La Costa Canyon Mavericks

Updated: February 15, 2012, 8:23 AM ET
By Brett Manney

The West region could be the region where lacrosse is expanding the most. For instance, when Mercer Island (Wash.) defeated Massachusetts powerhouse Duxbury (Mass.) last season, POWERADE FAB 50 voters took notice.

With several games pitting teams from the west against the more traditional hotbed areas of New York and Maryland, the chances for even more teams from this region to be ranked in 2012 could be increased.

Overall, 10 players in the ESPNHS 100 and five from the ESPNHS Top 50 juniors are from the West, and that number barely scratches the surface of the overall Division-I talent in the region.

The Starting Lineup
(Position*: athlete, year, high school (city, state), college commitment)

G: Michael Ortlieb, Sr., Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.), Holy Cross
LSM: Charlie Hushek, Sr., Brophy Prep (Phoenix), Bryant
D: Ryder Clark, Sr., Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), undecided
M: Mike Tagliaferri, Sr., San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.), North Carolina
M: Zack Fixen, Sr., Palos Verdes (Calif.), Maryland
M: Matt Florence, Sr., Kent Denver (Englewood, Colo.), Virginia
M: Patrick Worstell, Sr., San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.), Syracuse
A: Sean Doyle, Sr., Torrey Pines (San Diego), Cornell
A: Brendan Gaughan, Sr., La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.), Michigan
A: Michael Marcott, Sr., Lincoln (Portland, Ore.), Denver

See complete article at
http://espn.go.com/high-school/lacrosse/story/_/id/7554705/2012-boys-west-region-preview