VHSL 2026 Girls Lacrosse

[Anonymous]

What's really cool is all these former D1 parents that are giving their objective views and evaluations of the recruiting landscape and play level.
So glad we keep hearing these same opinions and personal experience takes over and over. Thank you parents!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

It’s not a knock on these two schools, it’s simply the state of Virginia public school girls lacrosse. RS and DF could have slept walked to the final. Virginia public schools simply struggle to field teams now - the competition is much weaker and individual talent not at the same level. Yesterday’s championship had one player going to a top college program - Navy. The next highest ranked college program was VCU, which is not a strong program. Once you get below the top 50-60 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls way off.

More like once you get below the top 25 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls off a cliff

99% of your daughters will not play in the Top 25. You’ll find out soon enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

Great post

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the public talent in VA plays in the ISL and WCAC. Games when the top teams play each other are VERY good. Commits everywhere. It doesn’t even slightly resemble public school lacrosse. That’s not opinion but fact. Unfortunately, if the goal is to play for a half decent college program going the private school route (in addition to an above average travel team) is the formula. If the goal is to just have fun and play with friend's, public school lacrosse is perfect.

My oldest turned down a top 25 D1 program offer years ago to attend a much better academic school (top 10). She knew she would not get much playing time and has no regrets for choosing the better school over the better lax school. She realized rather quickly for a 17 yo (at the time) there was life beyond lax.

[Anonymous]

I would put those 2 6A state final coaches against any other private coach in our area. A great coach is part of the development also especially a highschool coach who player is spending 8-9 months with.

[Anonymous]

* every yea

[Anonymous]

** every year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

It’s not a knock on these two schools, it’s simply the state of Virginia public school girls lacrosse. RS and DF could have slept walked to the final. Virginia public schools simply struggle to field teams now - the competition is much weaker and individual talent not at the same level. Yesterday’s championship had one player going to a top college program - Navy. The next highest ranked college program was VCU, which is not a strong program. Once you get below the top 50-60 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls way off.

More like once you get below the top 25 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls off a cliff

99% of your daughters will not play in the Top 25. You’ll find out soon enough!

sounds like you're speaking from experience. sherlock this is a common stat, you're not enlightening anybody. you just sound bitter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

I think everyone would agree with you that a player does not have to go the private school route to play for a top 25 team. If you look back at the last 4-5 years there are very few Virginia public school players that have committed to top 25 programs. You can almost count them on two hands. JMU leads that list, but Richmond, Army, Navy, USF, Virginia have signed players. As you noted, these players are rare elite athletes and it’s easy for top programs to identify them. The Navy commit seems to be the lone player to fit this group this year.

[Anonymous]

From my experience, it really is all about the clubs the players are on not the high school teams. College coaches recruit at tournaments and showcases not high school games. I don’t see much value in transferring to a private school unless the parents view it as a better education. Seems like we have some private school parents here on the public school board talking trash. I hope you are enjoying the long commute to private school for the rare possibility that your kid plays for a top D1 program. There arent a ton of top d1 recruits for dc area private schools either beyond SSSA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

It’s not a knock on these two schools, it’s simply the state of Virginia public school girls lacrosse. RS and DF could have slept walked to the final. Virginia public schools simply struggle to field teams now - the competition is much weaker and individual talent not at the same level. Yesterday’s championship had one player going to a top college program - Navy. The next highest ranked college program was VCU, which is not a strong program. Once you get below the top 50-60 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls way off.

More like once you get below the top 25 D1 lacrosse programs the talent falls off a cliff

Found the guys who still wear their high school rings…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

Thanks for recognizing the players equally from yesterdays championship

This is an excellent post

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

Thanks for recognizing the players equally from yesterdays championship

This is an excellent post

dude season's over, your shameless plugs for compliments is nauseating. as the writer outlined, it's the about the summer tournaments and clubs. highschool spring season is meaningless, just like the preseason in the nfl. the real season just began for the travel teams this weekend. move on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the Riverside game live and was hoping to watch a replay of Madison v Battlefield, but I can't find it on NFHS.

Sad to see how far the 5A talent has fallen off the past several years. Really not much competition or elite players.

Sad to see how far the 6A talent has fallen off in the public leagues this year. The State Championship teams of the past 6-7 years (Yorktown, Oakton, and Langley) would have crushed these teams. Privates continue to steal the talent and offer better opportunities for elite players post HS.

I've been watching high school lacrosse in this area for over 20 years, and I don't agree that the talent level on the field in the Class 6 championship was significantly down. The overall depth across the region may not be what it was at its peak, but I think the top teams remain very strong.

In yesterday's game alone, both Madison and Battlefield had multiple players who are capable of playing Division I lacrosse. Battlefield's goalie, along with players like #5, #9, #10, and #11, certainly look like college-level players if they choose to pursue it. The talent at the top end is still there.

As for comparisons to past champions, it's worth remembering that the Oakton team that won the state title lost to Madison in both the district and regional finals. Likewise, last year's Yorktown state championship team lost the regional final to Madison. In my opinion, this year's Madison team had comparable top-end talent and was actually deeper than some of those previous Madison teams. The Yorktown team from two years ago was exceptional and one of the best I've seen, but that doesn't mean today's top teams are significantly behind.

I would also push back on the idea that players need to attend private schools to play high-level college lacrosse. While private schools certainly produce outstanding players, there are still plenty of opportunities for athletes in strong public school programs. At the end of the day, college coaches are looking for athleticism, skill, and potential. If a player has those qualities, coaches will find them.

I would argue that a player's club team and club schedule are way more important in the recruiting process than their high school affiliation. In some cases, attending a strong public school can actually accelerate development because players earn meaningful varsity minutes earlier in their careers.
This years Madison team is a good example. This season they had six freshmen on the varsity roster (one unfortunately missed the season with an ACL injury). Those players were able to take on significant roles immediately, gain valuable experience, and improve dramatically over the course of the season. Watching Madison's games against Battlefield, the growth of players like #4 on the draw and #19 and #29 on the offensive end was remarkable.

Private schools offer excellent opportunities, but I don't think the recent Class 6 championship game is evidence that elite public-school lacrosse has fallen off. Both Battlefield and Madison scheduled private school games and were competitive in those games. The best public-school programs in Northern Virginia continue to produce high-level players and highly competitive teams.

Thanks for recognizing the players equally from yesterdays championship

This is an excellent post

dude season's over, your shameless plugs for compliments is nauseating. as the writer outlined, it's the about the summer tournaments and clubs. highschool spring season is meaningless, just like the preseason in the nfl. the real season just began for the travel teams this weekend. move on!

The OP had like one sentence on recruiting and club teams. Not everyone has the same end game as you. Let us know when you post on instagram for your daughter going to sit the bench at Elon or VCU.