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D2 - Looking back and ahead
Submitted by SpideyWebster on Mon, 2007-05-14 10:23.
So, since we have threads looking at most improved and next year's prognostications for Div1, what about Div2? Who do you think will ascend? Who surprised you? Who's going to change the most or the least or grow? Who's going to fall to earth?
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What will be will be
There are lots of strong teams out there and good coaches. Anything can happen. Feeder programs are a must to create depth in any program. In regards to Northshore, check out their site, NS has grown from 2 teams in 06 to 6 teams in 07, ages 3rd/4th all the way to this yrs 1st Varsity program. Puyallup, Snoho and all the areas are growing strong - that is the point of looking back and looking forward. Lacrosse is taking over!
another point to consider
is the cost to run a competitive D1 program. To be competitve in D1, it seems to me, that you need to be practicing in the off seasson. For quite a few programs that takes quite a bit of money to pay for field space and possibly pay someone to coach since the coaches can't run practices in the off season.
Basically, while this is fun to debate, we need to trust that each program will decide what is best for their teams overall goals.
Maybe
How about Stanwood.
Puyallup and Northshore
Puyallup only losing one senior, with only one goal on the season, will be a force in D-2 and northshore is stacked with freshmen that have played with maturity above their ages. Those two will be the front runners for sure.
North County is very well coached and i know they had higher hopes than the finish they ended with so epect them to work hard and show up to play next year. Snoho does have a really great player returning in bos, but will lose their do it all middie in Zane.I still think they can challenge for the title.If tapps's coaches can get their players under control and stay out of the box, they have the speed and youthfulness to contend.
fall off is going to hurt Tacoma worse than anyone, with like 17 seniors and argubly the best D-2 player in Gilson leaving, but their JV program had a nice season so were they fall is really hard to predict.
I agree
I agree with everything you said, I would add that the skagit division will beat each other up again, with whatcom and mukilteo getting stronger with youth programs feeding them. And stanwood was no easy task for whatcom and mukilteo either. Northshore is probably my favorite for that division and Puyallup from thiers...and I like Nathan Hale's play this year and expect them to be very solid next year. It's gonna be another crazy year , who nkows who is dropping down from d1...roughriders? eastside? who is moving up, northshore or puyallup (tacoma wont because of how senior laden they were, if they didn't last year they wont this year). New teams to the league (eastside catholic, any eastern teams being incorporated yet?) Lots of question marks for lacrosse in washington right now! love the growth!
Northshore and Puyallup to D-I
With both Northshore and Puyallup essentially losing no players, it would make sense for them to move up to D-I. What other teams should be moving up? Snohomish wanted to move up last year. Do you still move Tacoma up even though they are losing a lot of seniors? Has new coaching at Nathan Hale righted the ship and they should move back to D-1 where they've been? And who should move down.
D-2 teams moving up to D-1
While I think Puyallup could move up and do fine, I don't think Northshore is ready. They have definately beaten some bad teams, but they got blown out when they played a good team.
If you look at their schedule, stats, etc, you will find that they did dominate some of the mediocre and bad D-2 teams, but had some close games against OK D-2 teams (Mukilteo, etc), but got clobbered by top D-2 teams (lost 17-2 to Snohomish). Don't get me wrong, they are definately a program on the uprise, and I wouldn't rule them out for moving up the following year, but I think next year is too early. Also, Tacoma is obviously dominating this year, but if I were them, I would wait another year to see how they do with losing so many seniors. GHSlax said that "Snohomish wanted to move up last year," but actually they did not want to move up to D-1 last year.
movin on up
i think northshore could handle it...the players are great, and the coach is great...so one year at the d1 level learning about that kind of lacrosse and playing while still young will give them a better chance later on than playing in D2. It would prepare them better down the road than challenging for a d2 championship, because they have already done that
Northshore
Although I believe Northshore is a great team, I'm not sure they're quite ready to be DI yet. And Puyallups only been a program for 2 years.
i agree with gleconte
Remember Northshore did lose a game 17-2. (I just looked at their schedule- and all their key players are in the stat book- i.e. they weren't missing anyone.) For a D-2 team to move up to D-1, they can't get dominated by any other D-2 team, no matter who it is.
oh, okay
so lets put that in the requirements then, no d2 team looking to move up can be dominated by a d1 team that previous year....so no matter how much they grow together as a team, and no matter how much work they put into it, because they lost to another d2 team 17-2...they can not move up! i don't think that should matter, there is so many more factors than ONE GAME where snohomish probably put together an almost perfect game. what was the score in the opther game, snohomish won by four! no dominance there. What i am saying is they got dominated once, and that should hold all of them back? I don't think so, if they want to move up, and they meet league requirements, which has nothing to do with thier record at all the previous year, than they should be allowed to move up. who cares what their record is, if they were 6-8 and meet all the requirements and want to move up, so be it, but they were one of the top five teams in d-2, and have some solid players...all returning, and the coach of the year, so who is anyone to try and hold them back!
If every team wanted to and
If every team wanted to and met the requirements to move up to D1, there would be alot of teams in D1. It's up to the board to decide if the teams are ready or not. And if they do petition to move up, I really do not think they will get it.
Northshore
No, I definately think Northshore is a good team, I'm just saying that I think they should stay D-2 one more year and establish consistent dominance before they move up. Great talent, though.
It's about youth
It doesn't really matter about how long they have had a team. Lynnwood moved up after its second season and Skyline after only its first. It comes down to the youth programs. Does Northshore have a solid youth program running already? A team could be good for three years and then drop without a feeder program.
Competing at the highest level
And to add to your comment, what good does it do for a team to dominate their league (as Northshore and Puyallup should if they stay in D-2). Players are better off competing at the highest level of competition they can handle. A team will learn a lot more going .500 in D-1 than they well constantly whipping up on teams in D-2.
I think the number of good teams in D-2 lends credibility towards having an intermediate league between D-1 and D-2. The best of D-2 and the bottom of D-1 play the same league until they are fully ready for D-1.
Competing at the Highest Level
Agreed. I think it would be awesome if D-2 became the current top D-2 teams and the lower D-1 teams. Then for the current lower D-2 teams, there could be a D-3.
great, all we need is D1
great, all we need is D1 guys to think they are even more elite than they already do! How about putting all the teams in one division, sure some teams will get blown out, but that will then be a part of scheduling, you wouldn't schedule north kitsap vs. bainbridge. but, the middle teams will all have a chance to get better, the top teams can still play each other and the low teams can do the same. look at the state of colorado lacrosse, great lacrosse, deep teams, and they get better each year BECAUSE they see tough competition each year. How do you expect each team to develop if they play the same bad teams each year? if we want growth, then let the teams grow! three division will stunt the growth. and one division, even though I like the idea, may be to far in the future...so lets leave it as is okay!
that's Pretty Funny
Division I teams aren't conceited about being DI teams, they have zero control over that. sounds like an inferiority complex to me. Having one league- let me just refresh your memory from a Puyallup (DII state finalist) against Mercer Island (DI state finalist). MI dominated. Games like that are every so often, good for the other teams, but how is that good for everyone? THe bottom DII teams cant compete with the middle DII teams, let alone any DI team in the top 8. the divisions are the way they are to help grow programs, not stomp the bottom down and make an "elite" top few.
inferior complex i think not
If it was an inferior complex, then why would I want all the teams to be in one division? But...I do see your point as there is a HUGE difference between the lowest DII team and the top DI teams. It would be ridiculous to put them on the field to play each other. But i don't think making three divisions will really help the growth either. look at DII right now, who would be the DIII teams? what would it mean to some of those DII teams that are still striving to become better and are working at long term goals...changing things too much may efect that. So lets leave it as is, it seems to be working fine! not perfect, but what ever will be?
That's also a good point.
That's also a good point.