Lacrosse: Johns Creek, Lambert net key wins en route to big area match

The top-ranked Johns Creek boys (11-3) improved to 7-0 in Area 3-AAAAAA last week with a 20-11 win over No. 10 Northview on Friday. The win puts the Gladiators one win away from clinching the title in a tightly contested race that features the top three teams in Class AAAAAA. Johns Creek will face third-ranked Lambert on Saturday. If the Gladiators win, they’ll take the championship, with No. 2 Centennial likely taking the two seed and Lambert finishing third. If Lambert wins it could result in a three-way, as each of the top three would have one loss in area play.

- It won't help them in the Area 3 scrum, but the Lambert boys made a statement with their win over McCallie School (Tenn.), 11-6, Saturday. McCallie entered the contest ranked No. 3 in the South by LaxMagazine.com, fresh off of back-to-back wins over Johns Creek and Centennial – the top two teams in Class AAAAAA and the two teams Lambert is battling win at the top of Area 3. The slate doesn't get any easier for the Longhorns (12-2). They'll take on Lovett, the No. 2 team in Class A-AAAAA, on Wednesday, before moving on to Saturday's area showdown with Johns Creek.

- Westminster girls coach Jay Watts recently became the first coach in the state of Georgia to reach the 300-win plateau, LaxMagazine.com reported last week. The milestone came in a 21-2 win over Darlington on April 7, and the total number includes 17 years worth of victories for Watts and the Wildcats, predating the GHSA's sanctioning of the sport. Westminster (13-1) is ranked No. 2 in Georgia in Class A-AAAAA, and No. 9 in the South by LaxMagazine.com. The Wildcats, who last won the state title in 2013 and finished last year as the runner-up, will play at No. 8 Sprayberry on Thursday.

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Top 10 rankings, schedules

BOYS

Class AAAAAA

1. Johns Creek (11-3)

• Tuesday: def. Etowah, 12-6
• Friday: def. No. 10 Northview, 20-11

2. Centennial (12-2)

• Friday: Lost to McCallie School (Tenn.), 15-13
• Saturday: def. Montgomery Bell Academy (Tenn.), 21-4

3. Lambert (12-2)

• Tuesday: def. North Forsyth, 22-0
• Saturday: def. McCallie School (Tenn.), 11-6

4. Roswell (12-2)

• Friday: def. Lake Norman (N.C.), 12-5
• Saturday: def. Memphis University School (Tenn.), 13-9

5. Pope (12-2)

• Tuesday: def. Cherokee, 19-1
• Thursday: def. No. 8 Lassiter, 10-9 (OT)
• Saturday: at Alpharetta, no score reported

6. Mill Creek (12-1)

• Wednesday: def. Archer, 14-2
• Friday: at Brookwood, no score reported

7. North Gwinnett (13-1)

• Wednesday: def. Chattahoochee, 15-3
• Friday: def. Duluth, 14-2

8. Lassiter (9-5)

• Tuesday: lost to No. 9 Harrison, 17-11
• Thursday: lost to No. 5 Pope, 10-9 (OT)

9. Harrison (11-3)

• Tuesday: def. No. 8 Lassiter, 17-11
• Thursday: def. Alpharetta, 17-13

10. Northview (10-4)

• Friday: lost to No. 1 Johns Creek, 20-11

Class A-AAAAA

1. Westminster (14-1)

• Thursday: def. Pace Academy, 16-3

2. Lovett (11-4)

• Tuesday: def. No. 6 Marist, 14-8
• Thursday: def. No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian, 5-3

3. Allatoona (14-1)

• Tuesday: def. Whitefield Academy, 14-9
• Wednesday: def. River Ridge, 20-0

4. Cambridge (11-2)

• Wednesday: def. Forsyth Central, 18-1
• Friday: lost to Montgomery Bell Academy (Tenn.), 9-7

5. McIntosh (10-4)

• Monday: Lost at Peachtree Ridge, 9-8
• Thursday: lost to Woodward, 8-7

6. Marist (8-4)

• Tuesday: lost to No. 2 Lovett, 14-8
• Friday: lost to Decatur, 6-4

7. Benedictine (8-5)

• Friday: lost to No. 10 St. Pius, 8-6

8. Greater Atlanta Christian (10-5)

• Thursday: lost to No. 2 Lovett, 5-3
• Friday: def. Forsyth Central, 13-0

9. Wesleyan (10-2)

• Tuesday: def. Holy Innocents', 17-7
• Thursday: def. Buford, 18-4

10. St. Pius (10-3)

• Wednesday: def. North Atlanta, 13-8
• Friday: def. No. 7 Benedictine, 8-5

GIRLS

Class AAAAAA

1. Milton (9-3)

• Friday: def. Manheim Township (Pa.), 14-8
• Saturday: vs. Hinsdale Central (Ill.), no score reported

2. Walton (10-4)

• Tuesday: def. Wheeler, 26-0

3. Lassiter (10-3)

• Wednesday: def. Etowah, 19-5

4. Chattahoochee (12-3)

• Tuesday: def. Alpharetta, 19-9

5. North Gwinnett (11-2)

• Monday: def. Parkview, 22-2
• Thursday: def. Archer, 16-7
• Friday: def. Duluth, 21-4

6. Northview (8-3-1)

• Wednesday: def. South Forsyth, 24-3
• Thursday: tied No. 7 Pope, 16-16