Mount Sinai's Joey Spallina is an easy choice as MVP of All-America Boys Lacrosse Classic

Syracuse University commit helped the North take a 9-7 all-time lead in the annual series

Photo by Derek Toney

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – With four goals and two assists, Joey Spallina was relatively an easy choice for Most Valuable Player honors in Saturday’s All-America Boys Lacrosse Classic.

Spallina, a highly-skilled attack from Mount Sinai, New York’s best move of the evening may have came off the field in the North’s 22-16 victory over the South at Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood Field.

The Syracuse University recruit grabbed a dry erase board off of the South sidelines and darted to the North side. The board, which was quickly recovered, listed different post-goal celebrations the South wanted to perform after scoring.

Spallina and the North had the final laugh.

“Someone said right before we went out, and I thought I would do it if I scored a cool goal,” said Spallina. “I ran and I got it. It was a good time.”

It was a fun time for the North, which pulled to a 9-7 lead in the annual summer series. Charles Balsamo, a Duke recruit from New York’s Chaminade, finished with three goals and an assist, and Griffin Scane (Penn/Indiana’s Culver Academy) and Finn Thomson (Syracuse/Canada’s St. Michael's) each added a hat trick.

Patrick Crogan (Massachusetts’ Lexington) looks for an offensive opening as the North's long-stick defender by AJ Larkin (Loyola) closes in to challenge / Photo by Derek Toney

The North broke a 14-14 third quarter deadlock as Balsamo, Spallina, Scane and Virginia-bound midfielder Joey Terenzi (New York’s Manhasset) each scored. The North finished with a 72-53 shot advantage.

Matt Lazzaro (Penn State/Massachusetts’ Deerfield Academy), Matt Collison (Johns Hopkins/Canada’s St. Michaels-Everest) and Matt Minicus (Loyola/Connecticut’s Darien) each scored twice.

West Reserve Academy (Ohio) coach Dylan Sheridan, who guided the North was impressed with how they meshed with only a couple of hours of practice time Friday.

“They’re super flexible and have a really high aptitude,” said Sheridan. “They pick stuff up very quickly, made a few adjustments at halftime and really put the clamps down defensively in the second half.”

Max Sloat, a Duke-bound attack/midfielder from California’s Sacred Heart, scored four goals for the South, and Gonzaga College (D.C.) attack James Matan (North Carolina) added a hat trick.

Spallina, the nation’s No. 1 senior recruit by Inside Lacrosse, was one of seven Syracuse recruits who played Saturday. The Orange, winners of 11 national titles, last reached the NCAA Division I final four in 2013.

“I’ll keep it simple, the goal of this class is bring Cuse back, that’s it,” said Spallina.