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Montclair has its sights focused on looking to win its first Essex County Tournament title since 2007 with a strong defense anchored by Denison University-bound goalie Cooper O'Brien who is seen making save in win vs. Montville. Veteran Coach Mike Diehl's squad also has other players to watch including attackman Dylan Fowler (77). In bottom photo, from left, are senior leaders Adam Schmitt, Fowler (77) and O'Brien (11). The Mounties play in the strong Fifth-Pitt Division. (Sideline Chatter photos)
The 2026 ECT lacrosse seeding meeting is set for Wednesday, April 29, with first-round action set to start on Saturday, May 2, followed on Tuesday, May 5, and Thursday, May 7, by quarterfinals and semifinals, also at the higher-seeded team’s home field, and finishing with the county championship game, 2:30 p.m., Saturday, May 9, at Livingston’s Allen ‘Jake’ Jacobson Memorial Field. The ECT field certainly has a more wide-open title chase this spring since state powerhouse Seton Hall Prep, which has won 12 straight county tournament championships and 15 of the 21 finals held since 2004 (there was no tourney in 2000 due to the covid virus), has elected not to enter this year’s ECT while electing to concentrate on its top independent schedule in addition to its usual Super Essex Conference-American Division regular season schedule. The Mounties, who have won three ECT titles, but none since 2007 with their last final being in 2021, are one of the clear favorites to contend for at least a Final 4 berth in this season’s ECT along with defending Group 1 state champion Glen Ridge (7-2). Montclair and Glen Ridge are scheduled to meet in the fifth annual ‘Border Battle’ between the neighboring schools, 10 a.m., this Saturday (April 25) at Brookdale Park in Bloomfield and Upper Montclair. Coach Anthony Sicoli’s talented Ridgers, who captured the 2025 Group 1 state title with a victory over perennial champion Mountain Lakes, has lost five in a row to the Mounties, including in all four previous ‘Border Battles.’ Montclair beat Glen Ridge twice last spring, 12-10, in a hard-fought Border Battle in mid-April, and then in a lopsided 11-1 Mounties triumph in the ECT semifinals in early May. Other teams that could prove factors in this season’s ECT lax field include Montclair Kimberley Academy and Caldwell, which has been the runner-up in the last three ECT championship games. “Our goal is definitely to win the ECT and we’re excited about that challenge,” said ninth-year Montclair head coach Mike Diehl, who is a former standout player at both Hunterdon Central High School and Rutgers University. “The Border Battle vs. Glen Ridge is a huge, upcoming game for us and we don’t look past anyone as the county tournament nears. “We play in a very strong division (Fitch-Pitt) and see some of the state’s very best teams on a regular basis and hopefully that will be part of helping us be better prepared for making a strong run in the ECT.” The Mounties are led by their stellar defense, improving midfield and opportunistic attack. A solid senior class led by long-stick midfielder Adam Schmitt (40 ground balls in first 8 games), NJIT-bound defenseman Dylan Kaelin-Panico and goalie Cooper O’Brien (Denison University commit) and attackmen Dylan Fowler (17 goals, 8 assists) and Quinn Previdi (10 goals) helps make the Mounties dangerous. A promising midfield is led by senior Jake Martin along with juniors Clive Derby and Ryan Donohue and sophomore Ike Hedberg. Other defensemen who help add depth include junior Hayden Wilson and Dodge Pisano along with sophomore Adam Cherkin. Montclair also relies on a young face-off man in sophomore Andrew Blick with depth also added by sophomore Heath Meyer and junior Remy Pisani. “Our defense is a strongpoint with a lot of experience back there and has helped keep us in most games,” said Diehl. “Our midfield keeps getting better and our attack has good potential. “We need to finish stronger than we have in the second half of certain games, and I know our players will keep working hard in aiming to play a more complete game which you obviously have to do against our schedule.” After starting the season at 4-1, including a nice come-from-behind 5-3 win at Caldwell, the Mounties have absorbed recent defeats to state powers Westfield (17-4) and Summit (13-4) along with this past Saturday’s (April 18) 8-3 setback to an underrated St. Joseph of Metuchen squad at Watchung Field. The other early-season setback came with an 11-2 setback to previously No. 1 ranked Delbarton back on March 31. The Green Wave dropped a 9-7 decision at its archrival Seton Hall Prep also this past Saturday. The Mounties are scheduled to take on SHP in SEC-American Division action, 4:30 p.m., Tuesday (April 21) at the Pirates' Brendnan P. Tevlin Memorial Fie.d 2026 ECT seeding meeting: April 29; first round May 2, quarterfinals May 5, semifinals May 7 and final, 2:30 p.m., May 9, at Livingston. ECT BOYS LACROSSE FINALS: Titles won: SHP 15, Montclair 3, Glen Ridge 2, West Essex 1 Follow Steve Tober on 'X' @Chatttermeister
Montclair's promsiing lax squad relies on the strong work of attackman Dylan Fowler (77) and veteran long-stick midfielder Adam Schmitt (3).
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