Massachusetts, once thought to be a second tier lacrosse destination by many of the top college coaches in the country, is experiencing a metamorphosis.

After the outstanding summer season by the Black Jacks of 21 Lacrosse, the "secret" is out. If there were any doubters before about the ability of the Massachusetts players to compete nationally those questions have been answered in a not so subtle way.

"Man for man, our athletes are every bit as good as any of our opponents, especially the ones from the traditional hot beds of New York and Maryland," said Rick Bagby, coach of the Black Jacks and founder of 21 Lacrosse.

The Black Jacks went 18-2 in two national tournaments - including seven wins over New York and four wins over Baltimore area teams - and placed five players on the respective camp All-Star teams. Their only losses came at the hands of the Connecticut Hurricanes, who possess seven Division 1 signees, in the championship round at the Gait Cup, and to the Connecticut Elite Black in the championship round at the "Battle of the Hot Beds." No other team in the country made it to the championship round of both tournaments.

Combining an extremely potent offense with the tournaments' stingiest defense made life pretty tough for the Black Jacks' opponents. For the summer tournament series, the Black Jacks scored 178 goals (8.9 goals per game) while allowing 55 (2.75 goals per game).

"21 Lacrosse and the Black Jacks are all about team," Bagby said. "It is the premise of our organization. P.J. Trendowicz [in whose memory 21 was founded] was the consummate team player. Those are the guys we are looking for. Solid, fundamentally sound players are what we are all about. The college coaches know what we are trying to do here, and they are very impressed with how our players play as a team, and their refuse to lose attitude."

Bagby added that two players have been recognized as the P.J. Trendowicz Award Winners for the summer, Jack Dings and Mark Flibotte(Bowdoin College).

"The P.J.award is for the players who will do whatever is best for the team in order to win," Bagby said.

At the Gait Cup, Dings played three different roles in order to help the team to victory. Normally a long stick midfielder, Dings also played close defense as well as short stick D middie when called upon. Flibotte, a prolific attackman (High school All-American, Cohasset High School), spent the entire "Hot Beds" tournament at midfield, and was named an All-Star at that position despite being an attackman throughout his career.

"Mark and Jack really stepped up to the plate to help us win," Bagby said. "Jack's multiple roles enabled us to give guys a break from time to time, and Mark helped us out at midfield when we had a few players withdraw from Hot Beds (one due to injury and two for personal reasons)."

Alex Cuomo (Scituate), Kevin Hannigan (Endicott College - Hanover), Paul McInerney (Scituate) and Ryan Woodford (Bryant Univ. - Scituate) made up the stingy defense. Goalies Jake Gray (Scituate), Nico von Stackleberg (Lincoln-Sudbury) and Alex Day (Wrentham - Milton Academy) all played outstanding.

The attack cruised throughout the tournaments as the team posted 178 goals. Kyle Crowley (Scituate), Greg Reynolds (Scituate), Alex Ferris (Scituate), Jake Harvey (Duxbury), Mark Flibotte (Bowdoin College - Cohasset) and Mike Grimm (Cohasset) led the way for the Black Jacks.

And last, but far from least, are the workhorses of any team, the midfielders. The Black Jack middies included, Gary Crowley (Bryant University - Scituate), Jack Dings (Scituate - Holderness), Dan Morrissey-Martin (Abington - Belmont Hill), Jack Walker (Scituate - Phillips-Andover), Pat Mahoney (Scituate), Liam Bokanovich (Sandwich), Kyle Ewanouiski (Scituate - BC High), Zach Clayton (Hingham - Thayer) and Greg Manning (Hingham).

Mark Flibotte (Gait and Hot Beds), Mike Grimm (Gait), Gary Crowley (Gait), Liam Bokanovich (Hot Beds) and Kyle Ewanouski (Hot Beds) received All-Star recognition at the camps.

"When I was asked by the organizers for nominations for the All-Stars, I simply said, ‘take your pick,'" Bagby said. "Everyone of our guys in my estimation is an All-Star."