However, the teams can't avoid each other when the Cardinals play host to the Wolves in a regular-season finale Friday.

"It's crazy," said Thomas sophomore midfielder Eric Monfort, whose team had won six of its last seven games before facing Hilliard Darby last Tuesday. "It's a cross-town rivalry game. They got us last year, and we're looking forward to playing them this time."

Since 2000, the series between the two programs is tied at 6, including an OHSLA Division I tournament game in 2000 and a MSLCA tournament game in 2001. However, Kilbourne has won the last three meetings, including 13-8 last year.

"Lacrosse is an emotional game and I'm sure our kids are going to be pretty jacked up to play a team like Thomas," Kilbourne coach Drew May said.

The teams could have played a week earlier in the in Hudson, but they landed in opposite ends of the B bracket.

Thomas won its third consecutive B bracket title with a 7-6 victory over Mount Lebanon (Pa.) last Saturday, as senior midfielder Stu Holmes scored the winning goal. The Cardinals beat Cincinnati St. Xavier 11-10 last Friday, with senior midfielder Jake Sharick scoring the winning goal off a pass from Monfort.

"Our offense is starting to pick it up," Thomas coach John Galipault said. "Our confidence has gone up and down this season, but the losses we had made us mature."

After winning eight of nine games, Kilbourne stumbled last week. A 15-6 loss to Upper Arlington on May 4 knocked the Wolves out of the running for the A bracket and a 7-5 loss to Mount Lebanon in a B bracket semifinal last Friday prevented a matchup with Thomas.

May hopes an 11-7 victory over St. Xavier in the consolation final last Saturday puts the Wolves back on track.

"In tight ball games, we have to value our offensive possessions," he said. "Mount Lebanon played a very slow-paced game and a lot of teams are going to try that against us."

•ALL-MSLCA HONORS — Kilbourne's Conor Igoe (midfield) and Will Campbell (midfield) and Thomas' Sharick (midfield) and Phil Steiner (goalie) were named first-team all-Midwest. Thomas' Tyler Cleveland and Colin Lisi (defense) and Kilbourne's Cory Spencer (attack) and Jake Hertenstein (defense) were second team, and the Wolves' James Meager (attack), Charlie Bassani (attack) and Cole Horwatt (goalie) and Thomas' Monfort, Nick Sharick (defense) and Eric Garris (attack) were honorable mention.

Wednesday,  May 12, 2010 4:02 PM

By PAUL BATTERSON

ThisWeek Staff Writer