The second week is over and there were a lot of game results that caught my attention . . . But first, let’s list last week:   #1 – Saint Andrew’s – looking terrific, clearly the top spot early #2 –  St. Thomas Aquinas – great fourth quarter against Oxbridge, Friday at LHP is massive #3 – Benjamin – statistically the defense is very improved but not really tested yet.  Friday night brings a visit to SA and then we’ll know more #4 – Ponte Vedra – Big win over Buchholz moves them up, today we will really know . . . #5 – Lake Mary – game 2 was a lot better, Seminole on the road Friday #6 – Vero Beach – IMG comes to town on Friday #7 – Lake Brantley – can Jake Bernhardt turn it around in year 2 and get the program back to recent glory?  So far the answer is yes . . . #8 – Lake Highland – one loss already and today it is all hands on deck in Jacksonville #9 – Oxbridge Academy – they’ve been great for 91 of the 96 minutes they’ve played so far #10 – Maclay – Ponte Vedra comes calling on Thursday #11 – Gulliver Prep – Feb 26th at Ponte Vedra looms large #12 – H.B. Plant – 2 very impressive wins to start the year #13 – Jupiter – tomorrow’s road game at Stoneman will be revealing, impressive so far #14 – Oak Hall – first game is today #15 – Stoneman Douglas – led Oxbridge after three but couldn’t keep it up #16 – Boone – all of a sudden there are two very good wins on the resume #17 – Belen Jesuit – very solid performance against Tampa Jesuit #18 – American Heritage-Boca – that 12-4 loss to SA doesn’t look so bad now, does it?  3-1 Martin County comes calling Tuesday. #19 – Melbourne Central Catholic – maybe a week early, off until the 23rd when they have a gut check at Vero #20 – Newsome/Seminole/Buchholz/Pine Crest/Barron Collier – let’s see which of the first week’s thuds recover first . . . Also considered:  Bolles, Bishop Moore, American Heritage-Plantation, Bishop Verot, Cardinal Mooney, Martin County, West Orange, Fleming Island   Well, one of my biggest fans sent in to me his response:     Seemed kind of harsh to me . . .   After all, I could be Kanye West and be $53 million in debt . . . I wonder if . . . Nah, nothing good will come out of this tangent . . . How many of you knew OJ Simpson was Kim Kardashian’s godfather? You think she might be wondering now if it was better to date the nice Jewish Pre-Med student at Stanford?   This week was filled with interesting results   On Monday, at the Moe’s Classic Ponte Vedra made their statement by comfortably beating Lake Highland 11-6. Tuesday showed a quintet of results . . . American Heritage-Boca showed they were in the mix as they overcame blowing a 6-goal lead to triumph over Martin County Gulliver glided by Columbus Catholic in a high-scoring affair Benjamin easily defeated Jensen Beach Jupiter showed again I under-ranked them to start with a big road win over Stoneman And in a game that became bigger later in the week West Orange took down Bishop Moore Wednesday showed Belen Jesuit continue to improve as they took down long-time Broward County power Cypress Bay by 10 goals and Berkeley Prep defeated Tampa Jesuit Then on Thursday Bishop Moore stunned Lake Brantley, making West Orange look better and making me wonder how much the LHP win was legit or a one-time thing where everything fell into place.  The next three games will answer that. Friday was filled with items The big names squared off . . . St. Thomas traveled the Turnpike and held on for a road win over LHP in a rematch of last year’s final Ponte Vedra traveled to Maclay and came away with an impressive win Lake Mary clocked Seminole to show they are still around Stoneman Douglas took one from Pine Crest in a matchup of two teams really needing a quality win Oak Hall traveling across I-4 to take down Tampa Jesuit on the road And with great interest I noted that Cardinal Gibbons beat Cypress Bay down my way . . . which is starting to make good on a prediction I heard from STA Coach Terry Crowley a year ago that Gibbons was on it’s way to becoming a significant player down his way . . . And then Saturday SA glided past Benjamin in a game I just posted today.   Which means we are going to see some shakeups again this week! Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!   Kids, if you ever need a reminder why drugs are so destructive . . . JUST SAY NO.  Four years ago last week   There were some other things that stood out to me this week too   But first, the Underdog Upset(s) of the Week!!!     I was frankly stunned on Wednesday when I saw these two scores: ODA-Sarasota  13 – Cardinal Mooney  11 Naples  9 – Bishop Verot 8 Naples has had some nice records over the years but has never been thought of as a Top 20 program, and has never really given Bishop Verot much of a game over recent years, as the 18-9 loss last year indicated.  This is a tremendous win for them and they are now 4-1 on the season.  Congrats to Coach Jamie Stoddard and his team! The first result is an even bigger shocker to me . . . Last year Cardinal Mooney and ODA played THREE times . . . 16-0, 16-1 and 22-4 . . . And he we are a year later and ODA wins 13-11 ON THE ROAD   https://youtu.be/lwGNDC1w1xU Kids, that’s a Phil Rizzuto key chain . . . 5’6″ and 150lbs. soaking wet, and in the Baseball Hall of Fame . . . Never let anyone tell you you are too small to play lacrosse. Just like ODA didn’t let anyone tell them they couldn’t win Wednesday. I ask my older lacrosse brethren out there to try to think of a comparable upset and send the thoughts in to me. Coach Philip Meyer and his kids are now 3-0 and looking forward to the home rematch on March 3rd, as i’m sure Cardinal Mooney is too.  Sarasota fans might want to take in that game . . . Congrats to Coach Meyer and his players for that great result!   An Almost Upset Not quite there but one last score that really caught my attention was South Fork scoring in OT to hold off Suncoast-Riviera In 2015 Suncoast lost 14-2 at home to South Fork Suncoast resides in District 24 with Jupiter and Benjamin . . .wouldn’t it be great to see them competitive in the future?  Congrats to Coach Wayne Sanders and his kids for their start!   Immokalee Last year readers will recall that we paid attention to the attempt by Immokalee to finish the year at .500, only to fall one win shy.  Coach Scott Rickard has brought the sport to a section of Florida that isn’t exactly what one thinks of as the logical demographic we all think of.  But having had some success last season the Indians have rocketed out of the gate with a 5-1 record, with a home win over Miami Country Day as the latest triumph. I’m rooting for them to reach .500 this season and while many tough tests remain it looks pretty good so far as they have already beaten two teams they lost to last season.  Good luck the rest of the way!   Late High Hits They’ve started to creep back in a little . . . get it out of your mind sets . . . NOW. The neck and head are OFF LIMITS Respect your fellow competitor, even if you don’t like them   Now before we get to this week’s Top 20 let’s clean the palette . . .   Okay Quint, just next time you do one of these don’t forget the tradition in Geneva . . .   Okay, a new drum roll please:     This Week’s Media Poll Top 20!   #1 – Saint Andrew’s – key home win over Benjamin, Stoneman and Oxbridge this week . . . come out to the Classic! #2 –  St. Thomas Aquinas – road win over LHP is LHP’s first home loss to a Florida team since 2013 when both Jupiter and Benjamin pulled it off. #3 – Ponte Vedra – Big wins over LHP and Maclay moves them up, Gulliver Prep at home on Friday.  Might well run the table. #4 – Lake Mary – smackdown of Seminole on the road, at LHP Thursday in what almost seems like a must-win for the Highlanders #5 – Benjamin – didn’t quite pass the test against SA but there is a lot there #6 – Vero Beach – IMG took them down Friday by 4 but I just don’t count too much in that . . . should be undefeated going into the Mid-March back to back with STA and SA #7 – Oxbridge Academy – really starting to put it all together.  Saturday versus SA will really be interesting #8 – Jupiter – rapidly maturing as a team, easy road win over Stoneman #9 – Lake Highland – yeah, I know . . 1-3.  So hard to call this one.  One goal loss to STA seems more accurate to me than the Lake Brantley result.  Time will tell. #10 – Maclay – this might be it for now with PV behind them.  The schedule is not very good going forward. #11 – Gulliver Prep – Feb 26th at Ponte Vedra looms large . . . just like last week . . . nice win over Columbus Catholic #12 – H.B. Plant – another situation where I can’t really move them up because of the schedule, will have to run the table (sans IMG) to be considered Top 10 #13 – Lake Brantley – can Jake Bernhardt turn it around in year 2 and get the program back to recent glory?  If so you have to show consistency . . . #14 – Oak Hall – nice first week but until they get to the second half where the schedule firms up this is about where they belong #15 –Belen Jesuit – the schedule gets weaker until Mid March so this is about it for now and must keep winning #16 – Boone – one early win looks better and one doesn’t, needs to keep winning with their schedule #17 – American Heritage-Boca – took care of business and the schedule still has plenty of solid tests #18 – Nease – a huge Moe’s win over a solid Timber Creek team, plenty of meat on their schedule later #19 – Newsome – rebounding nicely but the schedule keeps a lid on their upside, also must keep winning #20 – American Heritage-Plantation – weak schedule but you have to notice a team that has only given up FOUR goals in FOUR games.  Coach Chad Moore spent nine years as Head Coach at Washington & Jefferson and he welcomes STA on March 1st . . .   Also considered: Barron Collier – the jury is out here, they need a good win Berkeley Prep – Oak Hall comes to town on Friday Bolles – good loss to Lake Mary and wins over poor competition, it gets better soon Bishop Moore – as Jekyll and Hyde as any in the state this year Buchholz – the Maclay game is pretty much the determinant for Top 20 consideration Creekside – we’ll know Tuesday Cardinal Gibbons – Pine Crest at home this week gives us a hint Gulf Coast – nice start but the schedule is much weaker than last year Melbourne Central Catholic – gut check at Vero Tuesday ODA-Sarasota – will have to confirm this wasn’t a fluke Stoneman Douglas – took out Pine Crest in a must win for them West Orange – if they get past Timber Creek that makes three good wins but there’s not much else on the schedule to make their case Winter Park – loss to PV looks better but until they get to the better part of the schedule they can’t break into the Top 20   Remember, bring a friend to a game this week!