By Austin Vitelli
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 2/16/16

The TopLaxRecruits.com 2016 Preseason Midwest Boys’ Rankings (last year’rs records in parenthesis):

1. Hill Academy (Ontario, Canada) 13-1
The Canadian powerhouse will also be one of the top-ranked teams in all the National rankings. The Hill has seven seniors committed to play Division I in college.

2. Culver Military Academy (IN) 17-6
The Eagles have another very challenging schedule in 2016 with matchups against Hill Academy, Brother Rice, McDonogh, Gonzaga, Haverford School, Everest Academy, among others.

3. Everest Academy (Ontario, Canada) 0-0
Everest is playing a spring field schedule for the first time and based on its success in the Fall it will be an immediate power. Everest will play IMG Lacrosse, Culver Academy and Carmel as well as in several tournaments.

4. Brother Rice (MI) 19-4
The 13-time defending Michigan state champions are always the favorite to repeat; they feature a strong defense.

5. St. Michael’s College (Ontario, Canada) 30-2
The Blue Gaels won the Ontario High School Championship last year and return most of their offense, led by attackmen Jonathon McConvey (Vermont’18) and Luca Dannetta (Lehigh ’18) and middies Jonathan Donville (Cornell ’17) and Keaton Thompson (Marquette ’17). The young defense is led by Team Ontario members Daniel Balawejder (Canisius ’16) and Same Rowe (Mimico Junior A). The year’s biggest vs. US teams will be against Brother Rice on April 30.

6. Upper Arlington (OH) 17-6
The Golden Bears will look to return to the Ohio state championship game and feature seniors Danny Logan (midfielder, Denver) and Ben Baker (attack, High Point).

7. Carmel (IN) 18-3
The 2015 Indiana state champions lost a strong senior class, but return another solid senior group that features three D1 commits, including Detroit signees Alex Akins (defenseman) and Seth Mendell (attackman).

8. Louisville St. Xavier (KY) 18-4
The Tigers have won seven of the last eight Kentucky state championships, and will have some tough out-of-state Midwest matchups against Culver Military Academy, Carmel, New Trier and Cincinnati St. Xavier. They also play Virginia prep powers St. Anne’s-Belfield and Collegiate School.

9. Cincinnati St. Xavier (OH) 18-5
The Bombers look to defend their Ohio state championship and will face runner-up Upper Arlington on April 9 at home.

10. MICDS (MO) 16-4
The Rams won the 2015 Missouri state championship and have multiple seniors committed to Division I lacrosse.

Under Consideration: Bloom Jefferson (MN) 18-1; Cleveland St. Ignatius (OH) 17-3; Columbus DeSales (OH) 16-5; Culver Academy (IN) 15-1; Delaware Hayes (OH) 17-1; Detroit Country Day (MI) 15-7; Forest Hills Central (MI) 17-3; Hilliard Darby (OH) 15-4; Hoover/No. Canton (OH) 13-5; Hudson (OH) 19-1; New Trier (IL) 18-4; Okemos (MI) 17-3; Olentangy Liberty (OH) 17-5; Prior Lake (MN) 15-1; Seven Hills (OH) 17-2; Solon (OH) 15-3; Worthington Kilbourne (OH) 15-5; Wayzata (MN) 13-2; White Bear Lake (MN) 18-1

Girls