We hit the PLL All-Star break with no clear favorite. The race is wide open, and the margins are razor thin.
Quint’s PLL Power Rankings at the All-Star Break
- Denver
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Boston
- Utah
- Maryland
- Carolina
- California
Denver vs California
Fourth quarter goal-scoring runs have become a theme for Denver. 8-0 onslaught in Philly took down Utah. This week the Outlaws blew open an 11-10 nail-biter into an 18-12 winning margin with a 7-2 run fortified by the Tewaaraton quartet. California was feta in the final quarter—they crumbled. Pat Kavanagh, Logan Wisnauskas, Brennan O’Neil, and Jared Bernhardt put their stamp on a third consecutive win. Kavanagh has been terrific.
With goalie Logan McNaney and former NFL wide receiver Jared Bernhardt in the lineup, the boys of summer stay perfect at 3-0. Logan the lefty is showcasing clean saves and rainbow outlets. Bernhardt has a turbo gear that smokes cover men and leaves a trail of dust.
SSDM Ryan Terefenko has been a Tasmanian devil running in transition and pinning opponent offensive personnel on the field. Coach Tim Soudan’s “Hippo” drill is sharpening ball movement. Geriatric defensive trio of Mike Manley, Jesse Bernhardt, and JT Giles-Harris are drinking from the fountain of youth. I’m drinking the Outlaw Kool-Aid.
Utah vs New York
Atlas win makes it two in a row prior to the All-Star break. Coach Mike Pressler got clutch contributions from rookie Matt Traynor in an 11-8 win over Utah. New York’s defense held Utah scoreless in the fourth quarter after being down 4-1 early. Winning a defensive rock fight is a step in the right direction for the normally free-flowing Atlas. New York is a legit title contender.
Archers offense sold separately in 2025 as the two-time champs took another loss against New York (3-2). Suddenly nobody can consistently win a matchup. Grant Ament was the most impactful ball carrier and Connor Fields found the net three times.
The laundry list of areas to improve include: two-point production, unassisted shooting percentage, face-off percentage, power play scoring rate, and transition offense. Complacency is death. Destruction breeds creation. Utah needs to catch a wave and schematically re-invent themselves.
Utah fans eager to see righty midfielder Tre LeClaire in the lineup on July 11 against Philadelphia in Chicago. The Canadian may unlock some pass-down, pick-down looks on the right side, and his stealthy shot is an upgrade on the power play. Feels like Utah, winners of the past two championships, are a step behind the top tier.
Philadelphia vs California
California was valiant in defeat in front of a packed house in San Diego. I felt the passion from fans all weekend long who made it a point to say hello. I could feel the love. And those moments and fan interactions are the fuel that pumps my engine. Grateful for this game. Thank you, SD.
Philadelphia pulled away late, taking a 9-9 game and locking down the Woods 12-9. California experienced drought conditions during the last 13 minutes. Enigmatic Philly midfielder Jack Hannah scored twice in the final quarter and Michael Sowers was dealing aces all night. At the All-Star break, the lightning bug Sowers would get my MVP vote.
After surrendering three deuces in the first half, Waterdog goalie Dillon Ward was a brick wall against long and mid-range shots.
Coach Bill Tierney and the Waterdogs may have superstar CJ Kirst (Cornell) in the lineup in Chicago. That addition gives the purple haze good vibrations.
California’s best players in San Diego were rookies Andrew McAdorey and Sam English. McAdorey plays at hyper speed and English is omnipresent, a contributor at both ends. Long-range shooter Romar Dennis buried a pair of two-point shots. Attackman Dylan Molloy showcased his own version of bully ball. Woods needed a Snickers in game two, looking like avocado toast as the sun set. California dreaming became a nightmare (0-2), meaning that coach Anthony Kelly will tinker with his midfield personnel going forward. GM “Trader Joe” Spallina won’t sit still.
Boston vs Carolina
The Saturday Farmer’s Market in Little Italy above the harbor is world-class. That appetizer set the table for a best-record vs. worst-record matchup in Torero Stadium.
Not so fast! Carolina stunned Boston with an improbable two-goal victory. In the PLL, the worst team in the league can beat the best team. There are no free squares. Every week matters. Half the league is 3-2 and the other half is 2-3. That’s compelling.
Boston was victimized by the two-point shot and defensive lapses. Giving up 14 goals to Carolina is perplexing. Cannons are good, just not great—right now. What they’ll remember is September. So keep it positive and grow.
Carolina stopper Blaze Riorden finished with 21 saves. Playing with a jagged finger that looks like the letter Z, Big Blaze was in takeover mode, stuffing Marcus Holman from point-blank range with the game on the line. Defender Troy Reh was active off the carpet. Defensive midfielders Ray Dearth and Greg Langermeier took steps forward, and it was Dearth’s two-point missile on a fast break that sealed the 14-12 victory.
A week after being embarrassed 20-6 to Maryland, the Chaos got up off of the canvas and provided the shocking upset. Credit to coach Roy Colsey, assistant Kyle Sweeney, and all of the players for stabilizing a wobbly ship. In a league where the talent gap is tight, culture and camaraderie count.
Owen Hiltz, Sergio Perkovic, and Ross Scott were giving Chaos fans excitations. Perkovic dialed up top-shelf bouncers from a different zip code, while Hiltz cashed in four times from his left-wing geography. Shooting on grass offers an advantage to those who have bounce shots in their arsenal. Whether it’s a skimmer or high bouncer, goalies have benefitted from bounceless sport turf. Too much lacrosse is being played on carcinogenic plastic pellets. The Creator’s game, tied to earth, is meant to be played on grass, in the dirt and mud, and through nature’s elements.
Maryland had their bye week and face Denver on July 12 in Chicago.
All-Star weekend from Kansas City is next for the PLL and WLL. Check out the Maybelline WLL All-Star Game featuring Charlotte North on ESPN2 at 8 PM on July 4. Go easy on the hot dogs. The Lexus PLL ASG can be seen at 1 PM on July 5 on ESPN.
After that, it’s time for the second half of the season. On July 11 and 12, the PLL plays in Chicago at Northwestern. All PLL games can be seen on ESPN+. Follow Quint on Twitter @QKessenich.
