Payer and 6-foot-2, 185-pound sophomore middie Jack Howell.

Chaminade Prep has never won a state championship, but the Red Devils have a team that will be extremely competitive this season. Lehigh-bound senior middie Andrew Mower is one of the state’s premier players. He’ll be joined by senior middie Pat Anthon and junior goalie John Duncan.

Parkway West graduated just four seniors and brings back seven starters, including all three first-line middies and all three defensemen. Senior middie Doug Roper, Wheeling Jesuit-bound senior defenseman Steven Kurth, senior middie Ben Kratz and senior attackman Michael Shearman will lead the team in 2010.

Sleeper: Eureka

The Wildcats are the first and only Division II team to ever be promoted to Division I. And by all accounts, Eureka is ready for the upgrade. Last year’s Division II state finalist returns the core of its team, including all four of its first-team All-State players. Senior middie Matt Vollmer, junior middie Ryan Gardner, senior goalie Anthony Paschke and senior defenseman Paul Paschke were all first-team picks.

NCAA Division I Recruits: Gerry Leonard, MF, Christian Brothers (Manhattan); Sean Meagher, Def., St. Louis University Jesuit (Robert Morris); Andrew Mower, MF, Chaminade Prep (Lehigh).

Out of the six players chosen as U.S. Lacrosse High School All-Americans from Missouri last season, Leonard was the only junior.

Other Top Players: Blake Abbenhaus, Def., DeSmet Jesuit; Pat Anthon, MF, Chaminade Prep; Corey Briggs, MF, Christian Brothers; Scott Brown, G, Rockhurst Jesuit; Tim Cribbin, MF, Christian Brothers; Jared Crowley, Def., Christian Brothers; Michael Curtis, Att., DeSmet Jesuit; Eric Disch, Att., Parkway Central; John Duncan, G, Chaminade Prep; Tyler Eidel, Att.-MF, St. John Vianney; Austin Finnell, MF, Lafayette; Connor Flanagan, MF, Rockhurst Jesuit; Ryan Gardner, MF, Eureka; Dan Heath, G, Lafayette; Alex Hepper, Att., Eureka; Jack Howell, MF, MICDS; Nick Julian, Att., Rockhurst Jesuit; Connor Kaiser, Att., DeSmet Jesuit; Andy Kihn, Def., Christian Brothers (York); Ben Kratz, MF, Parkway West (Carthage); Steven Kurth, Def., Parkway West (Wheeling Jesuit); Matt Leighton, Att., Lindbergh; Aaron Maassen, LSM, Rockhurst Jesuit; Mitch McKibben, Att., Lafayette; Greg Meyer, Def., Rockhurst Jesuit; David Monroe, Def., St. John Vianney; Peter Muehlebach, MF, Rockhurst Jesuit; Connor Mullen, Att., Christian Brothers; Tom O’Leary, MF, Rockhurst Jesuit; Anthony Paschke, G, Eureka; Paul Paschke, Def., Eureka; Ethan Payer, Def., MICDS; Bryce Potter, G, MICDS; Jacob Redlingshafer, G, Christian Brothers (Springfield); Jim Reichenbach, Att., St. Louis University Jesuit; Walter Reilly, MF, St. Louis University Jesuit; Mike Riddering, Def., St. Louis University Jesuit; Doug Roper, MF, Parkway West; Tucker Sanders-Lyle, MF, MICDS; Michael Shearman, Att., Parkway West; Matt Vollmer, MF, Eureka.

Preseason Top 10: 1. Christian Brothers, 2. Rockhurst Jesuit, 3. St. Louis University Jesuit, 4. DeSmet Jesuit, 5. MICDS, 6. Chaminade Prep, 7. Parkway West, 8. Eureka, 9. St. John Vianney, 10. Lafayette.

Notes: There will be 14 teams in Division I once again this season. Parkway South has been relegated to Division II and replaced by promoted Eureka....This will likely be a rebuilding year for Parkway Central, which returns three starters. Senior attackman Eric Disch is a top player, but he will need some help.