BALTIMORE — It is regarded by many as the greatest college lacrosse rivalry in the country and this weekend we get its 125th chapter.
It's Johns Hopkins vs. Maryland.
The Blue Jays (10-4, 3-1) and Terps (8-3, 3-1) lock up on Saturday in College Park in the regular season finale with a Big Ten Conference championship at stake. Maryland clinches the regular season crown and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming conference tournament with a win. Hopkins needs a win over the Terrapins and a Penn State loss to claim the top spot.
The Terps are ranked 3rd in the nation. The Jays are ranked 7th. The intensity for this year’s game should be at an all-time high.
"There are a lot of components that are tied into this game, a lot of things that can be affected by the outcomes," said Blue Jays head coach Peter Milliman. "It is a big game for us because of the rivalry and the context of our opponent."
"The environment is just unbelievable. There is nothing like it in our sport," added Blue Jays graduate attackman Garrett Degnon, who leads Hopkins with 32 goals. "I’m really blessed and lucky to be a part of this rivalry and be a part of another one of these games."
"It’s our equivalent of Army-Navy in football or Auburn-Alabama, that type of thing - two rivals and there are so many great players and great coaches, so many memorable moments," said Terps head coach John Tillman. "I think that’s what makes games like this special. With the significance of what’s at stake, just adds to it."
Hopkins hasn’t beaten Maryland since 2019. Since then the Terps have topped them five times. That includes three regular season wins and two victories in the Big Ten Tournament.
Opening face-off Saturday at SECU Stadium is set for 6:00 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
