Championship Sunday Has Archers Defense Feelin' Kinda Sundae

Archers’ tremendous defensive stand against Redwoods in the Premier Lacrosse League’s semifinals felt like years in the making. Worn down after prior excruciating playoff disappointments, the squad’s dominant 14-6 triumph against Redwoods meant for the first time, Chris Bates’ group was going to play for a PLL championship.

For the defensive unit, the win was even sweeter. The performance also secured ice cream — an incentive inspired by Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin.

The gears first began turning for Archers defensive coordinator Tony Resch, who serves as a guidance counselor during the week at La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, when Curtin visited to speak to students. He shared lessons of teambuilding and leadership, with one story in particular resonating with Resch.

“With his team last year, if they shut a team out, he got a six pack of beer from the home country of each player and provided pizza at the next practice,” Resch said. “He said you couldn’t believe how hard these guys worked. They’d be winning handily, the game was pretty much won, and yet they were scrapping and diving. And when they got their reward, they were just like any other competitor at any level.”

Resch decided to imitate the concept, with his own twist. So, ever since the start of the season, he has vowed to buy ice cream for his defensive players whenever they hold the opponent to single-digit goals.

The tasty treats have served as motivation along the Archers journey to this weekend’s title bout, which fittingly will be played at the home ground of Philadelphia Union, Subaru Park. Archers will battle the Waterdogs Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

“We laughed, because a couple of times guys would say, ‘We’re in good shape for ice cream!’ during a huddle,” said Resch, a National Lacrosse Hall of Famer who has won six pro titles as a head coach in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse and served on the staff of two gold medal-winning U.S. teams. “And others would say, ‘You just jinxed it!’”

Archers’ manifestation of Curtin’s tactic was a joint effort, with Resch turning to one of the elder statesmen of the defensive unit for advice after Archers’ Week 2 win against Chrome in Charlotte.

“We’re back in the locker room after the game and Coach Resch comes out of the coaches’ room and very seriously calls me over,” said Matt McMahon, a nine-year veteran. “Instinctively, with the tone of his voice, I was like, ‘Am I about to get reprimanded for some play or something?’”

Instead, Resch relayed Curtin’s tale, asking how to best implement the lesson with the Archers.

“The one thing we knew everyone liked was ice cream,” McMahon said.

In conventional sports structures, with teams playing in home markets, such a tradition would likely lead to the unit developing a favorite spot. But in the PLL, where teams travel to a new location each weekend, Resch and the defense scout both the opponent and the surrounding businesses.

“A lot of the time we’re looking for an ice cream place within walking distance of the hotel, and it’s resulted in some pretty funny situations,” McMahon said. “We went to a McDonald’s in Columbus, Ohio, because it was the only place that had ice cream within a walkable distance to the hotel. The McDonald’s was only open for drive-thru, so Coach Resch had to walk through the drive-thru and order like 15 McFlurries.”

Archers have accomplished the feat four times this season, with more of the roster looking to get in on the action each time. Faceoff specialist Mike Sisselberger astutely noted that he was doing well at the stripe and limiting defensive possessions, and the attack made its case by citing hard rides. A couple times, everyone has been rewarded.

While this may all seem a little silly — a PLL gameday check is certainly large enough for the players to buy their own ice cream if they so desire — the gesture has served as a galvanizing force for an Archers defensive unit which allowed the fewest scores this season.

Pro lacrosse isn’t like college. Players have limited time to practice together, let alone get to know each other. Most bonding is over group chats and Zoom film sessions. Making memories in the flesh is a special occasion and especially valuable for groups like the Archers defense which have worked in new players.

“It’s definitely lived up to the purpose of getting us to all spend time together and have a laugh or two,” McMahon said.

Fresh-faced Brett Dobson, in his first season as the team’s starting goaltender, was enthusiastic when asked after the semifinal victory if ice cream was on his mind. The question was met with a resounding, “Hell yeah.”

“You see this weather out here today,” Dobson said. “We have this rain, it’s hot out. We’re going to get some ice cream after that one.”

Ice cream for the boys (for the fourth time this season)

What more could you need for motivation? pic.twitter.com/PG41vlTpYU

— Archers Lacrosse Club (@PLLArchers) September 15, 2023

Dobson, who was critical to the team earning the No. 1 seed, made 18 saves in helping Archers to its first single-digit performance in the postseason. Midweek, Resch was racking his brain about ways to up the reward for shutting down the Woods when it matters most.

One test remains for Archers, a Waterdogs team that scored 18 against them during the teams’ Week 7 meeting in Dallas. While that wasn’t an ice cream-worthy performance, McMahon was reminded of a valuable lesson that day.

Despite Waterdogs’ offensive rhythm, Archers still won by a goal. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters, especially when competing for a championship.

But, in traditional sundae fashion, ice cream would be the cherry on top.

“Coach Bates and Coach Resch are Philly legends,” McMahon said. “Every week they fly home to Philly, and when you fly to the Philadelphia airport you fly over Subaru Park. I can’t even count on one hand how many times Coach Bates has been on his dissent snapping a picture of Subaru and sending it to the team as a reminder that this is the goal. To get to this stage now, it has been really cool.”