Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Virginia landed not one, but two No. 1 recruits over the holiday weekend.
St. John’s (D.C.) attackman Ryan Duenkel announced Sunday that he has committed to play college lacrosse in Charlottesville. Then on Monday, McDonogh (Md.) attackman McCabe Millon announced that he has switched his commitment from Duke to Virginia.
Millon and Duenkel are ranked No. 1 in classes of 2023 and 2024, respectively, according to Inside Lacrosse.
2. The Premier Lacrosse League semifinals are set.
Underestimate the Chaos at your peril. The defending league champion finished next to last in the regular season standings and limped into the playoffs with a 2-8 record and a 2.8-percent chance to repeat, according to the PLL fanbase.
The seventh-seeded Chaos responded with a convincing 11-3 win over the second-seeded Chrome in the first of three quarterfinals Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
The third-seeded Archers defeated the sixth-seeded Redwoods 13-8 and the fifth-seeded Waterdogs topped the fourth-seeded Atlas 19-14 in the ensuing games.
The Waterdogs play the top-seeded Whipsnakes and the Chaos take on the Archers in the PLL semifinals this Sunday at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Game times are 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively, on ABC and ESPN+.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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That No. 1 spot in the class of 2024? It’s not unanimous. The National Lacrosse Federation has Cheshire (Conn.) standout Matt Jeffery atop its rankings. Connecticut Post columnist Jeff Jacobs captured what matters most to the three-sport athlete.
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From Colorado Public Radio, a story on the advent of wheelchair lacrosse and the Colorado Rolling Mammoth.
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The Mann Cup is back after a two-year hiatus, as the Peterborough Lakers resume their chase of their fourth straight Canadian senior summer box lacrosse championship. Former Laker Curtis Dickson would love nothing more than to break that streak playing for the Langley Thunder in the best-of-seven series.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The Waterdogs were firing on all cylinders. Exhibits A and B: Zach Currier and Michael Sowers.
Zach Currier took flight pic.twitter.com/A7zBGelNUl
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 3, 2022
A beautiful inside roll from @Michaelsowers22 pic.twitter.com/WNncbBpL8y
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 3, 2022
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Jack Goods’ PLL notebook.
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Unveiling our September/October edition cover.