Hopkins Lacrosse: It’s a Neighborhood Thing

The procession begins just after noon on spring Saturdays in Guilford. Families and couples, some well-dressed or clad in Columbia blue, make their pilgrimage down Charles Street to Homewood Field to watch the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays play lacrosse.

“Homewood is ‘mecca,’ that’s what they call it, like Yankee Stadium,” said resident Clarke Griffin who has been walking to Hopkins lacrosse games for 27 years. “It’s a rite of spring. You start going to games when the temperature is in the 30s and by May, it’s in the 80s.”

Griffin’s routine includes a pre-game hot dog with sauerkraut and a pretzel. Fans can also buy funnel cakes and an Italian sausage with peppers that will more than cure their hunger pangs.

“The concessions are fun. When the team scores a goal, the band plays, and the crowd counts the score,” he said.

The band has played the fight song “To Win” for more than 60 years after goals are scored. At halftime, local youth teams square off.

And this year, the Blue Jays are quietly having an extraordinary season with a record of 10 wins and 2 losses. They are in the running for a 10th NCAA national championship. Hopkins has won 44 lacrosse championships overall since the school opened.

After an overtime loss to Syracuse, they’ve defeated Virginia, UNC, Albany, and most recently, Maryland. After nearly missing the playoffs last year, they are ranked second in the nation behind Notre Dame with three games left.

“It’s a no-name team this year,” said Griffin. “They weren’t supposed to be that good. I give all the credit to ‘Petra,’” he said, referring to head coach Dave Pietramala.

Seniors Kyle Wharton and Chris Boland have been instrumental in the team’s resurgence. The Jays have 25 freshman and sophomores on the squad, pointing to a bright future ahead.

“When I am outside on Saturday afternoons, there is that unmistakable sound of spontaneous cheering coming from five blocks south,” said Guilford resident Rob Duckwall.  “Whether I pay for a ticket or not, I can usually get a view of the game and end up making friends with other people who are doing the very same thing.”

Before a recent game against Virginia, the Wahoo faithful set up their tailgates early in the morning along University parkway. Their star player, Steele Stanwick, hails from Roland Park, and he nearly pulled out a victory for the Cavaliers in one of the most exciting games of the year.

The Hopkins team roared onto the field and toppled their goalie Pierce Bassett in celebration over the 12-11 victory.

Under the lights this past Saturday, the Jays crushed Navy 14-5 before more than 10,000 fans. The atmosphere was electric and the near-capacity crowd filled with Hopkins students cheering on their team.

This year, the number of Hopkins home games has been reduced by tripleheaders played in NFL venues. The Konica Minolta Classic at M&T Bank Stadium included Hopkins and featured a tripleheader in an effort to put lacrosse on the national stage. The NCAA Final Four is played there, but that’s for the national championship.

“I won’t go to the big stadiums,” said Griffin. “It’s meant to be played on a college campus, and you lose that experience.”

With the Orioles returning to their losing ways, the Blue Jays have become the best sports team in Baltimore right now. Hopkins lacrosse games are a great place to take the kids.

“Being able to walk down and catch and good lacrosse game (even on a school night) has really been a treat for my son and I,” said Duckwall.