The lacrosse just keeps getting better and better every week this summer as this past weekend provided some more milestones for pro lacrosse. There were exciting games in both leagues and highlight plays leaving everyone’s jaws on the floor. The PLL had its first sellout crowd and the biggest summer of pro lacrosse is making waves all over the country. Let’s see who the winners of the weekend were and who ended up as losers in this week’s PLL and MLL edition of Winners and Losers.
Winners
PLL’s First Sellout Crowd
In the fourth week of the Premier Lacrosse League’s inaugural season, the PLL had its first sellout crowd this past Saturday night at Homewood Field. A final attendance of 16,701 was announced for their three games at Homewood and it is a great sign for the league. It was definitely a big help that the Saturday night game was in Baltimore, a lacrosse hotbed, and that Johns Hopkins as well as Maryland alumni were playing in the game.
Regardless, it was a picture of what professional lacrosse could be like all over the country and a big step for the PLL. It’s definitely worth a winning spot in this week’s Winners and Losers. Playing in an intimate setting in front of fans who know the game and are invested in every play or goal is every lacrosse players dream. Here is hoping that we see another sellout this PLL season.
Epic Game. ⠀⠀
Sellout Crowd.
An Historic Venue. ⠀⠀
A New Rivalry is Born.⠀
⠀
Whipsnakes vs Atlas pic.twitter.com/RGtRzISLJF— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 24, 2019
Boston Cannons
Leading the MLL with a 3-0 start, the Boston Cannons have come out firing with their explosive offensive only getting better each week. Both Mark Cockerton and Connor O’Hara scored four goals in the Cannons’ win against the New York Lizards and they got great performances from their defense as well as in the transition game.
O’Hara earned Warrior Offensive Player of the Week honors to boot. They also got another great crowd at their new stadium and they are now 2-0 at home. With young players like O’Hara and Ryland Rees scoring big goals as well as veterans like Shawn Evans getting into the mix, can any team in the MLL keep up with the Cannons?
.@connorohara88, the @warriorlax Offensive Player of the Week, scored 4⃣ goals against his father’s team‼️?https://t.co/U7nNPPWi4j pic.twitter.com/h2WL4L4H5P
— Major League Lacrosse (@MLL_Lacrosse) June 25, 2019
Jules Heningburg
In the first-ever PLL trade, Jules Heningburg was traded from the Whipsnakes to the Redwoods for Alec Tullett. Heningburg was by no means playing badly for the Whipsnakes, but was just not the right fit. In Heningburg’s first game with the Redwoods, he quickly showed that the trade had lit a fire under him as he dropped five goals and three assists against the Chrome. Heningburg was a man on a mission and the trade definitely seemed like the right move as he meshed immediately with the Redwoods offense. Look out for Heningburg to be a problem for PLL defenses all season.
DOMINANT. @Julesheningburg with 5G & 3A in the W pic.twitter.com/yZS2TsVylX
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 22, 2019
Honorable Mentions
Chris Madalon
Chris Madalon was seeing everything in the Atlanta Blaze’s game against Dallas as he finished the game with 20 saves in a big rebound win. Madalon stuffed shooters from every spot on the field and was a huge reason the Blaze pulled out the win.
Blaze Riorden
Goalies in both leagues had stand out performances as Blaze Riorden was seemingly saving everything sent his way and also sparking transition with his crisp outlet passes. Riorden has helped propel the Chaos to a 3-1 start. Everyone is still waiting for Riorden to get a chance at scoring a goalie goal like he did at Albany. Will Blaze Riorden score a goal this PLL season?
Scott Rodgers
I am giving the goalies a lot of love this week because they often don’t get the recognition they should, but in Scott Rodgers case he deserves all the love possible for his efforts this weekend. Shortly after being released from the hospital for pancreatitis that he started suffering from during training camp, Rodgers came into the Atlas’ game against the Whipsnakes on a man down situation and made some big saves. No matter what the score was, Scotty Rodgers is a winner for his determination to get back on the field. After all, lacrosse is just a game. Definitely deserving of a winners spot in Winners and Losers in my book.
The Return of Scotty Rodgers
After 10 days in the hospital and a month on IR, @ScottyRodg42 returned to the field. pic.twitter.com/Lzg3UA1lms
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) June 24, 2019
Losers
Anyone Who Didn’t Watch a Pro Lacrosse Game Last Weekend
There is more professional lacrosse available to watch this summer than ever before. Whether it is the MLL on Lax Sports Network, Stadium and the
Goalies Trying To Stop Two-Pointers
In summers past, the two-point shot was taken sparingly in the MLL with end of games scenarios being the most common time teams tried them. This summer in the MLL and especially in the PLL, no one is afraid to let a two-point shot go. This past weekend there were nine two-pointers that went in. Goalies usually can track the two-point shots down pretty easily, but more and more long poles are taking two-pointers and goalies are getting straight up embarrassed by their big wind-ups and follow throughs. A couple of goalies ended up on a highlight tape getting scored on from two-point range this past weekend and there is no end in sight.
WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER OF THE BOMB SQUAD!! @JNEU_XV DID THAT!! ? pic.twitter.com/94INxCTsn1
— Chaos Lacrosse Club (@PLLChaos) June 23, 2019
Who were your winners and losers of Week 4 in the PLL and MLL?
