20th OC Lax Classic in the Books
OCEAN CITY- The 20th Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic, held at several venues in and around the resort area last weekend, was again a huge hit with over 100 teams and hundreds of the top players in the country competing for four days culminating with championships in seven divisions on Sunday.
The event has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception in 1993 when just a handful of teams competed on a hardscrabble field behind Ocean City Elementary. Twenty years later, over 100 teams featuring some of the top men’s and women’s collegiate and professional players in the country competed in seven divisions including the signature men’s and women’s elite divisions. Also added this year for the first time ever was a Wheelchair Lacrosse division, which took place on the inside court at Northside Park in Ocean City last Wednesday and Thursday in advance of the larger tournament all weekend.
This year for the first time, the men’s elite division was divided into two divisions; the Atlantic division, featuring teams that have competed in the tournament in the past, and the Bay division, including teams competing in the annual event for the first time. In the men’s Elite Atlantic Division championship last Sunday, 1 Lacrosse defeated Jack Lingo to claim the title.
In the men’s Elite Bay Division, the Flamingos defeated Cannons Elite, 7-4, to claim the championship. In the women’s elite division, Team STX topped Salty Balty, 12-8, to win the championship. Kooper’s Tavern beat Smartlink, 7-2, to earn the men’s Masters Shark Division title, while National Premium/Shore Steamers downed Crab Bag/Dogfish Head, 7-2, to win the Masters Barricuda Division championship.
Kooper’s Tavern edged the Blue Ox, 6-5, in overtime to win the men’s Grand Masters Division title. In the men’s King Neptune Division, featuring players 50 and older, Team Harley topped Team Patron, 4-3, to win the championship.