21st OC Lax Classic To Invade Resort

OCEAN CITY- The “fastest game on two feet” takes center stage in and around the resort area next weekend when some of the top men’s and women’s lacrosse teams in the country descend on Ocean City for the 21st Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic.

The annual tournament gets underway next Thursday with opening round games in the Masters and Grand Masters divisions at the Northern Worcester Athletic Complex in Berlin. Northside Park in Ocean City continues to be tournament headquarters and most of the action all weekend will take place there, but because of the growth of the tournament in recent years, some early round games will be played at the other venues. For example, most of the early round games in the Women’s Elite Division will take place at the downtown Ocean City fields at 4th Street.

From modest beginnings in 1993, the Ocean City Lacrosse Classic has grown to become one of the sport’s most highly anticipated events. Last year, over 100 teams participated, but that number will likely grow again this year including 48 men’s elite teams, 34 women’s elite teams, along with men’s masters teams and grand master’s teams. The King Neptune Division featuring players over 50 still interested in playing competitive lacrosse will include five teams this year.

A new wrinkle this year is the addition of a wheelchair lacrosse division, which will took place at the indoor facility at Northside Park on Wednesday and Thursday in advance of the larger outdoor tournament. In addition, the Masters portion of the tournament has been divided into “A” and “B” divisions with the top performing teams from last year’s tournament in the former and new teams signing up this year in the latter.

Highlighting the event each year is the men’s elite division, which features some of the top collegiate and professional players in the country. Masters and Grand Masters action continues got underway in Berlin yesterday, while the early round action in the Men’s and Women’s Divisions got started this morning. The games will go on night and day throughout the weekend and culminate with title games in each division on Sunday.

While the action on the field is clearly the big draw, the resort area will become the center of the lacrosse universe throughout the weekend with food and drink vendors, lacrosse equipment and clothing vendors and live music, turning the athletic complex into a weekend-long celebration of the sport.

Last year in the men’s Elite 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.