July 17, 2008
by Corey McLaughlin, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
While it's technically a few weeks past the halfway point of the season, Thursday night marks the MLL All-Star game and the symbolic midway point of the 2008 schedule. With this milestone in mind, here's a look at some of this season's best performers of the first half:
Most Valuable Player
1. John Grant Jr., A, Rochester
2. Brian Dougherty, G, Barrage
3. Spencer Ford, A, Long Island
The skinny: The reigning MVP is on his way to another impressive season. After an up-and-down month of June, Rochester seems to have regrouped and found its rhythm. All the while, Grant has been consistent, leading the league in scoring - again - with 27 goals (3 two-pointers) and eight assists. Defenses prepare for what's coming, but he still manages to crank out production, averaging 4.75 points per game this summer.
Dougherty's overall numbers may not be the best among goalies, but he has allowed the two-time defending champion Barrage to stay in the playoff race with multiple 20-plus save games this season. Ford, with a league-high 24 assists, has completely transformed the Long Island offense, guiding it to five straight wins at one point after being brought in via trade. Had the Lizards not dropped two in a row recently, he'd be higher.
Rookie of the Year
1. Kevin Huntley, A, Los Angeles
2. Paul Rabil, M, Boston
3. Mike Leveille, A, Chicago
The skinny: This year's talent-loaded draft class provides quality candidates for this award. Rabil, the No. 1 overall pick, and Leveille, No. 3, have seen their college successes translate to the pro game. But Huntley, Rabil's teammate from Hopkins, has been on fire lately, tallying 14 goals and 18 points in the Riptide's last three games, all wins. Huntley was picked in the second round (No. 17) by San Francisco and was quickly traded to L.A. in exchange for veteran Sean Lindsay. It's looking like a good move for the Riptide now. Matt Danowski, No. 2 overall, can put himself in the running for ROY with a solid second half.
Coach of the Year
1. John Tucker, Los Angeles
2. Tony Resch, Barrage
3. Bill Daye, Boston
The skinny: Los Angeles has 10 different players form last year's roster but Tucker, the 2007 coach of the year, has the Riptide playing the same team game that spurred them to the MLL championship game a season ago. Los Angeles took a risk moving offensive point man Spencer Ford to Long Island, but the draft-day trade that sent him there, and the Riptide's youth movement, appears to be paying off now. Tucker has let Huntley, fellow rookie Kevin Buchanan and new addition Kyle Harrison do what they know how to do, and the players have bought in.
"I love playing for him," Huntley says of Tucker. "He's got a great attitude for this whole thing. He's made the transition from being a college coach to the pro level."
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Peter Vlahakis, FO, Long Island
2. Brodie Merrill, D, Rochester
3. Eric Martin, D, San Francisco
The skinny: Need possessions? Call Vlahakis. The faceoff specialist isn't doing anything he didn't know how to do before, but he's just doing it at a crazy rate this season. Vlahakis can potentially set the new MLL single-season faceoffs record if he keeps dominating the `X' like he has so far. He's won 202 of 314 draws (64.3 percent). If the season ended today, he would break the record of 63.3 percent, set by Baltimore's Paul Cantabene in 2004.
Offensive Player of the Year
1. John Grant Jr., A, Rochester
2. Kevin Leveille, A, Chicago
3. Merrick Thomson, A, New Jersey
The skinny: The MVP is also the league's best offensive player with 38 points. But Leveille isn't far behind with 36. Keep in mind, Leveille's young Chicago team isn't as battle-tested as Grant's Rattlers. All three players on this list are tied for the league lead with 27 goals. Thomson, a candidate for most improved player, is having a breakout season. The former Albany co-captain had just 10 points all of last year.
Goaltender of the Year
1. Brian Dougherty, Philadelphia
2. Jesse Schwartzman, Denver
3. Chris Garrity, Washington
The skinny: As mentioned above, Dougherty has again been a key to the Barrage success this season, as the teams travels the country without a home field. He's kept them in games (15-13 win at Boston, 28 saves; 14-13 win at Washington, 24 saves) in which might be losses with another goalie in the net. His baiting style is still working, and the Barrage is in position for another playoff run.
MLL Week 10 Preview
Boston Cannons (5-3) at Washington Bayhawks (3-5)
Saturday, 7 p.m. Eastern
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.
Cannons offensive threat Mikey Powell won't play in the all-star game due to a hamstring injury, and it's unclear if he'll play in this game. That won't help Boston's one problem this season: consistency.
"We've had the same key pretty much all season," says Cannons all-star rookie middie Paul Rabil. "We have the talent, we have chemistry, but the MLL is a tough, fast game, and there's a lot of momentum. We need to figure out a way to be as consistent as we can through all four quarters of the game."
Rochester Rattlers (5-3) at New Jersey Pride (3-5)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Yurcak Field, Piscataway, N.J.
Rochester took care of a flat Washington team last week and now focuses on the Pride, which has proven to have the talent and offensive firepower to create an upset any week. If the Rattlers plan on a playoff return, this could be the start. Rochester goalie Mike Levin returned in net last week after being benched for the Rattlers' previous game against Los Angeles. Matt Danowski had two goals and three assists in the Pride's 16-12 win over Rochester on June 14.
Denver Outlaws (6-3) at San Francisco Dragons (2-6)
Saturday, 7 p.m. Pacific
Spartan Stadium, San Jose, Calif.
On paper, Denver can look at San Francisco's record and say the Dragons are the perfect opponent to play if it wants to rebound from an ugly loss to Los Angeles last week. That may be true, but the Outlaws' recent streak of two losses in three games results from problems on their own end. The Western Conference's highest-scoring offense for the season has averaged just 9.3 goals in the last three games. The last meeting between these two teams on July 4 was a 10-9 win by Denver.
Los Angeles Riptide (5-3) @ Chicago Machine (2-7)
Sunday, 3:30 p.m. Central
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill.
The Riptide played a complete game last week in its 16-6 dismantling of Western Conference-leading Denver. Rookies Huntley, Kevin Buchanan and Mike McDonald combined for nine goals. And they have veteran leaders, too, in Kyle Harrison, Jesse Hubbard and Greg Downing, who had three goals in the win. Chicago, conversely, is still growing up with its young core, Steven Brooks and Mike Leveille. Last week in a three-goal loss to San Francisco, Machine goalie Mike Gabel had a tough go in net and was pulled for Bud Petit, the rookie from Virginia, in the second half.
Bye week - Barrage, Long Island
Corey McLaughlin covers Major League Lacrosse for Lacrosse Magazine Online. Check back to LMO each Thursday and over the weekends for more MLL coverage, or send feedback to Corey at corey.mclaughlin@gmail.com.
