The 2017 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft moved from January to Memorial Day weekend, meaning instead of players still having a full season of collegiate eligibility remaining, most players were finished with their college careers.
After MLL commissioner David Gross announced the Florida Launch selected Dylan Molloy with the first overall pick Sunday, the former Brown attackman was able to stroll across the stage at Toby Keith's Bar and Grill in Foxborough, Mass., with a Launch baseball cap, greet the commissioner, and pose for pictures holding a Launch jersey.
While commonplace in other professional sports drafts, MLL draftees seldom appeared at the event in the past five years, not wanting to risk any NCAA compliance issues. This year, not only did many players attend, there was a greenroom set up for them and they were able to take that walk across the stage and put a face with the pick.
“It’s a tremendous experience for those players to get drafted, and it’s a cool experience a lot of MLL players haven’t been able to take part in,” Florida head coach Tom Mariano said earlier in the week. “For the league, it’s a chance to grow the game, create some energy and excitement. I think it’s tremendous.”
Molloy won the Tewaaraton Award in 2016, scoring 62 goals and collecting 54 assists for 116 points. He followed that up with a senior campaign of 44 goals and 27 assists for 71 points.
“It’s a pretty great feeling,” Molloy said on Lax Sports Network. “I couldn’t be more excited to be helping out the Florida Launch now, moving forward with lacrosse, I’m just excited to play more lacrosse now.”
Following Molloy, the Boston Cannons selected Notre Dame midfielder Sergio Perkovic with the second overall pick.
“This is awesome,” Perkovic said. “I’m super excited and super excited to be a part of Boston. This is actually my first time in Boston this weekend. It’s an amazing city, and I’ve had an awesome time.”
In the first round, both the Chesapeake Bayhawks (pick five) and Atlanta Blaze (pick six) traded down to accumulate more draft picks.
Filling out the remainder of the first round, Charlotte took Maryland’s Matt Rambo third; the Florida Launch took Syracuse midfielder Nick Mariano, head coach Tom Mariano’s brother fourth; the Ohio Machine took Denver’s Connor Cannizzaro fifth; the Denver Outlaws traded up to take Princeton’s Zach Currier sixth; the Bayhawks took Villanova’s Jake Froccaro seventh; Florida, with its third pick of the round, took Syracuse midfielder and Florida-native Sergio Salcido eighth; and Atlanta took Ohio State’s Jake Withers ninth.
Depending on the player’s schedule and the team’s willingness to throw them in the fire, all players drafted will be eligible to play in next week’s games.
Army member shines on Memorial Day weekend
Memorial Day weekend is the biggest lacrosse weekend of the year. In 2017, you have the collegiate national championships, Major League Lacrosse games (including fireworks in Denver), and an amalgam of the two with the MLL Collegiate Draft.
It is important to remember, however, the holiday is meant to honor those that have served in the United States military.
Former MLL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Boltus is both an attackman for the Rochester Rattlers and a captain on post at Fort Drum as a member of the U.S. Army.
Boltus made a huge impact in Rochester’s Memorial Day weekend game against the Denver Outlaws. The Rattlers defeated the previously unbeaten Outlaws, 16-15. Boltus had a season-high four goals, including the game-tying goal with 2:10 remaining, and the game-winning goal – a between-the-legs score – with 1:27 left.
He and attackman Jordan Wolf combined for nine of the team’s 15 goals.
“Jordan Wolf played really smart today and Jeremy Boltus played great at the end,” Rattlers head coach Tim Soudan said on the team’s website after the game.
Balancing professional lacrosse with a career in the military can be a challenge, but Boltus enjoys it.
“I really haven’t taken the time to think about that, but when it’s time to hang up the stick and hang up my military career I will look back and think how amazing it was that I had the opportunity that timing works out that I can play on the weekends,” Boltus said in a CNYCentral.com piece by Niko Tamurian. “I understand wholeheartedly that the Army comes first and my obligation is to the country, but if I'm able to get out there and sling it around with the greatest guys in the MLL that’s the cherry on top.”
The loss snapped a 12-game Denver winning streak, including playoffs. The last game the Outlaws lost was to Rochester on June 18, 2016, a 19-11 loss.
Machine back on track
After a two-game losing streak (by a combined three goals), the Ohio Machine dominated the Florida Launch 19-7. It’s the most goals Ohio has scored since scoring 22 goals against the New York Lizards in the final game of the 2016 regular season.
Marcus Holman had a breakout game, scoring six goals and adding an assist for seven points. In his previous three games, Holman scored six goals combined.
The win was also the team’s first victory in its new home, Fortress Obetz.
Noteworthy
Despite Denver’s loss, Thomas Kelly went 20-for-33 from the face-off X and scored two goals. … Mike Bocklet scored four goals for the Outlaws, giving him the lead league in goals (18) and helping him tie Charlotte’s Ryan Brown for the league lead in points (22). … After playing in the NLL for the first time, Kieran McArdle made his 2017 MLL debut for the Launch, scoring three goals. … Second-year player Kyle Bernlohr started in goal for the Machine. He allowed only seven goals while making 14 saves.
Player of the Week
Jordan Wolf, Rochester
Wolf had a broken hand and missed the beginning of the season, and Rochester struggled partially because of it, particularly on offense. Wolf returned without any rust, however, scoring five goals and adding four assists for a game-high nine points.