Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The Premier Lacrosse League made its NBC debut Sunday, putting the sport in front of a major national broadcast TV network audience.
The Chaos defeated the Atlas 18-13 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Former Albany stars Miles Thompson and Connor Fields supplied the wow moments, Thompson on a behind-the-back laser and Fields on a BTB fake that fooled the entire defense before he scored.
MILES THOMPSON BEHIND THE BACK pic.twitter.com/DSWCzsh4zb
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 9, 2019
MADE YOU LOOK @connorfields14 #PLLonNBC pic.twitter.com/pEo8OMA7BB
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 9, 2019
The Chaos jumped out to an 8-1 lead and scored three 2-pointers in the first quarter, a deficit from which the Atlas could not fully recover. Connor Buczek scored a 2-point goal after leaving the game with a dislocated shoulder and having it popped back into place.
Connor Buczek’s shoulder slips out of its pocket.
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 9, 2019
He popped it back in.
Then scored a 2pt twenty seconds later.
Beast pic.twitter.com/ThDAtyNePJ
On Saturday, the Whipsnakes and Archers both improved to 2-0. Ryan Drenner, the subject of a scuffle-inducing hit from behind earlier in the game, exacted revenge by scoring in overtime to lift the Whipsnakes to a 12-11 win over the Chrome. Ben McIntosh scored the final two goals to lead the Archers to a 10-9 win over the Redwoods.
Next stop for the PLL: Chicago.
2. John Grant Jr. surpassed Paul Rabil as the all-time leading scorer in Major League Lacrosse history (regular season and playoffs) in the Denver Outlaws’ 18-16 road win over the Atlanta Blaze on Saturday.
Grant, 44, came out of retirement to play for Denver this season and has scored in all three games. He got the Outlaws on the board in the first quarter and then broke the record on an assist to Brendan Kavanaugh.
The Record Breaker pic.twitter.com/JHNFU9i9qb
— Major League Lacrosse (@MLL_Lacrosse) June 9, 2019
Grant got held up at security at Atlanta International Airport. The culprit? His record-breaking ball.
I can’t even make this up. I got pulled over and my napsack got second screening and this was the culprit. The lovely lady had no idea what it was and then asked why it had tape on it. pic.twitter.com/uqeJvLO5Hj
— John Grant Jr (@JohnGrantJr24) June 9, 2019
In Sunday’s game, the Boston Cannons scored the first seven goals en route to a 16-10 win over the Dallas Rattlers. Will Sands doled out six assists and Kyle Jackson scored four goals for the Cannons, who improved to 2-0.
3. The U.S. U19 women’s training team convened for camp over the weekend at US Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Md., highlighted by a 12-11 win over a collection of college and professional players in an exhibition Saturday night. Caitlyn Wurzburger had a team-high six points on three goals and three assists, getting plenty of love for this behind-the-back finish as time expired in the first quarter.
SCANE WURZBURGER
— U.S. Women's National Team (@USAWLax) June 9, 2019
BTB coming in hot pic.twitter.com/s7vrhcA9f9
Team USA was without draw specialist Maddie Jenner and midfielder Kasey Choma. Jenner is injured, but expected to be back this summer, while Choma competed for Eastport-South Manor in the New York Class B state championship game.
4. Call them the Cinderella Lancers.
The underdog Lafayette (N.Y.) boys’ lacrosse team punctuated an unlikely run through the New York state playoffs with an overtime win over Briarcliff in the Class D championship game Saturday. Reid Jackowski scored the game-tying and winning goals in the 9-8 victory, which gave the Lancers their first state title since 2005.
LANCER IS THE ANSWER!!! GAME OVER!!! pic.twitter.com/9OUssMXYxH
— LaFayette Lancer Lax (@Lancer_Lacrosse) June 8, 2019
Lafayette, with players from the towns of Lafayette and Onondaga as well as the Onondaga Nation, received a hero’s homecoming.
NYS Thuway. Mile Marker 328. Champions!!!!! @Lancer_Lacrosse @JustLacrosse Come on home boys!!! pic.twitter.com/duoVVNcRzf
— Onondaga Nation (@OnondagaNation) June 9, 2019
Massapequa (Class A), Victor (Class B) and Shoreham-Wading River (Class C) were the other winners in their respective divisions. The games were played at St. John Fisher in Rochester.
5. Long Island teams swept the New York state girls’ lacrosse championships. Northport (Class A), Eastport-South Manor (Class B), Cold Spring Harbor (Class C) and Mattituck/Southold (Class D) took home titles Saturday at Cortland.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Penn State is No. 1 in Patrick Stevens’ way-early Division I men’s rankings for 2020.
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The NJJLL is a launching pad for more than 25,000 boys in North Jersey.
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The Pacific Edge Lacrosse Association gets girls playing in Los Angeles.
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New Navy coach Joe Amplo embraces the expectations in Annapolis.
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Former interim coach Ryan Wellner is still on the staff at Navy, but maybe not for long. He’s a leading candidate for the Stony Brook job.
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With Marquette now searching for a coach, College Crosse offers its odds on who will succeed Amplo in Milwaukee.
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Keep that long pole handy. It could save a duck’s life.
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Sam Apuzzo is staying at Boston College as a graduate assistant.
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Former Bryant and Boston Cannons lacrosse player Tom Kennedy is generating some buzz at the Detroit Lions minicamp.
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Bill Belichick once hilariously guest coached a Johns Hopkins lacrosse practice.
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Sweet Briar’s storied history in lacrosse.
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Mountain Lakes stunned Delbarton to claim New Jersey’s Tournament of Champions boys’ lacrosse title.
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Down one goal and two players in the final two minutes, Hopkinton somehow scored twice to defeat Derryfield in the New Hampshire Division III girls’ lacrosse final.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The PLL’s in-game, booth-to-helmet interviews have mainstream sports media salivating.
We need more in-game interviews in sports. This is AWESOME.
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 9, 2019
(via @PremierLacrosse) pic.twitter.com/8lAjGlr1KD
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Nos. 25-21 in Jeremy Fallis’ way-early 2020 rankings for Division I women’s lacrosse.
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MLL and PLL notebooks from Phil Shore and Jack Goods, respectively.
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A WPLL feature on a rare encounter of the VanThof sisters.
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The IWLCA announces its Division III All-Americans on Lax Sports Network.
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