Soaring one minute and floundering the next, Loyola Blakefield's lacrosse has been a model of inconsistency the past two seasons.
In fact, the Dons sport an uncharacteristic 7-11 regular-season record in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference during that span.
The saving grace, though, was Loyola's stunning run through the 2013 playoffs that ended with a difficult-to-believe 10-9 upset of previously unbeaten Boys' Latin in the championship game.
Veteran Loyola coach Jack Crawford has been around the block enough to know that those turn of events are more to be savored rather than expected.
"That was like catching lightning in bottle," the former Johns Hopkins University standout said. "We just need to be more consistent everywhere — attack, midfield, defense, everywhere."
Last season, the Dons posted an overall 8-8 record and went 4-5 in conference play while failing to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.
Yet the prospects for a return toward being considered a league elite look bright, considering the amount of talent Loyola brings to the table.
For instance, the first midfield unit alone should send shivers up and down the spines of rival defensive coordinators faced with stopping University of Virginia recruit Ryan Conrad, who tops the Top 50 Young Guns Seniors list by Inside Lacrosse Magazine in its national recruiting issue last fall.
The senior, who delivered team-leading totals in goals (33), assists (22) and ground balls (68) in 2014, will also be counted on to fill a leadership role.
"He has the willingness and the ability," to take charge on and off the field, Crawford said about the 2014 Towson Times male Athlete of the Year.
Fellow senior Jack Lombardo (St. Joseph's University) and junior Brendan Doyle round out the unit.
The attack also packs a wallop with seniors Alex Roesner (University of Pennsylvania) and Cole Williams (Hopkins), junior Luke Hurley (Furman University) and sophomore Phil Wies leading the way.
The defense is led by burley senior Jake Nordhausen, the Maryland State Independent Schools 220-pound wrestling champion, who will attend the United States Military Academy in the fall.
Senior Stephen Bull (Bates College) and junior Darren Seward flank Nordhausen on the back line in front of senior goalie Acie Newton (Brown University).
Senior Will D'Angelo leads the shortstick defenders.
While the Dons are not receiving much love from preseason rankings in various publications and websites, Crawford doesn't mind the omission.
"I have no problem at all with that," Crawford said. "I like flying under the radar. The bottom line is that we have to find out what we're made of, and we'll find out soon."