Here is your daily weekday update on the latest on what is happening in the lacrosse world. Dillon Ward is a man who must be stopped, Syracuse gives Maryland the cold shoulder and we have a new No. 1 in NCAA men’s college lacrosse.
Today’s Top Lacrosse News: Crosse Clicks — March 3, 2020
NCAA Lacrosse
Men’s
Notables
- The biggest shocker was Syracuse being ranked No. 1 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll this week based on however math works. I’m not convinced that things like “evidence”, “logic” and “reason” are always reliable, but I do know that Syracuse is good team. We’ll see how long the Orange can hold on to the title of the top team in the country.
Women’s
Notables
- In what might go down as the year (or at least the weekend) of the turtle in NCAA women’s lacrosse, it was a reminder that revenge is a dish best served cold. Or, in this case, a few degrees warmer and about what Syracuse locals would consider just as much as snow in the Washington D.C. area than where the original game was supposed to be played on Friday. Maryland Women’s Lacrosse forced a relocation of its game against Syracuse in what was a top-10 showdown in the Carrier Dome on Friday to College Park on Saturday, with Syracuse ending up on the beneficial side of karma as the Orange took the 10-5 win and stayed put in the No. 4 spot in this week’s rankings. Read the game recap here.
Pro Lacrosse
NLL
Notables
- New England regained control of the NLL‘s East Division with a major win over the Halifax Thunderbirds. Halifax has had a great year in its first season as being known as the Thunderbirds, as it has posted a 7-4 record and is in third place in the North Division, sitting just behind Toronto and Buffalo which both have 7-3 records. Scott Campbell, whose hit against San Diego you may remember from earlier in the season is actually now fifth in the league in total penalty minutes while only having recorded penalty minutes in three of the 11 games he has played this season (clearly making it count when he does land in the sin bin). Campbell picked up another six penalty minutes against Halifax while also recording nine loosies and a caused turnover in the loss for Halifax. Campbell currently has 27 penalty minutes on the year, while known-menace Dillon Ward is close behind by about 27 penalty minutes with an astounding zero on the year. If you ask me, the referees are obviously too busy watching Ward read and react and are not watching the Mammoth goaltender closely enough for any funny business. I’m looking at you, Todd Labranche. Get it together. (By the way, we just tee’d up your next big marketing promo, Mr. Sakiewicz. We’ll assume there’s a check in the mail) Read about the game by clicking here. Also, Ryan Conwell has an article on the Black Wolves coming out later this week, so stay tuned.
In case you forgot who Todd Labranche is, check out a piece from his body of work from our Lacrosse GIFs series from last season by clicking here. That series unfortunately went the way that all good things tend to go that aren’t really important and don’t really matter — it ran for public office with the federal government (insert drum sting).
PLL
Notables
- Chrome LC’s Romar Dennis was traded to Atlas LC in addition to a 3rd-round pick in the 2020 PLL College Draft in exchange for a 3rd-round pick that went back to Chrome. So, basically, that equates Dennis’ value as next to nothing to whoever arranged the trade given that we’d assume that swapping 3rd round picks was basically an equal exchange. A few people on social media shared similar thoughts, an example of which you can find below.
This has to be the one of the most disrespectful trades of all time.
— Bad Lemon Lacrosse (@badlemonlax) March 2, 2020
MLL
- Major League Lacrosse‘s Connecticut Hammerheads held a press conference at Fairfield University on Friday to announce the partnership between the groups. We had the privilege of attending and are excited to see what the Hammerheads can do in Connecticut this year. Catch a recap video from the event below.
Last week, Fairfield hosted a press conference to formally announce the partnership between @MLL_Lacrosse, @CtHammerheads and Fairfield University which will profoundly enhance the life of our campus and beyond. #FairfieldU #SharkAttack #Community pic.twitter.com/G8oOOSIuOA
— Fairfield University 🦌 (@FairfieldU) March 2, 2020
NAIA
Notables
- We released our LaxAllStars NAIA Lacrosse Players of the Week yesterday, with SCAD-legend Sydney Knego and Benedictine’s (KS) Jack Kandoth — who would win any player of the week award based on his mustache alone — as our featured athletes this week after strong performances. Take a look by clicking here.
- Our NAIA Men’s Lacrosse poll came out yesterday as well, with some movement at the top with the Keiser Seahawks taking down Cumberlands in overtime on Saturday. Read who we feel are the top teams in the NAIA by clicking here.
MCLA
Notables
- Jac Coyne, executive director of the MCLA, shared his thoughts on another week of lacrosse in the MCLA. My favorite part was the beginning that talked about the travel challenges for teams on the West Coast like Montana had this past week. Since it is easily a day’s journey in anything that can reasonably break the sound barrier just to cross state lines, it’s no wonder teams on the West Coast — particularly in the MCLA — can have crazy travel schedules compared to the close quarters of college lacrosse teams out east. Catch up on the news around the MCLA from Coyne’s perspective by clicking here.
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