PLL Week 7: The Reinvention of the Cannons Continues

What a difference one year makes.

In 2022, the Cannons ended the Premier Lacrosse League season with nine straight losses, sealing their unceremonious position as the only PLL group outside of the playoffs.

They won’t miss out on the party this time. The Cannons became the second team to clinch a spot in the upcoming postseason on Sunday, knocking off the defending champion Waterdogs 12-8 at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field to move to 5-2.

“It’s awesome,” said Cannons coach Brian Holman, the heavy favorite to win the PLL’s Coach of the Year in his first season. “Another step in the journey of this organization, and another step for guys like Ryan [Drenner], who played on this team last year and have been with this organization for a couple of years and haven’t had a lot of success.”

Holman’s transformation of the Cannons is even more impressive considering the team’s lack of a first-round pick in the PLL College Draft and the absence of Lyle Thompson, who decided to step away from the PLL for a summer. Despite the roadblocks, Holman brought in talent through trades and free agency while simultaneously implementing needed structure.

That’s led to a seamless transition for free agent acquisition (and his son) Marcus Holman and an enormous step forward for second-year player Asher Nolting. Both notched four points against the Waterdogs.

“I give the group that we brought back from the old Cannons a ton of credit because they wanted to dig in their heels and really make this organization a successful one,” Brian Holman said. “I’m really proud of them and obviously really proud of the new guys we brought in. I think they really helped push that charge.”

Nolting kicked off a game-closing 6-1 run for the Cannons, with Cade van Raaphorst providing juice with a 107-mile-per-hour two-point bomb that proved to be the game-winner.

ARCHERS SURVIVE IN OT

One day prior to the Cannons clinching a spot in the postseason, the Archers punched their ticket with their sixth victory. Tom Schreiber scored in overtime, following a pick into a deep one-point shot to cement the Archers’ comeback against the Atlas, 14-13.

.@TomSchreiber26 SEALS THE DEAL IN OT

Archers on top pic.twitter.com/jDiIVcb8r4

— Archers Lacrosse Club (@PLLArchers) August 5, 2023

The Archers faced a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter before Jared Connors hit a needed two-pointer with four minutes and change remaining.

Mac O’Keefe and Schreiber scored inside the final four minutes of regulation to claim a short-lived lead, as Xander Dickson forced the extra frame with 1:17 remaining. Schreiber’s game-closing tally marked his fourth point of the night, a team best. O’Keefe, Connor Fields and Matt Moore all had three points.

The Archers also got production from a pair of SSDMs, with Connor Maher and Latrell Harris each securing a pair of points.

CHAOS MOUNT COMEBACK

It was fair to wonder how long the Chaos defense would hold up. Turnovers in transition early brought long possessions on a hot Baltimore day, and the Redwoods began to make Andy Towers’ group pay. A pair of goals from Cole Kirst highlighted an early run that gave the Woods a 5-0 advantage after the first quarter.

The Chaos fought back in the second and third, only to have to do it again in the closing stretch.

Chris Cloutier scored three of his team-leading four goals in a spurt that put the Chaos up 7-6 early in the third quarter, but the Redwoods took it in stride. Cole Kirst scored twice as part of a five-goal run that put the Woods back in control, 11-7.

The Redwoods only scored once more the rest of the way, with CJ Costabile putting the Chaos up for good with a go-ahead two-pointer with 10 minutes remaining. Blaze Riorden earned a fourth-quarter shutout with one final stop on the doorstep of Jules Heningburg.

WHIPS PUT IT TOGETHER

As Jim Stagnitta put it, the Whipsnakes’ outing against the Chrome was the best four quarters the team has put together this season. The two-time champions looked much more like the Whipsnakes of the past, dispatching the PLL’s eighth-place squad 12-5.

The Whipsnakes never trailed after opening the game on a 5-1 run, while Brendan Krebs and the Whips’ defense allowed just one goal in the second half. Mike Chanenchuk totaled six points on four goals (one two-pointer) and an assist, as the Whipsnakes, getting healthier by the week, won a second straight.

Meanwhile, the Chrome’s tailspin continues. Now 1-6, likely top pick Brennan O’Neill is starting to look more realistic than a playoff run.

NOTEWORTHY

The 2023 Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame class was inducted over the weekend. The class includes Ryan Boyle, Greg Cattrano, Roy Colsey, Jesse Hubbard, Ryan Powell and Brian Spallina. … The PLL Junior Championships were this weekend, with Waterdogs winning the U11 and U13 titles. … The Chaos’ Josh Byrne was a late injury scratch, with Chris Cloutier taking his place. … The Chrome opted to go without a faceoff specialist, helping the Whipsnakes’ Petey LaSalla go perfect at the stripe with 20 draws. Neither the Cannons nor the Waterdogs dressed a FOGO this week in the teams’ matchup. Waterdog Zach Currier still won 22 of 23 attempts. … Cross Ferrara had three of the Chrome’s five goals in his return to the state where he played college ball at Salisbury.

UP NEXT
ALL TIMES EASTERN

In Denver, Colorado

Friday

Chaos vs. Whipsnakes, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Chrome vs. Archers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Saturday

Atlas vs. Waterdogs, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Cannons vs. Redwoods, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN+)