Are you ready for the 2025 RIIL boys lacrosse season?
While Mother Nature might not be, The Providence Journal certainly is. We’ll be covering the sport with the same fervor and intent we did last spring and try to do even better. Last week we got things started with our preview of the divisions and players to watch, managed to shoot a game on the season opener and now have more.
Every Monday this season we’ll unleash the Providence Journal boys lacrosse power rankings, telling you who we think are the four best teams in each of the state’s four divisions. We’ll start things with our preseason ranks and yes, we understand the season technically started last Thursday. We can only promise to be more precise in the future.
We’d like to do more with lacrosse. Last spring we attempted to have a Player of the Week feature, but the large majority of the state’s coaches weren’t keen on sending game results in. If coaches can consistently report results to The Journal, we’ll gladly get that feature going.
To report results, coaches can email the Providence Journal at PJSports@ProvidenceJournal.com with the final score, the top three goal scorers for the winning team, the top two scorers for the losing team and any pertinent goalie stats. If someone scores a game-winning goal, we’d love those details as well. If a player did something that doesn’t show up on a scoreboard – a lockdown defender, or a fogo dominating – throw it in as well. The more info, the better.
It'll be fun to see how things play out this season. We’ll try to use this space to inform and entertain. Check out our rankings below and we’ll see you back here next week(*).
RIIL BOYS LACROSSE DIVISION I PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. La Salle
Ready for a scary stat? There are players on the Rams’ roster who weren’t teenagers the last time they lost a league game. La Salle’s last loss came on June. 8, 2021, and don’t expect the defending champs to lose one this season (unless you’re going to count one of the big-name out-of-state teams they play as a real league loss).
2. Moses Brown
What’s larger? The gaps between the Quakers and La Salle or the gap between the Quakers and the rest of the state? Moses Brown is a few notches behind its rival, but will need to be careful this spring if it wants to get back to the state title game. The Quakers are still strong, but they’ll have a big target on their back all season.
3. Hendricken
The Hawks aren’t quite in the championship conversation, but the program is certainly trending in the right direction. Hendricken made huge strides last year and the goal for 2025 is simple – beat Moses Brown and get to the state championship game.
4. Barrington
There’s little question about the Eagles being the best public school program in the state. Graduation and transfers will sting Barrington a bit this spring, but there’s little reason to think this isn’t a final four team this season.
ON THE BUBBLE: North Kingstsown
RIIL BOYS LACROSSE DIVISION I PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Portsmouth
The Patriots are in that weird spot where the program is too good for D-II but too small to consistently compete with the elite D-I teams. Portsmouth took some beatdowns the last three years and now, as the bully, will ...
