HCPSS Athletics Weekly Update - Lacrosse Breakouts and more...

SPOTLIGHT

2026 Early Season Power Rankings: Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse

Here are CSZ's rankings of all 13 Howard County Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse teams for this season.

1. Guilford Park

The Panthers are the last undefeated team remaining in the county. They comfortably won against Meade and earned a closer victory in a 6-5 game against Reservoir. Guilford Park has already matched its win total from last season, with ample opportunity to remain a top county team.

2. Centennial

The Eagles have flipped their 2025 season so far through 2026. They have won three of their first four games, improving from losing three to start 2025. Centennial has scored double-digit goals three times, winning each game. A loss to Glenelg served as an outlier that did not continue on Friday, returning to normal with a 12-11 win over Wilde Lake.

3. Mt. Hebron

The Vikings opened their schedule with a tough slate of out-of-county teams. They took down Winters Mill in a close 7-3 game, but fell to Chesapeake 9-4. The offense has already scored double digits and the defense is averaging under five goals allowed per game. This is a team likely to rise in the standings soon as they play more games.

5. Wilde Lake

The Wildecats opened 2025 with a win before a 1-8 stretch defined their season. This year’s team has already performed better with a 2-1 record. They have scored at least seven goals in each game and the only loss came in a one-goal game. Wilde Lake has early momentum in its push to sustain this jump in the standings.

5. Glenelg

The Gladiators made a statement in their 16-5 win on Friday, becoming the only team to beat Centennial this year. Glenelg lost 16-6 in the opening game against Severna Park, providing opposite results in the season’s first two games. They have plenty of time to prove which is real.

6. Marriotts Ridge

The Mustangs won their playoff rematch against Howard on Friday, taking this game 18-4 after a 13-6 win last May. Marriotts Ridge has not had enough games yet to determine if it can go as deep in the playoffs. Only two of their next five games are in-county, forcing a need to improve from the 16-6 loss they recorded in the only non-county game this year.

7. River Hill

River Hill has played fewer games this season so far due to a back-loaded schedule. The Hawks won the opener 9-4 against Atholton and lost 11-6 on Tuesday to Annapolis. They already improved from last year’s 0-3 start, so River Hill’s true 2026 ceiling could go even higher.

8. Reservoir

The Gators started off red hot with a 15-2 win over Oakland Mills. Neither the offense nor the defense maintained that level across the last three games. The Gators have scored at least five goals in each game, but allowed nine twice. A 6-5 loss to Guilford Park stings and shows how close Reservoir is to fully meshing as a team.

9. Howard

The Lions have struggled offensively and defensively. They scored seven goals in two games and conceded 27. A 2025 season at the top of the county provides optimism that the program can bounce back quickly. Howard only allowed more than nine goals twice throughout that year and scored over four goals in 11 of 16 games. The pressure is on to get their year back on track.

10. Oakland Mills

Low scoring finally turned into a win on Thursday. The Scorpions won 5-4 over Hammond for their first of the year. Defensively, Oakland Mills has allowed four goals in each of its last two games, improving from 15 in the opener. A boost to the offense could help bring the results that a strong defense should yield.

11. Hammond

A 15-4 win over the Lightning on Friday ended a tough stretch of poor luck for the Golden Bears. They had entered with two straight one-goal losses. The progression is encouraging after the year started with a 22-1 loss to Centennial. If the Golden Bears can continue to play close, more games should go their way soon, creating a path to rise in the standings.

12. Atholton

The Raiders beat winless Long Reach in a 17-2 game on Thursday, making it two straight years with a 17 goal performance to close their March schedule. The rest of the schedule has not reached that same high. Atholton is the only county team to finish scoreless this season. The offensive floor will need to increase if the Raiders are to surpass last season’s win total.

13. Long Reach

The Lightning posted another slow start this year, reminding fans of the 2025 season. Long Reach dropped its first three games with a 1-3 record in March. The good news is that last year’s team could also be a source of inspiration. That squad rebounded from a tough March to post a solid 3-3 record in April. The opportunity to move past this slump has arrived.

Baseball ⚾

All three of the remaining winless teams will face off over the next two days.

Oakland Mills travels to Wilde Lake today and hosts Hammond tomorrow.

Girls’ Lacrosse 🥍

Centennial hosts a red-hot Marriotts Ridge tomorrow.

The Eagles have shut out three opponents in four games.

The Mustangs won two straight and scored 36 total goals in those games.

Boys’ Lacrosse 🥍

Centennial takes its best county record to Marriotts Ridge for what could potentially be an early playoff preview.

Softball 🥎

Undefeated Atholton hosts undefeated Glenelg tomorrow for the first game between the county’s top teams.

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