By any chance have you ever heard somebody claim that the PLL does not have enough teams to accommodate the amount of talent in the lacrosse world? If so you can be entitled to financial compensation. Only kidding, don’t reach out looking for money, instead see below the prestigious article of PLL’s ninth expansion team, Free Agents LC. A few players on this list may be picked up by the time the article releases, please do not show up outside of my house with pitchforks and torches if this is the case.

Out of curiosity, what would you name your PLL expansion team?

Attack

Tehoka Nanticoke, Randy Staats, Andrew Kew, and Mark Cockerton

For Nanticoke and Staats, they have not had their fair chance at making a push for a roster spot in the PLL. Neither have been active for a game despite having decorated college careers and being world class indoor players. Staats can do a little bit of everything and Tehoka has some of the silkiest mitts in the world, they’re both highlight reel players who bring juice to any offense. Staats would be the quarterback of this offense, 4 years ago he had a 50 point season on 17 goals and 33 assists. Kew is a head scratcher on how he is still unclaimed, the big lefty has proven he can be productive in this league totaling 13 points in 2021 with the Cannons. I remember watching him net 4 goals in one of the Cannons first games in the PLL, two years later he hasn’t cracked a roster since. Cockerton brings a veteran presence to this PLL expansion team, as he is someone who has produced in the professional game for a longtime.

Offensive Midfield

Bryan Cole, Tanner Cook, Jack Jasinski, Sergio Salcido, Christian Mazzone, and Ryan McNamara

Bryan Cole is as solid as it comes from the midfield position. Makes good decisions, fits in any
offense, and produces when given the opportunity. He had 13 points last year with the
Whipsnakes and back in 2019 on the Atlanta Blaze produced 53 points on 39 goals and 14
assists. Tanner Cook is still young and has had big moments in this league, he was a vital part
of the Chaos’s championship run in 2021. Jasinki just played a very solid game Week 1 before
being released to make room for the Bandits guys returning. Salcido, Mazzone, and McNamara
all have PLL experience and have fallen out of lineups in the past years. Mazzone can play
both ways making him extremely valuable. Salcido still has elite speed and a howitzer of a shot
to score at this level. McNamara always looked solid to me whenever he was in the Archers
lineup, dangerous shot, makes good decisions, and an amazing dodger as well.

Defensive Midfield

Brent Adams, Matt Abbott, Evan Zinn, TJ Comizio, and Tyson Bell

Brent Adams and Matt Abbott are both legends of the game. While falling out of lineups and into the player pool the past few years, I believe they both have some gas left in the tank, Abbott is still the human clearing machine while Adams is dangerous in transition. Zinn struggled a bit in his first game with the Chaos before being released, however they had him playing offensive middie which he hasn’t done in nearly 4 years. His game is best suited at SSDM and pushing transition.TJ Comizio brings more experience and has proven he can hang with anybody in this league. I love everything about Tyson Bell’s game, he’s physical, plays with swagger, pushes transition, and can pick up a pole if need be.

Faceoffs

Alex Woodall and Thomas Kelly

At one point Woodall was considered one of the best faceoff specialists in the world. He has the ideal build and skills to succeed in the PLL. He went 46% last year with the Cannons, which may not be eye popping but it shows he can compete with the best. Kelly has years of experience in the pros and has won titles as well, he serves as a more than capable depth option for Free Agents LC.

Long Stick Midfielders

Andrew Newbold, Kyle Pless, and Ryan McNulty

Andrew Newbold and Kyle Pless was Atlas’s LSM duo back in the 2021 season, they reunite to form a solid duo with experience on Free Agents LC. Both are solid players who have proved they belong in this league. McNulty is still young and hasn’t cracked a PLL gameday roster but I love the idea of him as a prospect. He was an all American at Loyola who totaled 28 points, 238 groundballs, and 84 CTO’s throughout his college career, his game is tailor made for the PLL.

Defense

Cade Van Raaphorst, Holden Garlent, Grant Ammann, GIbson Smith IV

Brett Kennedy was picked up by the Whipsnakes as I wrote this article, by the time it’s released Cade should be gone as well. To be honest I get the Atlas drafted defenseman with premium picks, but CVR being the casualty makes no sense to me. He was an all star in 2021 and is coming off another solid season in 2022. He can defend on-ball, support off-ball, push transition, and score two pointers. There’s nothing not to like about his game and I truly believe he may have been the best defenseman on the Atlas roster. Garlent brings more experience to the team with 19 PLL starts the past two seasons, he is a solid defenseman who proved he is a starting caliber defenseman. Grant Ammann was drafted but never cracked the roster, he’s 6′ ft 3’3″ 200 pounds with an ideal build for a PLL defenseman. His senior year at highpoint he had 55 groundballs and 38 caused turnovers. Gibson Smith hasn’t cracked a lineup yet either, but I loved what he did at Georgetown and in the PLL Championship series using a short stick. He could be a supporting piece on any defense.

Goalies

Nick Marrocco and JD Colarusso

The biggest head scratched on my whole list isn’t CVR, it’s Nick Marrocco. I mean really how this dude is still available is beyond me. On struggling Cannons teams the past two seasons he logged a 50% save percentage along with 56% in 2021, keeping the Cannons in all their contests, making clutch saves to seal wins as well.. He is a former all-star. Point in case there isn’t 16 goalies in this better than him, let alone 8. He is a starter in this league and Free Agents LC is thrilled to have him. Colarusso has already proved hes a top tier back-up at least. Stepping in for an injured Jack Concannon in 2021, he led the Atlas to the playoffs posting a 49% save percentage. Both are solid goalies who belong in this league.

What do we think, who did I miss? How many games would this PLL expansion team win? Could they not finish dead last and possibly make the playoffs?

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Flashback to 2010, the news was just announced that the University of Michigan would be transitioning its club lacrosse team to NCAA Division 1 status. A monumental day in outdoor collegiate lacrosse as it marked another prestigious university, adding the sport to the highest level. Many of the same questions arose such as how long would it take the Wolverines to be competitive? It did not come without growing pains, as the program won two total games in its first two seasons. They joined one of the premier lacrosse conferences in the country in the Big Ten in 2015, competing with perennial blue bloods Maryland, Penn State, Johns Hopkins, and Ohio State. As recently as 2021, they had a 3-9 record, followed by an 0-5 Big Ten record in 2022.

However, Michigan’s program stayed true to itself, an excellent academic school in a great recruiting area, loaded with top-tier facilities. Paired with a history of athletic achievement, most knew that it was only a matter of time before they broke through. They already had alumni playing professionally and winning championships while doing it. Mikie Schlosser and Kyle Jackson indicated that the talent and optimism in the program already existed.

Moving forward to the present day in 2023, Michigan qualifies for its first Big Ten tournament as the No.4 seed. Pat on the back for the Wolverines, program history was made. However, the work wasn’t done; this team was hungrier to prove more and show it wasn’t a fluke. They rattled off three consecutive conference wins over Ohio State and Penn State, along with a 14-5 routing over the two-time reigning conference champs Maryland in the title game. It became apparent through the Big Ten Tournament that Michigan was no longer a fun name to float around as an up-and-coming program but a legitimate NCAA title contender no team wants to face in May.

The Wolverines drew a game against the 2022 NCAA runner-up and overall No.6 seed, Cornell. The Big Red were led by a Tewaarton finalist offensively and the Premier Lacrosse League’s No.1 pick defensively. Additionally, the Wolverines were missing one of their best offensive players in Ryan Cohen. Despite all this, they were set to prove the doubters wrong again. In a back-and-forth instant classic, Michigan prevailed once again to down the Big Red in overtime with a 15-14 victory. Where two local Michigan lacrosse natives hooked up in overtime with Bryce Clay finding Peter Thompson. They travel this weekend to face No.1 seed Duke with a berth to the famed Championship Weekend on the line.

This Michigan Men’s Lacrosse program plays fast, disciplined, and as a group, a recipe for success in May. It is not a matter of whether they can compete now but how far they can make it on the national stage. The roster is loaded with talent. Offensively they had three players eclipse 50 points in Zawada, Cohen, and Boehm. For specialists, they have the best face-off duo in the country in Rowlett and Wietfeldt, along with a rising star in the cage with freshman Hunter Taylor. The defense is led by the most underrated defenseman in college lacrosse, Andrew Darby, who has been locking up every team’s No.1 offensive option down the stretch. The team is filled with athletes and blue-chip lacrosse talent; most notably the group believes in themselves. Do not sleep on the Wolverines this weekend against the No.1 seed; they’ve proved they can hang with anybody.

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Before I get into this article, I want to leave this disclaimer; I have mixed feelings about draft grades. We only know the talent of a draft class once they step on the field. Whenever I see them for other pro sports, I think the guy writing the articles is an idiot, so I thought it would be a good idea to do it myself for the 2023 PLL College Draft.

Expect high grades for all clubs considering how deep the talent pool is. With only eight professional teams, there are All-Americans and conference players of the year left undrafted each year. A complete four-round PLL draft is equivalent to one round of the NFL draft with 32 total picks. Fourth-round picks are first-round talent.

With that said, let’s dive into my grades for the 2023 PLL College Draft!

View my 2023 PLL Mock College Draft right here.

Atlas: A+

Round 1: Gavin Adler D, Cornell

Round 1: Brett Makar D, Maryland

Round 2: Xander Dickson A, UVA

Round 3: Peyton Rezanka SSDM, Loyola

Round 4: Kyle Long M, Maryland

You can just read all the names above and grade this class yourself. With No.1 and No.3 overall, Atlas went with two defensemen likely to be first-team All-Americans in Adler and Makar. They’re both blue-chip prospects and projected as day-one starters. After addressing offense with their previous three first-round picks, they add stars to the defense. Xander Dickson will put up great numbers immediately working off-ball in this offense and probably steps in as a day-one starter on the midfield; he also has one of the greatest off-ball players of all time as a mentor in Eric Law. Kyle Long is a dangerous passer from the midfield, which all PLL teams need. I can’t believe the Atlas came out of the 2023 PLL College Draft with this studded rookie class.

Whipsnakes: A+

Round 1: Tucker Dordevic A, Georgetown/Syracuse

Round 2: Petey LaSalla FO, UVA

Round 3: Garrett Leadmon M, Duke

Round 4: Elijah Gash LSM, Albany/ St. Ambrose

The haul for the Whipsnakes addressed every area of the field for them. I think Tucker Dordevic was the best offensive player in this class. Dordevic starting alongside Rambo and Zed, will keep PLL defenses up at night. Petey LaSalla looks to be a plug-and-play PLL FOGO. What stands out most about his game is his ability to score and scrap out groundballs which fares well in the league. Leadmon can play both ways, and there’s always room for that in the pros. Gash was my biggest sleeper of this draft. Anytime you watch Albany play, he stands out on tape, running people over and scoring goals in transition.

Redwoods: A-

Round 1: Owen Grant D, Delaware

Round 2: Brian Tevlin SSDM, Notre Dame/Yale

Round 3: Cole Kirst M, Syracuse/Lehigh

Round 4: Zach Cole FO, Saint Joseph’s

Similar to the Whipsnakes, the Woods addressed every area of the field with the 2023 PLL College Draft. Grant can play close or LSM. The Team Canada member is a rare talent at the defensive position that brings a certain amount of flash to his game. I’m surprised to see the Woods add another Notre Dame player. Tevlin is another Swiss army knife who quickly finds his way to the field. Despite passing on Sam Handley, the Woods still landed their Ford diesel truck with Kirst, who has been a standout on a loaded ‘Cuse offense. Zach Cole was a steal in the fourth round for FO depth.

Chaos: A

Round 1: Will Bowen D, Georgetown/UNC

Round 2: Brian Minicus A/M, Georgetown/Colgate

Round 3: Tye Kurtz A, Delaware

Round 3: Nick Rowlett FO, Michigan

Round 4: Levi Anderson A/M, St Joes

We will call this the Jack Rowlett class, as the Chaos landed two players he coaches at Georgetown, along with his younger brother. Chaos lost key pieces on offense in free agency, and they filled these voids in the draft by adding talent who fit into their scheme. Additionally, they bolstered the defense and faceoff positions. Bowen may be the best defenseman in this class; his game doesn’t seem to have any flaws on top of having prototypical PLL size; at No.7, he couldn’t be passed on. Minicus brings elite quickness to draw slides and feed while carrying a dangerous shot.  Kurtz has a flair for the dramatic, which thrives in the Chaos offense. Rowlett is a quick twitch FOGO who can immediately compete in the pros. It wouldn’t be a Chaos draft without one Canadian. Anderson has drawn comparison to Dhane Smith, who he now gets to play alongside.

Waterdogs: A-

Round 1: Thomas McConvey M, UVA/Vermont

Round 2: Alex Mazzone LSM/D, Hopkins/Georgetown

Round 3: Chris Fake D, Notre Dame/Yale

Round 4: James Reilly FO, Georgetown

Whenever I look at a Dogs draft class, it feels like they drafted players groomed to be Waterdogs. McConvey has a complete game, and he can play any role. He will fit in well alongside the other multi-skilled stars on this offense. The Waterdog’s defense is positionless, with defensemen bouncing between close and LSM. Mazzone is precisely that and was the best defensive talent available at No.16. Fake had no business being a third-round pick. At one point, he was regarded as the best defenseman in college lacrosse. They were rounding out the class with the last pick and got a top faceoff prospect in Reilly.

Chrome: B+

Round 1: Sam Handley M, Penn

Round 2: Troy Hettinger LSM, Jacksonville

Round 3: Jack Myers A, Ohio State

Round 4: Cross Ferrara A, Salisbury

The surprise of the draft was the slide of Sam Handley. Widely regarded as the consensus No.1 pick for most of the year, he falls into the Chrome’s lap at No.4. He reminds me of another 2023 No.4 draft pick, Anthony Richardson. Both freak athletes with limitless talent. Hettinger is a prototype PLL LSM having shown the ability to push transition; he put up 29 during his time with Jacksonville. Myers was the best player available in the third round and could have gone in first. After 448 career points and counting at powerhouse Salisbury, Ferrara could be one of the best offensive players in the class. Always good to see a D3 player get his name called.

Archers: B

Round 1: Mike Sisselberger FO, Lehigh

Round 2: Connor Maher SSDM, UNC

Round 3: Piper Bond SSDM, Penn

Round 4: Cam Wyers D, Loyola

Archers keyed in on the defensive side of the ball in the draft. Drafting Sisselberger No.5 overall contributes to that as they hope to get the ball to the offensive side of the field more often. They opted to fill the most significant need on their roster at the faceoff position, adding the top specialist talent in the draft and passing on Dordevic and Bowen. Maher and Bond keep the Archers deep at one of the most challenging positions at SSDM. Wyers started every game in his Loyola career and will be valuable for the Archer’s defense. Archers revamped their offense in free agency and added to the rest of the roster through the draft.

Cannons: B-

Round 2: Matt Campbell M, Villanova

Round 4: Grant Ammann D, Highpoint

Cannons had great picks to add depth to both sides of the ball. However, there were only two of them. Both traded picks in this draft belonged to the Cannons, one of them being No.1 overall. Most projected Campbell to be selected in the first round as he is one of the best true midfielders in the class. He can do everything on the field, and Villanova’s offense ran through him the past four years. He will be on the Cannon’s first-line midfield on day one. Ammann enjoyed a breakout season this past year, and at 6’3″, he looks like the part. No fret for the Cannons anyway; plenty of potential stars went undrafted they can add. They also should have first waiver priority, which is an additional draft pick.

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Lacrosse fans rejoice; the Premier Lacrosse League season is right around the corner, starting with the 2023 PLL College Draft tonight at 7:00 pm on ESPNU. This year’s incoming draft class is highlighted by defense, but the talent pool is loaded across the board. How about a quick four-round PLL Mock Draft to get us started? Let’s dive in.

Round 1

Pick 1 (Atlas): Tucker Dordevic (A/M,-Georgetown/Syracuse)

When I think of a pro-ready player, I think of Dordevic’s game. He was an all-American in college in two different positions. A chameleon who can shoot, dodge, and feed. He fits anywhere on this already-loaded Atlas offense.

Pick 2 (Redwoods): Sam Handley (Midfield-Penn)

The Redwoods add another Ford diesel truck to their midfield. Handley is the best athlete in this class and will find ways to be impactful the first day he steps on a pro field. If Handley does go first overall, I would not be surprised to see the Redwoods trade out of this pick.

Pick 3 (Atlas): Will Bowen (Defense-Georgetown/UNC)

After adding to their offense with the first overall pick, they add to the defense by grabbing the best one in the class. At 6’ 3” and 220lbs, Bowen is built like a PLL No.1 defenseman and has played like one throughout his college career.

Pick 4 (Chrome): Brett Makar (Defense-Maryland)

Chrome grab another #1 from Maryland, this time on the defensive side. Makar is a complete defenseman who can cover, guard off-ball, and isn’t afraid to clear the ball while joining transition. This Chrome defense continues to get younger and more dangerous.

Pick 5 (Archers): Mike Sisselberger (Faceoff-Lehigh)

The glaring need on a loaded Archers team is the face-off position. They address it immediately in this draft. Sisselberger is built like the next PLL faceoff star. He wrestled Division 1 at Lehigh this year on top of playing lacrosse. The Archers made flashy moves in free agency on the offensive side of the ball; now they have their specialist to give that offense more opportunities.

Pick 6 (Cannons Acquire Whipsnakes Pick): Gavin Adler (Defense-Cornell)

The old Cannons regime was open about making trades; based on the busy free agency period and urgency amongst the coaches, I would not be surprised to see the same plan of action pan out this PLL Draft. The Cannons send the #9 overall pick in this year’s draft along with a 2024 3rd-round pick to move up and draft a centerpiece for their defensive unit. Tape on Adler is hard to come by because he is rarely dodged on. He very well could be the best defensive player in the PLL Draft.

Pick 7 (Chaos): Thomas McConvey (Midfield-Virginia/Vermont)

After losing a few key offensive players in free agency, they fill the void in the lefty spot here. McConvey has proved at the collegiate level he can fit in any role. At Vermont, he was an America East Player of the Year, drawing all the attention on the scouting report as the No.1 option. At Virginia this year, he has excelled in a more complementary role on a loaded Cavalier offense.

Pick 8 (Waterdogs): Payton Rezanka (SSDM-Loyola)

The defending champions lost two pieces to retirement this year with attackmen Ryan Brown and SSDM Steven Denapoli. With the best SSDM in the draft falling to them, they get the luxury of replacing the latter. Rezanka is the SSDM who is avoided by offensive schemes, one of the most challenging positions in lacrosse. I believe Rezanka can continue to be a lock down SSDM.

Round 2

Pick 1 (Whipsnakes Acquire Cannons Pick): Matt Campbell (Midfield-Villanova)

After trading out of the first round, the Whipsnakes still land a blue-chance talent to continue to add to their offensive midfielder arsenal. Campbell can fit in anywhere in this Whipsnakes offense.

Pick 2 (Redwoods): Owen Grant (Defense-Delaware)

Addressing the offense in the first round, Redwoods now add a defensive piece with day-one starting potential. On tape, Grant is the flashiest defenseman in the draft, with a nasty array of checks and slick ball handling.

Pick 3 (Chaos Acquire Atlas Pick): Zach Cole (Faceoff-Saint Joseph’s)

The Chaos adds another faceoff specialist. Cole enjoyed a dominant career at Saint Joseph’s and has a style that translates well to the PLL. Chaos sends this year’s #17 pick a 2024 3rd-round pick to move up and grab Cole.

Pick 4 (Chrome): Jeff Conner (Attack/Midfield-Virginia)

Conner is a proper two-way midfielder who fits the mold of this Chrome team. He has shown throughout his UVA career that he can take over the game on both sides of the field.

Pick 5 (Archers): Alex Mazzone (Defense-Georgetown/Hopkins)

The Archers grab the best defenseman available for depth. Like the former Archers star Scott Ratliff, who retired this past season, he can play LSM or close.

Pick 6 (Whipsnakes): Jack Myers (Attack-Ohio State)

Myers proved to be one of the most dangerous players in college lacrosse this year. A balanced game with excelled shooting and dodging. He gets paired up with his former college teammate Jackson Reid on the Whipsnakes.

Pick 7 (Chaos): Garrett Leadmon (Midfield-Duke)

Bursting on the scene in 2023, Leadmon looks like a prototype PLL two-way midfielder. He can bolster Chaos’s transition game and fill the void left by losing Challen Rogers in free agency.

Pick 8 (Waterdogs): Xander Dickson (Attack/Midfield-Virginia)

Being crowned as the off-ball king in college lacrosse this season, every PLL offense can use players who change games without the ball in their stick. With feeders across the board for the Waterdogs, this feels like a perfect fit.

Round 3

Pick 1 (Atlas Acquire Chaos Pick): Brian Tevlin (SSDM-Notre Dame/Yale)

Pick 2 (Redwoods): Quinn McMahon (SSDM-Notre Dame)

Pick 3 (Atlas): Tye Kurtz (Attack-Delaware)

Pick 4 (Chrome): Chris Fake (Defense-Notre Dame/Yale)

Pick 5 (Archers): Brian Minicus (Attack-Georgetown/Colgate)

Pick 6 (Whipsnakes): Petey Lasalla (Faceoff-Virginia)

Pick 7 (Chaos): Levi Anderson (Attack/Midfield-Saint Joseph’s)

Pick 8 (Waterdogs): Dyson Williams (Attack-Duke)

Round 4

Pick 1 (Cannons): Chet Comizio (SSDM-Villanova)

Pick 2 (Redwoods): Elijah Gash (LSM-Albany)

Pick 3 (Atlas): Sean Goldsmith (Attack/Midfield-UNC/Mercer)

Pick 4 (Chrome): Cade Saustad (Defense-Virginia)

Pick 5 (Archers): Dylan Gergar (Attack-Penn)

Pick 6 (Whipsnakes): John Geppert (LSM-Maryland)

Pick 7 (Chaos): Connor Maher (SSDM-UNC)

Pick 8 (Waterdogs): James Reilly (Faceoff-Georgetown)

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Lacrosse fans now know from this point on until May, the best way to spend your Saturday is on your couch watching college lacrosse. Weeks one and two have not disappointed, specifically last week where we saw the No.2 Maryland Terrapins lose to in-state rival Loyola, along with the No.3 Georgetown Hoyas falling to the maybe back, not sure yet, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays.

Looking into week three what seems to be the matchup of the weekend on paper is two bluebloods Maryland and Syracuse facing off against each other in College Park at 1:00pm this Saturday. It’s Upstate NY vs Maryland in a battle of where the true lacrosse hotbed lies. While ‘Cuse is seemingly reloaded in talent and off to a 3-0 start, Maryland will look to bounce back and continue to find its identity in this matchup.

Of note, Syracuse is yet to play a game outside the “JMA Wireless Dome” which still sounds weird to all lacrosse fans. Additionally, College Park is considered one of the toughest away venues to play at due to ravaging fans waving state flags they’re seemingly obsessed with and awful ideas of wing flavorings such as Old Bay.

The matchup I am most interested to see is if we get the historic numbers for both programs, 1 and 22 going head to head. This class’s number one recruit Joey Spallina wears the historic No.22 for Syracuse and after some harsh criticism via bozo’s on lacrosse twitter with his week one play, he has seemed to have found his footing netting 10 goals in two games last weekend. For Maryland, the No.1 is being worn by defensive leader Brett Makar, who is the first defensive player to wear the number for the Terps. For what’s it worth I can also see Ajax Zapitello covering Spallina while Makar checks the savvy Owen Hiltz, but for the sake of journalism the coaches should throw the game plan out and give the fans the historic matchup they want, #1 vs #22.

Regardless of how these matchups shake out, it appears as if Maryland will be without its back end leader, star goalkeeper Logan McNaney who suffered an injury last week. While the Terps will certainly miss McNaney, they added graduate transfer Teddy Dolan from Binghamton who provides plenty of starting experience.

On the offensive end for the Terrapins, it appears they still are looking to find their true alpha or No.1 dodging threat to get this offense clicking. While the two most prominent options appear to be Owen Murphy or Kyle Long, my dark horse candidate to step into this role is midfielder Jack Brennan, wearing No.4.

For Syracuse, keep an eye out on No.48 Saam Olexo to be the difference maker in the contest. The SSDM converted to LSM has a nose for transition and with going against top faceoff man Luke Wierman I believe this can be the difference for the ‘Cuse. Another player I wanted to highlight for the Orange was freshman midfielder No.23 Finn Thompson. Kid is a matchup nightmare who you can’t guard with a shorty, on top of this he is a human highlight reel who seems to have no regards for the fundamentals of the game (in the best way possible).

With lacrosse entering the betting world the past few years we mine as well to highlight the lines, Syracuse is getting 4.5 goals as the underdog and are +420 on moneyline. The over/under is set at 24.5. This is not gambling advice but personally I would stay away from the spread in this matchup as both sides seem to be figuring out their identities. I would take the over at 24.5 if I was to wager on the game

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Lacrosse All Stars fans and those who enjoy top-tier lacrosse journalism rejoice, for I have returned. I realized on my 5:00am flight to Sin City, aka Las Vegas, that I was about to embark on an opportunity of a lifetime and my experiences needed to be shared with lacrosse fans across the globe.

Imagine ten years ago somebody comes up to you and tries telling you there will be an NLL franchise located in Las Vegas. Realistically, you’d tell them to kick rocks. However the year is 2023 and we now have lacrosse in the gambling capital of the world, Vegas baby. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to catch-up on what the whole Las Vegas Desert Dogs experience was about early in the franchise’s tenure.

Upon arriving in Vegas, we headed to Mandela Bay where Michelob Ultra Arena is located within the complex. At Mandela Bay, you have walking access along with a tram that can take you between Mandela Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur. All three resorts were stunning and truly set a standard for a sporting experience that I haven’t experienced in my twenty years of following professional lacrosse. All three resorts offer plenty of casino space (surprising), along with top-tier restaurants, entertainment shows, and much more. As a consumer, it felt nearly impossible to get bored.

With a 7:30pm game there was plenty of time to explore the surrounding areas and get lost walking around this oasis. Outside of the Mandela Bay there was promotion for the Desert Dogs everywhere. Branding for the new team was hard to miss, a showing sign that Vegas is serious about their newest sports franchise.

The stands in the arena filled out, with Desert Dogs fans participating in chants that seemed like they’ve practiced for a lifetime. UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling was in attendance and even got on the jumbotron to rile up the local fans. From experience, I can vouch that the 25oz Michelob Ultra’s hit a little bit differently in the arena named after them.

As for the game itself, the visiting Philadelphia Wings were able to weather the Desert Dogs storm throughout the first half and ultimately pulled away in the second half winning the game 14-9. It was the usual suspects for the Wings; Joe Resetarits, Matt Rambo, Ben McIntosh, and Blaze Riorden that led the way for the win.

With a legendary ownership group that includes Wayne Gretzky, Dustin Johnson, and Steve Nash, it seems like the sky is the limit for the Vegas Desert Dogs and what they can accomplish as a franchise. It’s an encouraging sign to see celebrities such as Sterling and Davante Adams attending the games to support the city’s newest franchise.

The Las Vegas Desert Dogs aren’t the only professional sports franchise to join town recently. As within the past five years, Las Vegas has added the Raiders for NFL and the Golden Knights for NHL. Will Vegas continue to expand its sports resume? Is the city becoming a new sports capital of the world along with New York and Los Angeles? Only time will tell, but what I can say confidently is that the Las Vegas lacrosse experience is one I could not recommend enough and I look forward to seeing the Desert Dogs’ growth.

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Lacrosse fans rejoice, it is playoff season for the 2022 PLL Championship. Last season we saw the sixth seeded Chaos ride momentum all the way through the playoffs to an all-time championship celebration. The previous two years Whipsnakes reigned supreme. Throughout PLL history only three teams have made the title game, Chaos, Redwoods, and Whipsnakes. For the 2022 PLL Championship, will we see the same usual suspects or is another team ready to make the next step? I broke down the championship case for all seven playoff teams below.

1. Whipsnakes

This will be the most useless paragraph in journalism history. The Whipsnakes don’t need a case, they have been to all three title games in league history winning the first two. Team chemistry, elite coaching, and the ability to grind out one goal games has fueled the Whips trio of championship appearances. Sitting atop of the league at 9-1, the Whips look destined for another run. They have a few good players at every position on the field; Rambo, Zed, Brad Smith, Chanenchuk, Ty Warner, Nardella, Ehrhardt, Dunn, and Bernlohr to name a few. It is the Whips title to lose this season, again.

2. Chrome

There isn’t a case for the Chrome, they get bounced this Saturday by the reigning champions Chaos. Outside of my editor’s bias, Chrome’s turnaround has been a main storyline this season. Their roster is built similar to the whipsnakes, really presenting no visible weakness on paper. Led offensively by rookies Brendan Nichtern and Logan Wisnauskas, the defense is what stands out on tape. JT Giles-Harris has been the best defenseman in the league this year, Terry and Haus are lockdown SSDMs, and Sean Sconone has had a solid season in the cage. Veteran coach Tim Soudan has a plethora of playoff experience as well.

3. Archers

The curious case of Archers Lacrosse Club. With all the talent on the roster, how have they not even appeared in a championship game? They hear this every offseason and at this point it has to be fuel for the fire. Faceoff has seemed to be Archers Achilles’ heel, but it doesn’t fully tell the story of Archers playoff woes. The case for the Archers resides in the offense, when clicking it’s the most dangerous in the league. Tom Schreiber is still a top three talent in the lacrosse world. The bigger question becomes will they be able to get possessions?

4. Atlas

Trevor Baptiste, that’s the whole case for why Atlas have a shot at winning this year. On a serious note I struggle with comprehending that Atlas has lost 4 games this year, despite Trev going 70% at the X (granted he was inactive for one). The attack is stellar with Law, Teat, and Gray. They carry reigning SSDM of the year Danny Logan, complemented with an athletic midfield and sound defense. Along with the PLL’s most underrated LSM Craig Chick, it’s hard to find reasons for Atlas losing games. More late game composure and eliminating mental lapses will be two major factors if Atlas wants to win it all.

5. Waterdogs

There isn’t a streakier team in the PLL than the Waterdogs. A three-game losing streak along with a four-game winning streak, the Waterdogs have experienced every emotion possible throughout this season. Sowers and McArdle form one of the leagues top attack duos, the defense is underrated being backstopped by all-world goalie Dillon Ward, and they have Zach Currier. There is a lot to like about the dogs and the added pressure from owners Big Cat and PFT give these guys an extra edge. If the dogs get on one of their hot streaks come this weekend, they can find themselves knocking out three wins straight and standing on the podium when it’s all said and done.

6. Redwoods

Pain, heartbreak, Dan Arestia mentioning they’re the only team to lose by one goal in playoff
history and they’ve done it three times, all make up the Woods case for the 2022 PLL Championship. The
Redwoods have been perennial contenders that just haven’t broken through. An overtime loss in the
2019 title game to the Whips, an overtime semifinals loss in the 2020 bubble to the Whips, and a blown lead in the quarterfinals in 2021 to guess who, the Whipsnakes. This group knows the pressure on their shoulders and what awaits them with another playoff exit. Luckily RP3 looks like RP3, TD is heating up at the X, Epple is still breaking collarbones, and Charlie Bertrand has been unstoppable. The Redwoods have all the right pieces, it is time to see if they can answer the bell.

7. Chaos

The reigning, defending, undisputed champions of the PLL. You can’t kill what is already dead. For the third year in a row the Chaos are being counted out. The fact is they show up when it matters most, in the bubble a defeated start led to an unlikely championship run that ended in heartbreak. If you haven’t heard, in 2021 only 3.2% of fans voted for Chaos to win it all, the 3.2% were correct. As Chaos’s No.1 fan I certainly haven’t lost hope, and the record does not tell the whole story.

Shorthanded to start the season, outside of a slip against the Waterdogs, the Chaos have been in every game they played. Dhane and Byrne continue to heat up, Blaze is pretty decent and is up for his fourth consecutive Goalie of the Year award, and Adler tends to get rolling at the X when it matters most. Don’t forget CJ Costabile has quietly put together an LSM of the year campaign. They need to bring their swagger and arrogance back to shock the world again, but they are more than capable.

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For indoor lacrosse, the transition position is a staple. With the condensed field size and on the fly substitutions, moving from defense to offense happens in seconds. Zach Currier, Challen Rogers, and Jordan MacIntosh are a few names who have dominated in this role in the NLL. As the PLL’s fourth season is beginning to unwind, it seems as if field lacrosse is taking a page out of the indoor game.

In the PLL’s first two seasons it happened rarely, the only example I can think of off the top of my head is Sergio Perkovic for the Redwoods. Fast forward to 2022 and it seems like every team now has a player in a new position, transition. Coaches are taking offensive minded players, some who may have never played a lick of defense in their whole careers, and switching them to defense. The PLL player pool is filled with talented SSDMs, so this isn’t happening due to a lack of availability, coaches are beginning to find an advantage keeping offensive personnel on the defensive end.

With a 52 second shot clock and shortened field, it makes sense that this “transition” role has found its way into field lacrosse. Off of clean saves, goalies usually get the ball out of there stick in a flash in order to push tempo. Most SSDM and long sticks in the PLL are capable of pushing tempo successfully, but what happens when the guy running transition is a three-time All-American who played attack in college? The defense has a whole different kind of threat to honor, often leading to the opposing goalie hitting the turn and rake.

I’m referring to Tre Leclaire above as he is the latest example. The Archers recently started using Leclaire on the defensive side to increase their transition production; it worked in both their favors greatly. I watched Leclaire take a SSDM run, push the tempo off the clear, draw a penalty, then stay on the EMO and sting a corner.

It now seems as if every team is carrying one of these “transition” players on their 19 man rosters weekly. For Chaos it’s Ian Mackay, Chrome it’s Mike Messenger, Whipsnakes it’s Colin Kirst, Redwoods it’s Nakeie Montgomery, and so on. Granted the first three play transition in the NLL, so it makes sense to see them accumulating easily to this role in the PLL. If you look up any of these guys’ college highlights, you won’t see much defense on them. Now they seem to be thriving on that side of the ball, creating fast breaks and numbers advantages.

As far as the actual defense part goes, which I know nothing about, it seems like they do a pretty good job. They’re all first class athletes so they can more than hold their own especially with how strong the rest of the defensive group is surrounding them, they have solid support. This risk is worth coaches taking in order to bolster up the transition game.

Something worth mentioning while I’m letting loose in this Google Doc, the guy in the player pool who Dan Arestia has highlighted is ready to thrive in this role, Reid Bowering. If a team is looking to add a player to run transition, this is the right guy for it.

With “transition” already being taken by indoor lacrosse, I am looking for suggestions for the field game. ODMID? OFFDM? All suggestions are welcome. It will be interesting to see if this turns out to be a fad in the PLL or if we will see the trend continue. For what it’s worth, I believe this is only the beginning.

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The Premier Lacrosse League has excelled with its social media presence. Without watching the games you can catch highlight goals, final scores, and every scrappy play before or after the whistle. This has been a major factor in the sports progression. The biggest benefit of the PLL’s strong social media presence is it has allowed players to rise to stardom in the sport of lacrosse. We have seen players such as Connor Farrell, Josh Byrne, Ryder Garnsey, and countless others become fan favorites while sharply ascending their following on social media. Today’s article is for the players who I feel we don’t quite hear about enough. I will be highlighting a full starting lineup featuring the 2022 PLL All-Underrated Team broken down by each position. 

Attack: Kieran McCardle, Ryan Drenner, and Dylan Molloy 

Lacrosse twitter blew up last week calling for more respect on McCardle’s name after the PLL dropped the famous talent/recognition chart. His response? A casual 3 goals and 4 assists. In three full seasons, McCardle has never put up less than 25 points, his game is smooth and doesn’t include many turnovers.

Drenner was left unprotected for the first two expansion drafts and he was wisely taken in both. Why he was left unprotected is beyond me. Drenner has been one of the most consistent goal scorers in the PLL since its existence. In the PLLs first two full seasons, Drenner totaled 18 goals in both campaigns and he is already at 15 this season.

Dylan Molloy was another hot topic on lax twitter, as many people thought he was being blackballed. The Chrome ended this theory last season picking him up and he has been a mainstay on their attack lineup since. The Bruiser is a load for any PLL defenseman to cover and he seems to be a perfect fit alongside the Chrome rookies. 

Midfield: Justin Anderson, Dhane Smith, Connor Kelly 

Congrats to Charlie Bertrand as he was just lifted from the PLL All-Underrated Team as teams are starting to figure out he is the Redwoods most dangerous dodger and consistent producer. In his second year, Justin Anderson is really starting to come on the scene as he is an excellent downhill dodger who has recently shown some 2-point range as well. He comes from a traditional lacrosse hotbed in Las Vegas so this isn’t surprising.

It is hard to label Dhane to the PLL All-Underrated Team after earning 2nd Team All-Pro accolades as a midfielder last season. However I am calling for more respect on Dhane’s name. He averaged 6 points a game in the Chaos championship run and just put up an astonishing 6 assists this past week. He is one of the three best midfielders in the league and should be in contention for Midfielder of the Year.

Connor Kelly is interesting as well, every time I watch the Waterdogs he sticks out to me. He is one of the most elite shooters in the PLL who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. It was nice seeing him have his moment netting the OT winner in his home state Connecticut a few weeks ago. 

Defense: Jack Kielty, Ben Randall, Mike Manley

Kielty hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves as he has been manning an underwhelming Cannons defense. However his tape is impressive, he has elite footwork, and is a force in the clearing game with his ability to get the ball off the turf.

Randall has been outstanding in one on one defense for the Waterdogs. He is an outstanding complimentary piece for their defensive unit, a true silent assassin. However he still very much falls under the radar for the PLL All-Underrated Team.

Manley has gotten a good amount of recognition this season due to his outstanding play and the Chrome’s defensive success. He is second in the league in CT’s behind Garrett Epple. The 2014 MLL Defensive player of the year has a chance at winning this award in the PLL this season after a eight year hiatus. 

SSDM: Will Haus and Latrell Harris 

If not already evident, I’m an offensive guy. Anytime I was caught on defense throughout my career I would have my co-writer Michael Tenant making “eagle” calls for early slides from his goalie position. So bare with me here when adding SSDM to the PLL All-Underrated Team.

Will Haus plays really good defense, so does Latrell Harris. Only jokes, on a real note despite Will Haus being nominated for SSDM of the year, I still feel like I don’t hear enough about him. He is a true lockdown SSDM, not usually flashy in transition but rarely does his matchup get by him. The Chrome’s whole defensive unit is benefiting greatly from himself, Ryan Terefenko, and Mike Messenger’s strong play.

Latrell “Treezy” Harris started making plays the day he entered the league. Who can forgot his iconic “This team is so f***ing sick” sound bite after scoring his first PLL goal. He excels in transition and beating opposing defenses through the subbing and transition game. If I had to guess, his strong box background and team Canada experience helped him with this greatly. 

LSM: Troy Reh and Eli Salama 

Troy Reh has been a mainstay in the Chaos’s starting lineup since day one of the PLL. He has consistently forced turnovers, created Chaos on the wings in faceoff play, and is a threat in transition. He has two point range and has shown it. Cracking his first All-Star lineup as an alternate this season was a good start, but I truly believe Reh is a potential LSM of the Year candidate.

Salama was a part of Chrome’s 2020 bubble signing group and he has proved throughout his time in the league he more than belongs. His length and athleticism has given opposing midfielders issues, additionally he may be the most offensive minded LSM in the PLL outside of CJ Costabile. Salama has even picked up a short stick and taken SSDM runs when his team needed him too. 

Faceoff: Max Adler 

When he first entered the league he struggled a bit, but after finding his footing Adler has been a top faceoff specialist in the league. He can compete with the likes of Baptiste and Nardella which is all you can ask for when facing those two juggernauts. He also has the ability to score goals from the draw or drop it off to Josh Byrne to then watch him make the SportsCenter Top 10. Adler was Chaos’ missing piece for a championship in 2021 and I know fans are ecstatic to have him back in the lineup.

Goalie: Nick Marrocco 

The numbers may not stand out, but due to faceoff struggles and questionable defense at times, Marrocco has been left out to dry a bit. Sean Quirk wisely scooped up his former MLL goalie in the entry draft to back end his defense. Marrocco makes a ton of saves he shouldn’t and has shown he can come through in clutch time for the Cannons when need be. As Cannons as a team start to find more success, we will see Marrocco in contention for Goalie of the Year.

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Year in and year out, we see rookies enter the league who play like seasoned veterans. The inaugural season it was the wonder kids for the Redwoods, Timmy Troutner and Ryder Garnsey. In 2020 we saw the first two picks Grant Ament and Bryan Costabile ascend quickly through the league. Who can forget the breakout campaigns of Jeff Teat, TD Ierlan, and Stephen Rehfuss in 2021? Well long behold, the kids from the 2022 class are balling early. But who will be the 2022 PLL Rookie of the Year?

Below I go in detail of these players and make my pick for the 2022 PLL Rookie of The Year. Disclaimer, shoutout Brett Kennedy and Arden Cohen. They have all played solid this season being inserted in the starting lineup from the early stages, but as a former attackman who got beat up by defensemen, their praise will have to come in a different article (from a different writer as well). 

Logan Wisnauskas

The Tewaaraton winner was the No.1 overall selection in the 2022 PLL draft. His play has showed he is worthy of this selection and quite frankly, this dude still seems underrated to me. Nobody, besides myself (receipts on my Twitter @ConTweetiorden), called Wisnauskas going No.1 overall. Despite winning the Tewaaraton, NCAA D1 National Championship, and becoming Maryland’s all-time leading point scorer, everybody was calling for Chris Gray.

Luckily, Tim Soudan’s internet connection was down for all of mock draft season which allowed him to take the lefty attackman he desperately needed. The selection has paid dividends, despite missing last weeks game, Wiz is twelfth in the PLL with 18 points. The crafty lefty’s game is deep and fun to watch. Fans certainly hope to see him back on the field as soon as possible. 

Matt Moore

Labeled as Mr.Unassisted goals by the legend Paul Carcaterra, if you haven’t heard during an Archers game already, he leads the league in unassisted goals. Moore has made the transition from attack to midfield look easy in the PLL. Used to playing along a cast of stars in Virginia’s two national championship teams, Moore has fit like a glove in the Archers offense and just made the group that much more dangerous. A bit of a surprise falling to No.4 in the draft, Moore has 17 points on the season, which is eighteenth in the PLL currently. I look forward to seeing his game continue to grow, and have thoroughly enjoyed his Iso Joe Johnson type of play. 

Chris Gray

The consensus No.1 selection on lax twitter (who ended up going No.2), has proved throughout his first season he was worthy of that title. Gray has been everything the lacrosse community thought he would be in the PLL, and maybe even a little more. Playing along side MVP candidate Jeff Teat and crafty veteran Eric Law, Gray has brought another dimension to this attack line making the Atlas offense just that more dangerous. Gray currently sits at seventh in the league in points, showing absurd balance in his stat line with 11 goals, one two point goal, and 11 assists. I will be surprised if he does not win an MVP award within the next five seasons.

Brendan Nichtern

The Second Lieutenant Brendan Nichtern has been the steal of the draft, falling to the second round. Not only was he the steal of the draft, he has been the best rookie in the PLL and is the favorite to take home Rookie of the Year. There’s a chance he is a candidate for Eamon McEneaney attackman of the year as well. The No.9 overall selection is fourth in the league behind only Lyle Thompson, Will Manny, and tied with Jeff Teat at 28 points. He is the quarterback of the Chrome’s offense and just seems to have a calming presence whenever the ball is in his stick.

An absolute beast attacking from X and getting to his shot, he can also pick apart the defense with x-ray like vision. He reminds me of RP3 and quite frankly the sky’s the limit. Tim Soudan found a gem and Nichtern, lacrosse fans can look forward to seeing him dominate throughout his career, that is if the Army doesn’t take him away first.

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For my loyal readers fear no longer, I have heard you. The angry twitter DM’s and pitch fork mobs all asking the same questions. “Where’s the different skill sets of “The Guys” article you teased in your first piece?” They have worked. I understand that not all star lacrosse players are built the same.

In the piece I am referring to, I broke down different roles within the PLL offense. Check that out if you haven’t yet as it’s being referred to by critics as one of the most polarizing lacrosse articles ever written. One of the roles was defined as “The Guys” which refers to the players within the offense who are the main initiators and often draw the most attention. While the roles across “The Guys” are similar, they carry a wide variety of skillsets that I have broken down below.

1. Bruisers

The Bruisers produce the weekly lacrosse highlights of guys running through their defenseman and getting into the teeth of the defense. They usually operate on the wing of their respective strong hand for the attackmen, but they can also take runs from up top to create a downhill avalanche (specifically midfielders).

Bruisers are the most frustrating personnel to try and scout because you know exactly what they are going to do but you can’t stop it. They square their defenseman up and through a mix of strength, balance, and deceiving speed, they are able to run through their defender along with any stick checks thrown to get up-field to their strong hand. Once they start running downhill it’s too late. Any slide coming is met with brutal force and they find ways to get shots off through absurd traffic. After the game is when they enjoy their Athletic Brewing in the locker room while they are covered in bruises from pinballing through defenses all day.

First Team All-Bruisers: Matt Rambo, Myles Jones, Dylan Molloy

2. Ankle Breakers

The most disrespectful highlight that can be dropped in basketball and lacrosse is the ankle break. The ankle breakers possess elite footspeed that allows them to leave a defenseman in the dust or on the turf. With their primary defenseman out of the way, they draw slides and use elite vision to set up teammates for scoring opportunities. Other times they cook their man so quickly the defense doesn’t have time to react or slide creating an easy path for a goal. Normally these guys operate from X so they can open up both sides of the field and put their defenseman in a blender as they try to match their change of direction.

First Team All Ankle-Breakers: Grant Ament, Michael Sowers, Mikey Powell (He is out of retirement for this exercise)

3. Smooth Criminals

These star players almost make the sport of lacrosse look easy. Every piece of their game is smooth and the play looks effortless. Additionally, they need to be locked up because at times it seems like they’re out redefining physics as we know it. Smooth criminals make plays from any spot on the field. They tend to find teammates in tight windows when nobody expects it, while also creating and finishing shots in magnificent ways. It’s hard to describe the blend of athleticism for them, they all tend to carry phenomenal wrist strength which plays a big part. They’re regulars on Sports Center’s Top 10 and end up in any lacrosse group chat with a couple of mind blown emojis.

First Team All Smooth-Criminal: Tom Schreiber, Lyle Thompson, Josh Byrne, Jeff Teat

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The real ones remember grinding out NBC Sports at 1:30AM back in spring of 2019, waiting for the first ever Premier Lacrosse League content to be aired in the form of the 2019 Collegiate Draft. This marked a historic day for professional outdoor lacrosse, as the new regime of the Premier Lacrosse League was finally coming to life. Let’s look back on that historic day and completely redo the 2019 PLL Collegiate Draft selections based on what we know now.

Few disclaimers heading into this article, back in 2019 there were only six total PLL teams as the Cannons were still an MLL franchise and Waterdogs still wasn’t even a word in the dictionary. Additionally a few players were drafted in 2019 that elected to play in the MLL (most notably Zach Goodrich and Alex Woodall), for this exercise I will be leaving them out. Finally back in 2019 teams were just names on an aesthetic Instagram post, there was no chemistry, starters, or anything to deter teams from taking the best talent available, which is how I based this article. 

Round 1 

1. Archers 

Original Pick: Pat Spencer 

New Pick: Jack Rowlett 

The biggest “what if” in potentially all of lacrosse. What would Pat Spencer’s legacy be if he decided to stick with professional lacrosse instead of pursuing basketball? For what it is worth I had the honor of watching Lyle Thompson play in person for multiple years and he is the greatest collegiate player I have ever seen. The second best was Spencer, run back the highlight tape if you think I am out of pocket.

Rowlett entered the league with potential to be a No.1 defenseman, he has lived up to this potential and has exceeded it, while continuing to grow his skillset (this guy can take faceoffs now?). A Rookie of the Year candidate, along with two time Defensive Player of the Year finalist, the 2021 PLL’s champion is one of the best defensemen in the league and is only going to grow throughout his career. 

2. Atlas 

Original Pick: Ryan Conrad 

New Pick: Tim Troutner 

Do not let the numbers this season deceive you, Troutner is a top-tier professional goaltender and will break out of this slump. On the flip side, shoutout to Ryan Conrad and it seems like he is starting to find his groove in his fourth PLL season. In only four PLL seasons, Troutner has racked up two All-Star selections, the 2019 Rookie of the Year title, to go along with two semifinal appearances and a runner-up finish. Arguably the steal of the 2019 draft, Troutner would not last until the fourth round this time around. 

3. Chrome 

Original Pick: Zach Goodrich 

New Pick: Brad Smith

See paragraph two for the disclaimer before reporting to my boss or accusing me on lax twitter of being a random squabbily who just got this gig through his buddy (thanks Michael). Brad Smith is a silent assassin who I only seem to see getting media attention for his mustache, which does live up to the hype. Missing the 2019 season due to injury, Smith has excelled since entering the whipsnakes lineup, amassing 46 points in two and a half seasons. The balance is eye opening, 24 one-point goals, 20 assists, to go along with an additional two pointer to his name. Smith fits like a glove into any offense, in any given role. 

4. Whipsnakes 

Original Pick: Alex Woodall 

New Pick: Connor Farrell 

Again see the disclaimer, at this time nobody knew Nardella would go on to be a faceoff specialist of the year. Additionally the Whips went with a faceoff man in this slot anyway. Farrell and Troutner are 1A and 1B for steals of the 2019 draft as they were both fourth round selections who made an instant impact on their teams. Gross flow along with a milk addiction put Farrell on the map from day one in the PLL. The D2 product, who picked up lacrosse again after losing a bet with his roommate, is currently having his best season in the PLL and was elected an All-Star game captain. 

5. Redwoods 

Original Pick: Clarke Petterson 

New Pick: Ryder Garnsey 

With 24 total selections in the 2019 PLL Draft, Ryder was not one of them. With a heavy ND flare on the Redwoods already, Garnsey was a no-brainer signing who paid immediate dividends. The Rookie of the Year finalist style of play is one of the most entertaining to watch in the league. Highlight reel goals, slick hustle plays, and everything in between defines his game. On this go around, Garnsey doesn’t make it out of the first round. 

6. Chaos 

Original Pick: Johnny Surdick 

New Pick: Cade Van Raaphorst 

With the sixth and seventh picks in the 2019 PLL Draft, Chaos spent them both on defenseman. I could easily keep Surdick slotted here but what’s the fun in that, presumably Chaos would grab him with the seventh pick anyway. Cade Van Raaphorst has been a staple on the Atlas D since entering the league. Solid team defender, along with a knack for crossing the midfield line and letting two bombs fly, CVR would’ve fit right in with Chaos’s 2019 bomb squad.

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May 2nd, 2022, a tweet flew heavily under the radar from the Chrome LC account, announcing they have signed Mike Messenger from the player pool. While other signings tend to garnish much recognition, praise, and rebuttal. But there was not a peep about the Messenger signing. Most probably even wondered, who is Mike Messenger? 

For PLL fans who mainly only follow the outdoor game, Messenger was an unfamiliar face, as he had previously never been on any PLL roster and only played one season with the Ohio Machine in 2017. For those who follow the indoor game, they knew exactly who Mike “The Hammer ” Messenger was. The do it all bearded beast for the Saskatchewan Rush has been a force to be reckoned with in the National Lacrosse League since being drafted 3rd overall in the 2016 NLL Entry Draft. As the Rush’s primary faceoff man and top transition player, throughout his career Messenger has racked up 75 points, 516 looseballs, 111 caused turnovers, and has taken out a mortgage in the sin bin with 120 total penalty minutes. 

Messenger hails from Surrey, British Columbia, where he attended Lord Tweedsmuir High School. Don’t know jack about either of these places so I will leave it at that. He would go on to play Division 1 at High Point University where he had a productive freshman season registering 22 points before transferring to Division 2 powerhouse Limestone University. At Limestone he reached the pinnacle twice winning two national championships, along with a boatload of other awards.

The accolades, clutch goals, and everything else are truly remarkable, unfortunately Division 2 doesn’t tend to get as much recognition as Division 1 allowing Messenger to fly under the radar a bit. It is good to see him starting to find a role as a defensive midfie-wait he is playing as defensive middie right now? The 2015 D2 leading goal scorer and multiple conference OFFENSIVE Player of the Year winner is on the defensive side of the field? 

Credit to his box background, rugged toughness, and selflessness as a teammate, Messenger has almost made the shift look easy. Garnishing the media’s attention for wicked eye black, punishing hits, and game winning goals, it almost seems as if Messenger’s overall production is being under looked. Through the midway point of the season he has totaled 5 CTs, 6GBs, along with 4 goals shooting 80%.

While playing solid defense in the targeted SSDM position, Messenger has seemed to find his niche running in transition and creating offense as well. He has scored off the ball along with beating defenders on the dodge, including a game winner along with other 4th quarter clutch tallies. This has led me to draw an Einstein-like hypothesis that maybe Messenger is comfortable on the offensive side of the ball as well? 

Seen across every collegiate program are offensive midfielders, sometimes even attackmen, being switched to a defensive midfield role. I encourage them to take a page from Messenger’s book and embrace it, never too late to find a new niche and do whatever it takes to help your team win. It ultimately can give you an advantage making this switch too, possessed with an

Seen across every collegiate program are offensive midfielders, sometimes even attackmen, being switched to a defensive midfield role. I encourage them to take a page from Messenger’s book and embrace it, never too late to find a new niche and do whatever it takes to help your team win. It ultimately can give you an advantage making this switch too, possessed with an offensive IQ you can find a number of ways to beat teams in transition. It also helps having a better idea of the offensive scheme and what they could be looking to do so you can get ahead of them.

Not only impacting the college game, even players in the PLL who went through their whole career on the offensive side of the ball now find themselves playing defense. Due to the unbelievable amount of talent within the PLL, offensive jobs aren’t always available. I also believe a niche in the PLL is starting to emerge for these offensive talents playing defense. The first time I saw it was in 2019 with Sergio Perkovich and the Redwoods, the most recently Conor Kirst with the Whipsnakes.

Mike Messenger is another product of this and turning out to be a steal for the 4-1 Chrome. Credit to coach Tim Soudan who has acquired other valuable pieces in the player pool to the likes of Dylan Molloy and Eli Salama. Messenger has been a joy to watch in his first PLL season and I look forward to his continued success. I also hope he likes this article as he is not somebody I would like to see out in the parking lot.

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Lacrosse fans know with only eight teams in the PLL the talent pool is ridiculous. Every team is stacked with big names. We have seen throughout the brief history of the PLL a relatively even playing field, any given day any team can win. With so much talent, how do you differentiate a good offense from an elite offense? 

Any PLL team can field an offense filled with All-Americans and All-Stars. However there is only one ball to go around, meaning each team needs to have players in different roles to make the system click. An elite offense in the PLL is built when every player is excelling in their given role. I broke these down into five different roles as listed below. 

1. The Guys 

Emphasis on the plural as most teams usually have two of them. The Guys are the ones who will initiate the offense most of the time, the ball is in their stick when the game is on the line. When you go to the local deli, The Guys have sandwiches named after them. They set up their teammates all over the field while creating scoring opportunities for themselves. The wide arrange of different skillsets of The Guys is for another article. 

First Team All-The Guys: Jeff Teat, Lyle Thompson, Matt Rambo 

2. The Other Guys 

The Other Guys are in charge of being secondary dodgers and excel attacking once the defense is scrambling. It is also Will Ferrell’s most underrated movie. They find ways to impact the game when everyone least expects it, they’re always ready when called upon to action. A key part to any offense, as they usually will have more favorable matchups and can be the difference in games. 

First Team All-The Other Guys: Brad Smith, Charlie Bertrand, Justin Anderson 

3. Shooters 

When they wind up you expect to see the net rattle. The kids at summer camp that raked in new heads every year for cranking 81mph at 12 years old. Shooters are a necessity for every team, especially with the two point arc in play. Within the offense, their role is to find open spaces to catch and shoot, while also setting up all over the field stretching dodging/passing lanes. They open up the defense and create unbelievable slow-mo highlights at “Scintillating” angles. 

First Team All-Shooters: Ryan Brown, Mac O’Keefe, Mike Chanenchuck 

4. Greasy Finishers

The greasy adjective is necessary as these guys often get mistaken as just finishers or crease guys. Outside of catching and finishing inside tight spaces, greasy finishers will also come out successful in scrappy ground ball pileups, create space for their teammates with hard cuts, and provide ludacris backhand and between-leg goals. They do not require the ball to be in their stick long to impact the game. How important are they? Jay Carlson has dominated this role since the first year of the PLL and the Whipsnakes have continued to be the standard of success in the league. 

First Team All-Greasy Finishers: Jay Carlson, Eric Law, Chris Cloutier 

5. Glue Guys 

Need a hard pick set? Got you. Catch and quick relay? Not a problem. Coach needs a hot dog at halftime? They are on their way to the concession stand. Glue guys put together the whole offense. While often seen in the blurry part of PLL highlights, their impact throughout the game can not go unnoticed. Every other role needs them in order to fully succeed on their own. High lacrosse IQ allows Glue Guys to impact the offense without needing the ball. They provide whatever is needed to the offense and carry a diverse game where they can fill in wherever is needed. 

First Team All Glue-Guys: Jordan Macintosh, Ryan Ambler, Ryan Drenner 

While every PLL team displays different offensive schemes and personnel, within it you can see where every player fits into their respective role on offense. The Whipsnakes have been to all three championships, winning two, and they have guys that are top-tier within each role. 

What can be frustrating for lacrosse fans is seeing unbelievable talent not being able to put it together on offense, despite it all checking out on paper. It is not always about the talent, when teams don’t have guys to fill the roles listed above it can cause a log jam in the system. With only 52 seconds on the shot clock each possession, there isn’t time for jams and teams often have to adjust on the fly. The easiest way to adjust on the fly? Not having to because players will already be within their roles.

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