NIAGARA LACROSSE CLASSIC BOYS’ DIVISION RULES

Boys 2024-2028 divisions will use Federation High School Rules (NFHS) with the following exceptions; Boys 2029-2034 divisions will use US Lacrosse Rules with the following exceptions/clarifications;

1. Eligibility: It is the responsibility of each team to ensure that all players meet age eligibility requirements for the division in which they participate, as published on the tournament website and Terms & Conditions.
2. Timing: Games are scheduled in 50-minute blocks. All games will consist of two (2) 20-minute running time halves with a three-minute half-time. Penalty time will stop and start on the whistle. Personal fouls will be timed at 1-minute, and technical fouls timed at 30-seconds. All fouls are released if the man-down team is scored on, unless otherwise indicated by the officials.  *Note – game duration and halftime may be shortened by the mutual agreement of participating teams. Also, at the discretion of the tournament organizers, game times may be shortened due to inclement weather, or to keep the tournament on schedule. Officials may stop time at their discretion.
3. Competition Format:
   1. 8v8 divisions (2-3-2 + GK), with a 6x6 goal, on a modified field. Face-off will be held after each goal unless a 5+ goal differential exists, where the team scored upon will receive the ball at midfield to restart play. Trailing team may waive this rule and elect to hold faceoffs. Penalized players in 2032-33 division must sub off the field, no man advantage will be granted to the fouled team.
   2. 10v10, with a 6x6 goal, on a regulation field. Face-off will be held after each goal unless a 8+ goal differential exists, where the team scored upon will receive the ball at midfield to restart play. Trailing team may waive this rule and elect to hold faceoffs.
4. Overtime: Sudden victory overtime will follow the completion of a tied game; sudden victory periods will be 3 minutes of running time. No timeouts allowed.
5. Delay of Game: Teams may be assessed a delay of game penalty if not ready to begin play at the scheduled time; games may be shortened at the discretion of the organizers to keep game times on schedule.
6. Weather Delay: If a weather-related evacuation occurs during the 1st half, teams will return to play the 2nd half of the game, weather permitting. If the evacuation occurs during the second half, the game MAY pick-up where it left off (weather permitting), OR the game MAY be terminated, and the score recorded as is. If the score differential is equal to or greater than 6, regardless of time remaining, the game may be terminated.
7. Tie Breaks & Re-Seeds: Refer to the SLV Tournament Tie-Break Formula for all divisions
8. Substitutions & Restarts: All substitutions will be on the fly.  Restarts are per NFHS/USL Rules.
9. Timeouts: Each team will be permitted one (1) 30-second timeout per game, which may be called by the team in possession any place on the field. Timeouts may be called by either team during a dead ball situation. The game clock will stop for :30s during timeouts. There are NO timeouts allowed in overtime periods. Winning teams cannot call timeout in the final (4) minutes of the game.
10. Stick Checking: No one-handed stick checks of any kind are permitted in 12U (2029-2030) or younger.
11. Long Sticks: The use of long sticks is permitted in all divisions; 2029-30 & older, max length 72”; 2031 & younger, max length 54”,

12. Advancing the Ball, Counts & Stalling:
    1. 12U (2029-2030) & Older Divisions: In the event of alternate possession, discretion is left to game official(s). Teams have 20 seconds to advance the ball across the midline, and 10 seconds to move the ball into the attack goal area. Per NFHS Rules:
    2. During the last 2 minutes of the game, automatic Stall Warnings will be in effect for the team leading by 4 goals or less.
    3. When the goal differential is 5 goals or more, or if the game is tied, there will be no automatic stall warning in the final 2 minutes of play
13. Over and Back Rule: Over and back will be enforced at the 12U (2029-2030) level and above. Once the offensive team establishes offense inside the attack goal area, the ball is considered live. If offense causes the ball to cross the midline, a turnover will result.
14. Body Checking: Body checks will be called tightly in the interest of player safety & the spirit of summer lacrosse. Blind-side, defenseless player, excessive checks, or checks to the head/neck will be 1 to 3-minute full time served penalties. No body checking of any kind is permitted in 12U (2029-2030) or younger. Excessive contact, initiated by the ball carrier, to include leading with the helmet may be called as a 1-minute, full-time served foul on the team with possession.
15. Expulsion, Ejection, or Fighting: Any participant (player, coach, team official, or spectator) who is ejected during the tournament must leave the venue, no refunds will be granted. Refusal to leave the premises may result in team disqualification / forfeit.  Any player ejected will be subject to a one game suspension, & possibly up to automatic disqualification from the tournament. If the ejected player plays in the following game, they are ejected from the tournament, and their team serves a (3) minute non-releasable penalty.
16. Summit Society: All teams, coaches, players, parents and team officials must adhere to the Summit Lacrosse Society. No profanity or unsportsmanlike conduct will be tolerated. Offending team(s) may be disqualified.

TOURNAMENT TIE-BREAK FORMULA: ALL DIVISIONS

In reseeding teams or in any other tie-break situation, the following tournament tie-breaker will be utilized:

1. Head to head competition; all tied teams must have played each other for this to apply;
2. Fewest goals allowed;
3. Highest goal differential, total goals scored (12 goals per game max, in a full-length game), less total goals given up; In the event of a forfeit, the score will be recorded as 13-7 for any full-length game.
   • For shortened games, ex. CCWC (20-minute games), max goal differential per game will be 6. A forfeit will be recorded as 7-4.
4. Most goals scored;
5. Coin toss 

NOTE: After each level of criteria is utilized, the tie-break resets. Example: If there is a 3-way tie, and one team secures a seed/slot based on goals against, the tie-break resets to head-to-head for the next seed/slot if relevant.

In reseeding teams for the playoff rounds, the tournament will try to avoid duplicate games between teams unless the game is still in the divisional championship stream. For consolation games, staff will look to schedule opponents based on whether or not they have already played.