The regular season is over. Time for Districts! Only 311 days until the new regular season starts! It all started Feb. 8th . . . with Plant upsetting Newsome on the road 12-10. A regular season full of surprises . . . and some chalk too. LHP’s regular season was all over the place . . . SA’s, PV’s and STA’s was not.   It was only 53 days. In baseball, we talk about the dog days of summer . . . not in lacrosse . . . However, there was one dog day this season, yesterday at SA when they played a Wisconsin team that wasn’t a challenge. There were a couple of long-haired pooches on the sidelines yesterday and it was a little hot in Boca yesterday, giving this dog day of Boca video!   Dog Day in Boca!  –  Click on the left! At least something knew how to cool off yesterday! Thanks to David Fox for taking this.   At the St. Thomas – Jupiter game I was able to successfully request my own timeout music, with help of course.  The selection didn’t meet with full approval in the audience but I don’t care!  The music is top notch . . .   Kids, you also need to check out Blood, Sweat and Tears and Three Dog Night!  Another dog day reference!   Before we really get going let’s remember one of our sponsors! As I mentioned last week, and the week before, and the week before . . . Florida teams need to reserve their places!  

  I’m going to keep reminding you until the slots are all filled up so you might as well get going on this! I’m not kidding.   Last week we had a few games that moved the needle and one stunning upset . . . although those who follow Fleming Island know that this was lurking as a possibility. Monday started with a Tampa area showdown and Plant held on in 2 OT’s to hold off Steinbrenner 6-5.  Plant won the first game between them 12-4 so kudos to Steinbrenner for really playing a good game in this one.  Also on Monday we had LHP conquering Timber Creek 20-6, so now we have the specter of the Highlanders maybe putting it all together.  The southern part of the state was hammered by rain Monday and Tuesday. Up north on Tuesday Nease took down Bolles 12-7 and Oak Hall earned a big win over Creekside 7-6. Wednesday almost saw a major upset but Benjamin was able to overcome Boca Raton 9-8 in 2 OT’s, while Berkeley Prep took Gulliver Prep to the finish line before Gulliver prevailed 17-16 in a great showing for the Tampa area team.  Add that to the anticipated rematch between Plant and Newsome, with Plant taking care of business again with the 15-9 victory. Thursday saw Pine Crest double up Cypress Bay 18-9 and St. Thomas finish their second consecutive undefeated regular season with a solid 13-9 home win over Jupiter. Friday saw the shocking Fleming Island 11-5 win over Maclay, a team that had given up double digit twice all year, to Ponte Vedra and IMG . . . and Maclay had taken down Fleming 6-3 early in the season at the Moe’s Classic.  Oxbridge traveled to Jensen Beach and came away with the 9-6 win.  Ponte Vedra manhandled Oak Hall to finish their season undefeated and Saint Andrew’s showed Belen Jesuit that there’s still a big gap between #1 and #20. Saturday’s main result for Florida was Gulliver continuing their late season run with a solid 16-8 road win over Barron Collier.   Intermission Time!   I’ve posted this from YouTube . . . a video posted last year . . . as a prelude to this week. You’ll understand when you see this week’s Mastro Subaru Play of the Week!   Let’s review two weeks ago: #1 – Saint Andrew’s #2 tie –  St. Thomas Aquinas #2 tie – Ponte Vedra #4 – Oxbridge #5 – Jupiter #6 – Maclay #7 –  Lake Brantley #8 – Lake Highland #9 – H.B. Plant #10 –  Benjamin #11 –  Jensen Beach #12 – Lake Mary #13 – Creekside #14 –  Nease #15 – Gulliver Prep #16  – Vero Beach #17 –  Stoneman Douglas #18 –   Oak Hall #19 –  Buchholz #20 tie Belen Jesuit and Dr. Phillips   There will be some movement but it really is just shuffling the deck some at this point.  Playoffs are here and the pedal gets pushed to the floor.  I could leave it like this . . . but that wouldn’t be my style.   Some Random Thoughts   District 6 is clearly the best district this year.  Nothing’s close. #2 Ponte Vedra, #13 Creekside, #14 Nease, plus Fleming Island. Bartram Trail holds a win over Bolles and their reward is to watch from the sidelines in the district.  8-5 outside the conference and 0-4 in it.   The Florida-Georgia Challenge Well, we didn’t do so well. No excuses.  When the Gators play the Bulldogs we don’t look at it any other way but W-L . . . Let’s get it back next year.   Immokalee They did it!  11-7! What a great achievement for a school that has so few advantages. Now take the next step and get to the district final and give Gulf Coast a scare. To Coach Scott Rickard and his kids . . . you’re an inspiration to all who follow this sport.   Plantation Before this year Plantation was 1-16 all time . . . and 4-6 this season Their only win?  Immokalee. Plantation owns a stunning upset over South Plantation. Too bad they didn’t leave well enough alone.  The two played home and home.  If they didn’t Plantation gains the last district slot . . . That’s a scenario I didn’t see possible. Still, a great step forward for them!   Cardinal Newman Their record turned around, but their schedule was pretty soft Let’s see next year how far they go . . . with a tougher schedule. The program is located in a hot spot.  Let’s see them build.   Newberry  Newberry 1-7 to 9-6.  Okay, not competitive with the better teams but a nice improvement. Keep it going!   Referees The Don the Uniform article really hit a nerve with the readers.  560 Facebook likes is a personal best.  The article was shared by pretty much every Referee Association in the country.  US Lacrosse was sent it by a couple of refs. Unfortunately, at a couple of games this week there were parents who didn’t read it . . . or they did and didn’t think it applied to them. Parents, IT DID.  Stop the complaining or get your certification and hit the field . . . If for no other reason so you get a taste of what it’s like . . . and then maybe you’ll learn.   And now a word from our sponsors   Wow!  Combining the Dog Day theme with my Japanese obsession . . .   And now for the Underdog Upset of the Week!  

  Really the only big upset besides the Fleming Island takedown of Maclay was somewhat of a reprise from early in the season. ODA Sarasota knocking off Bishop Verot 13-11. I have no idea what to make of Bishop Verot this year.  A solid program for the past years.  12-5 record but not a good win all year.  And some really bad blowouts too. Last year they handled ODA 13-4, only to lose this year. Who knows, maybe this isn’t an upset at all?  After all, ODA also beat Cardinal Mooney this year. Sometimes paradigms are slow to change . . . even with lacrosse journalists.   Before we go to the Final Top 20 of the regular season let’s add one more song . . . From Three Dog Night. So many to choose from.     Okay, here it is . . .   The Final Top 20 for the 2016 Regular Season!!!   #1 – Saint Andrew’s #2 tie –  St. Thomas Aquinas #2 tie – Ponte Vedra #4 – Oxbridge #5 – Lake Brantley #6 – Lake Highland #7 –  Jupiter #8 – H.B. Plant #9 – Maclay #10 –  Benjamin #11 –  Jensen Beach #12 – Lake Mary #13 – Gulliver Prep #14 –  Nease #15 – Stoneman Douglas #16  – Vero Beach #17 –  Dr. Phillips #18 –   Buchholz #19 – Oak Hall #20 tie Belen Jesuit and Creekside   Also considered:   Berkeley Prep Cardinal Gibbons Pine Crest Melbourne Central Catholic ODA Sarasota Cardinal Mooney Winter Park Fleming Island   Get out to a District game this week! Bring everyone you know!   And now for some bonus coverage . . .