HAMILTON, Ontario – The last time Team USA and Team Canada competed for the Heritage Cup, Regy Thorpe was a defenseman in the prime of his Hall of Fame playing career. Now 15 years later, it was Thorpe who was behind the bench leading this generation’s brand of stars into the fourth annual event.
With the Americans starting the earliest they ever have to prepare for a world indoor lacrosse championship, Thorpe – who was on the victorious Heritage Cup team in 2002 – knew his team was facing a tough test Saturday night.
But playing the Canadians was part of the blueprint laid out by Thorpe and his staff. Despite the 19-6 setback at the First Ontario Centre, the game was part of the process that will hopefully lead to better things in Langley, British Columbia at the 2019 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.
“All hats off to Canada. Canada is the best team in the world, and the reigning champion. They are the bar,” Thorpe said. “To get an opportunity to compete and see where we have to go over the next two years was crucial.”
The game was in the middle of three days of training for the Americans. After practicing Friday night at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, Saturday evening was an opportunity for Team USA to get an early test against the four-time defending champions, Team Canada.
“It was fun,” said Rob Pannell, who was making his box lacrosse debut. “The first thing was getting that first run. I just wanted to go right through the middle and get some contact, feel it out and then settle in a little bit. I have a great group around me, taking time to teach me. I had a couple of practices and they threw me right into the ring tonight. But I was up for the challenge. It was a great experience.”
On his first shift, Pannell got what he expected as he battled against 15-year NLL pro Billy Dee Smith, arguably one of the toughest guys in pro lacrosse. After that initial test, Pannell showcased his offensive creativity as he scored one goal and added two assists.
“For Rob Pannell not playing a box lacrosse game, I was pretty impressed,” Thorpe said. “He cut the middle, was getting picks and getting some good shots and loose balls. He’s a guy we will keep in the process. I think he has a lot of upside.”
Pannell was joined on the American roster by another field lacrosse star in Paul Rabil. Saturday was Rabil’s return to the indoor game, which he last played in 2013 with the Philadelphia Wings. For five seasons, one of the most charismatic players in the game played in the National Lacrosse League. In 2011, he also played for Team USA at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.
With his sights set on the 2019 worlds, Rabil made his return to the indoor national team. He also did not rule out a return to the NLL.
“I would love to come back. This league is a great league with great guys and they are really, really talented,” he said. “It’s always humbling playing against these guys (Canada), but I think it shows how dynamic our sport is in the ways we are brought up in it. In particular, them in tight spaces and us in more space and shooting more on the run.”
In the Heritage Cup, Team USA was led by a pair of goals from the Rochester Knighthawks’ Joe Resetarits and the Toronto Rock’s Tom Schreiber. It was Schreiber who took the NLL by storm last season, winning 2017 NLL Rookie of the Year honors. The native of East Meadow, N.Y., set the NLL rookie record with 61 assists as part of a 94-point season.
Schreiber, who was making his debut in the stars and stripes, played against several of his Rock teammates, including Canadian Game MVP Brandon Miller. Bragging rights were on the line, but Schreiber quickly shifted his thoughts to the end goal: Winning gold in Langley.
“Every time you step on the floor you are competing to win, so the result was disappointing. But at the same time, we realize this is a few-year process,” he said. “We have a lot to learn from. For me personally, it’s just great to get out and play some box lacrosse prior to the NLL season.”
Schreiber, who was named Team USA’s Game MVP, said he knows the team will benefit from the Heritage Cup, especially with coaches like Thorpe, Chris Schiller and Peter Milliman at the helm.
“I don’t think you could pick three better guys,” Schreiber said. “They are the right guys to steer the ship and I know we will get better from this.”
With the game behind them, Thorpe was already looking ahead and planning for the next time his team hits the turf.
“Against a team like Canada, it’s good to watch film and see what we have to improve,” he said. “The great thing is we have a couple of years to work on that. I am proud of the guys. We are up at the ILA (Iroquois Lacrosse Arena) for practice in the morning, and trying to get better.”