Rambo, the consensus No. 1 senior in the country, will take his talents to Maryland in 2013-14.
Matt was the star of the team. He seemed destined to finish what his brother had started and lift Abington to new heights. But he felt like he was on cruise control and slacked off in school. Rambo called his coach, Randy McNeil, to say he wanted to transfer to La Salle. “I hate to lose a player like that, but at the same time, it’s not about me, it’s about him and what he’s going to do with his high school career, and you’ve got to respect that,” McNeil said.
Convincing his teammates was another
story. Rambo played with some of them for years. Now on the cusp of what should have been their greatest experience together, he was, in the eyes of some, jumping ship.
A couple of friends called him “LeBron,” since Rambo’s decision came just a few months after LeBron James’ infamous “Decision” to leave Cleveland for Miami. “Some of ’em still give me crap for it now,” Rambo said. “But they all know it was a smart decision, and they all respect it. I always go to their games, and I’m really close with them. They just wish me the best of luck.”
It took some time for Rambo to adjust to La Salle’s team- oriented system. “In that first year,
The youngest player on the gold medal- winning U.S. U19 team is
back in the mix for the Cardinals.
he learned how to work hard because we work hard,” La Salle coach Bill Leahy said. “In his junior year, he really took over just as a presence on the field. He bought into our system, that the more he gave the ball up, the more it would come back to him, which it did. He played more for his teammates than himself, and we went all the way to the state championship.” Rambo also has matured in the classroom. “It definitely changed me, how I study,” he said. “A 70 is failing when a 70 is a D at public schools. You have to be more focused.”
Leahy describes the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Rambo as something of a box lacrosse player with a low center of gravity who’s tough to knock over. He’s got a lethal left-handed shot with a lightning- quick release.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
MID-ATLANTIC NIKE/US LACROSSE BOYS’ TOP 10 BOYS’ LATIN (MD.) CALVERT HALL (MD.) GONZAGA (D.C.) LA SALLE COLLEGE (PA.) EPISCOPAL ACADEMY (PA.)
STEPHEN KELLY Calvert Hall (MD.)
LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD (MD.) LANDON (MD.) GILMAN (MD.) MCDONOGH (MD.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Four juniors, including Brinton Valis (Johns Hopkins) and Alexander Hurdle (Notre Dame), return from the only MIAA team to beat Calvert Hall. Senior goalie Nick Doyle (Ohio State) is solid. The Eagles play St. Andrew’s (Fla.), Haverford (Pa.) and Gonzaga.
DELBARTON (N.J.)
Will Reynolds is the latest in a pipeline of standout Delbarton defensemen headed to Princeton. The Green Wave will play St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), Chaminade (N.Y.) and Fairfield Prep (Conn.).
— Mike Loveday Find updates at
LaxMagazine.com/HSBMA March 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 41
The Greyhounds finished 12-4 last season and have a good mix of experience and youth. Three seniors and six juniors have committed to Division I programs, including midfielder Riley Desmit (Johns Hopkins).
The defending IAC champions have nine seniors who will go D-I. Led by a trio of Virginia commits — senior Michael Rhoads and juniors Jack Falk and Austin Petty — the Bears are favored to repeat as conference champions.
Led by Maryland commit Jake Clise, the MIAA runners- up return six seniors who have committed to play college lacrosse. Non-conference foes include Garden City (N.Y.), Haverford (Pa.) and Malvern Prep (Pa.).
The Churchmen beat Haverford 15-11 for the Inter-Ac Invitational title last year,. Four seniors, plus junior goalie Brian Zappala (Penn), return from that team. Episcopal has early tilts against Bullis (Md.) and No. 4 La Salle.
Matt Rambo (Maryland) and Sean Coleman (Harvard) are two of the nation’s best players. Coleman injured his ankle during football season and could miss part of lacrosse season. Jeff Cimbalista (Yale), another senior, will help pick up the slack early.
The three-time WCAC champs return 11 seniors that will play in college, including midfielder Max Planning (Denver) and defenseman Matt Borda (Fairfield). Non-conference foes: Bullis, Boys’ Latin, Calvert Hall, Georgetown Prep and Landon.
The defending MIAA champs return seven Division I-bound seniors and boast six in their junior class. Led by midfielder Stephen Kelly (North Carolina), the Cardinals will play Gonzaga and Conestoga (Pa.) in addition to their brutal MIAA slate.
The Lakers are loaded this season with 12 seniors and seven juniors already committed to play Division I college lacrosse. Shack Stanwick (Johns Hopkins) is considered the top junior in the nation, but he just might be the best player overall.
©JOHN STROHSACKER
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