It’s not too often, but when Churchill Coach Jeff Fritz feels his players need to refocus in practice or need a boost to push through the preseason slog of indoor practices and canceled scrimmages amid the recent poor weather, he’ll bring up last year’s final result.

Churchill fell to Severna Park, 7-6, in the final seconds of the Maryland 4A/3A state championship, the Bulldogs’ second state championship loss in three years and the Falcons’ second straight crown.

As Churchill prepares for its season opener this week — starting a campaign the Bulldogs hope ends with the first lacrosse state title for boys or girls in Montgomery County — the team keeps the sting of that ending in mind.

“It’s the state championship for us,” Fritz said of Churchill’s goals this season. “We’ve been there two times in the last three years. Last year, we led the entire game except for the last three seconds, so anything short of that will be very tough.”

Churchill believes it has the power to finish its run with a first-place trophy.

Midfielder Reed Moshyedi, a senior committed to Brown, returns after finishing his junior year with 33 goals and 24 assists to earn first-team All-Met recognition. The Bulldogs also feature three other seniors committed to Division I programs and another bound for Division III.

Fritz hopes the veteran nucleus helps the squad overcome a slow start to their preseason workouts. Inclement weather has forced practice improvisation and limited scrimmage opportunities, so the coach is eager to get his team up to speed as the season begins.

Elsewhere in the region, several private school teams have shown the parity of the area with Bullis, St. John’s, Gonzaga, Landon and St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes earning victories — and a few losses — in the early goings.

Here are the first rankings of the 2018 boys’ lacrosse season.

Note: All records are from last season.

1. Bullis (18-3) Last year’s final ranking: 3

The Bulldogs, who have started the season 3-1, added St. Anne’s-Belfield transfer Connor Shellenberger, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the nation’s 2019 class, to an already talented roster.

2. Severna Park (20-0) LR: 2

The two-time defending Maryland 4A/3A state champs, who beat Churchill in the finals seconds of last year’s championship, are again the early favorite in Anne Arundel County.

3. Churchill (18-2) LR:  5

A year after losing to Severna Park in the Maryland 4A/3A championship, the Bulldogs return Reed Moshyedi (33 goals, 24 assists last season) and eye another deep postseason run.

4. St. John’s (11-5) LR: 4

In their second year under Coach Wes Speaks, the Cadets have beaten Landon and Georgetown Prep to start 5-1 this season.

5. Landon (21-0) LR: 1

Though they’ve already lost to St. John’s, the Bears, led by Epoch/U.S. Lacrosse National Player of the Year Joey Epstein, are contenders for another Interstate Athletic Conference title.

6. Gonzaga (14-7) LR: 7

The Eagles have Jack Myers, a second-team All Met attackman last year, leading a roster with nine players committed to Division I schools.

7. St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes (16-7) LR: 6

After winning the Virginia Independent State Athletic Association championship last year, the Saints will look for another big season from junior midfielder Andrew Tyeryar, a North Carolina commit.

8. Riverside (20-0) LR: 10

The Rams, who won the Virginia 4A state championship in the school’s second year, return an attack trio in juniors Danny Maltz (Maryland), Mitch Pehlke (Ohio State) and Taylor Musa (Colgate).

9. St. Mary’s-Annapolis (13-3) LR: NR

The Saints downed St. John’s, St. Mary’s Ryken and Georgetown Prep to start the year before falling, 9-6, to Landon on Friday.

10. South River (13-5) LR: NR

The Seahawks, who lost to Severna Park in the 4A/3A East region final last year, will look to challenge the Falcons for Anne Arundel supremacy.

Bubble: Georgetown Prep (12-5), Briar Woods (16-3), Robinson (15-3), Howard (11-6)