If you've been to any IAAM girls lacrosse games this season, they probably seem a little longer to you. Or if you've checked out some of the scores -- such as McDonogh 18, Maryvale 14 last week -- that probably seems like a lot of goals.

You're right on both accounts.

The IAAM games technically are no longer this season than they were last. The clock still runs for 50 minutes, but for the first time, the clock stops on every goal. That can add about 30 or 40 seconds per goal to the time it takes to complete the game. That also gives the players more time to score goals.

While some scores remain in single digits, most of the IAAM games this season have moved into double digits and some with 15 or more goals even in competitive contests -- something we almost never saw in the past.

I haven't heard any major complaints, just one comment that a game was very long, so, as the season winds down, it seems to be a good move.

For one thing, it brings the statistics of the private school players more in line with those of their public school peers. The public schools have been playing with clocks stopping for goals for as long as I can remember and their scores were almost always much higher.

It also makes it a little easier for teams to adjust when public school teams meet private school teams, because everyone is on the same page. And the players are better prepared for college, where the clocks stops even more often than it does on the high school level.