DII Lacrosse Game Time - a look back at Week 1 and a preview of Week 2

Intro

SPEAKER_06 0:33

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Creek with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of Deep Two Mental Frost. I'm your co-host, Kevin Stenstrom, and with me as always is our Punxitawny Phil, Danny Moran. Hey, six more weeks of winter, my friend. I'll tell you that we are recording this a day after Groundhog Day. I used Punxitanny Phil for you last year, but this week, the first week of lacrosse season, the weather stole the headlines. And so I'm just asking you, Danny, tell me there's not going to be six more weeks of winter.

SPEAKER_04 1:16

The way it looks now, six more weeks. But before we get started, how are you doing tonight? My friend in Northern Virginia. How's it going tonight, Kevin? I'm looking for spring. It killed me. It killed me. What a brutal, brutal two weeks. I mean, especially in the northeast New York City. We got buried last week. We spoke about that. The snow hasn't gone away. It's been just ice.

SPEAKER_06 1:41

Same here in Northern Virginia. We haven't had today was the first temperatures above 40. But when before that was below 30 all the time.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

But what happened down in the south this past Saturday is unprecedented. I mean, so many games in all three divisions were canceled or just postponed.

SPEAKER_06 2:02

Yeah, or move indoors if they could find a venue.

SPEAKER_04 2:07

Right, right, exactly. And you know what? You know, some I, you know, some people were complaining on Facebook and Instagram, let these kids play. Hey, if I'm an institution and I got 60 kids on a bus, I'm not putting them on a bus to drive 90 miles in roads that the conditions aren't very good. It snowed 11 inches in Charlotte, North Carolina. I think it was the fourth largest total ever.

SPEAKER_06 2:33

Yeah, and the other thing with that, and that's crazy for Charlotte. And I I was seeing videos of it. But the other thing is, forget about the bus. I mean, when you're in 20 degree weather and it's snowing 11 inches, it's not safe for the student athletes. And I now there has been talk I've seen in the social media sphere about you know pushing back the start of the season to mid to late February and do more midweek games. There's a lot of games, especially beginning of the season, they're only on the weekends, right? A lot of teams do that. Right. So you could push it back farther. I think that's a great idea, only from my perspective of as a fan, if I'm out there in the weather, it's going to be a little bit warmer. Right. But you could get these storms at any time. Now, probably not in the south as much, but certainly in the north.

SPEAKER_04 3:34

It has snowed in April up here, you know. It can it can be April can be a crazy month, you know. Yeah. It could be really nice or it could be really crappy. I mean, I've seen it both, you know. I think the kids from the north are a lot more used to it than the kids from the south. For example, the Tampa Newberry game on Sunday, it was 42 degrees a game time, and the real feel was like 34. Right. Let me tell you something. For Florida, that's cold, man. That's really cold. That's cold. Iguanas, it was raining iguanas in Florida. Yeah. They're all over the place. They're like, because they get paralyzed in the cold. They're catching thousands of them. But I mean, I watched the Tampa Newberry game and I was like, I don't give a shit what anybody says. The real of 32, 33 degrees is cold, and especially in Florida. And I was wondering how those Floridian guys were going to respond to the weather, you know.

SPEAKER_06 4:29

And I guess once you get going and the adrenaline gets going, and you know, I think if you're playing, as long as you keep playing, you're probably good. Right. You're a goalie. Once you stop, oh yeah. But once you stop, if you're if you're a second line guy or you're uh you're the fourth defender that comes in and and plays several several you know minutes and then goes out and then you're all of a sudden you're caught again.

SPEAKER_04 4:56

Yeah. That's tough. You know, definitely. It's a it was a un just an unprecedented weekend. I mean crazy. Single digits up here. It was so cold. Sunday morning, I had to run some errands. Kevin, it was 10 a.m. in the morning. I had to get some gas. I had to just you know go to the bank, just run some errands and stuff. I literally parked on the street. The bank is 25 yards across the street. By the time I got from my car to the bank, I was like, oh my God. I don't remember it being so raw cold for such a long period of time. It's it's been a long, long time since I felt cold like this.

SPEAKER_06 5:36

I have not, now it was colder up there, but in Northern Virginia, I haven't seen in the winter where we've had more than seven days straight with below 30 degree weather. Just doesn't happen. Yeah. Yeah. Doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_04 5:53

It's so an unprecedented weekend, a ton of games moved, like you said, switched, postponed, re-rescheduled. Yeah. Just a kind of a crazy

Week in Review

SPEAKER_04 6:03

weekend.

SPEAKER_06 6:03

Now, what's interesting in D2, the games that did happen, we actually had three overtime games. One of them happened right on the first day of play, which was on Friday, and that was Barton at Coker. It went to triple overtime with Coker pulling it out 11-10. Crazy. And then the other game, Lewis uh at Northwood, they won by a lot 23-9. And then the third game got all three of the games that were supposed to be played that day did play because the weather hadn't hit yet, even if it was in the Carolinas. But this was down in Tampa, Florida Tech against Tampa, and Tampa pulls it out 10-6. But in my opinion, Danny, that game was a lot closer than the final score.

SPEAKER_04 6:52

Hey, Florida Tech was pretty impressive in that game. All right, first game. You know those first games, Kev. Yeah. No team is playing super clean. You know, they're they're making mistakes, they're still learning things, you know, and still, you know, some new groups learning to still like play together. Now, now it's your first go. And not the cleanest game, I don't think, by either team, Tampa or Florida Tech. But I tell you, Florida Tech impressed me on defense. They did some really good things on defense.

SPEAKER_06 7:23

I was impressed with their play. I did not think they kept that game close all the way to the four fourth quarter, and the one that stood out to me was their goalie, Jax Francisco. 60%. He was phenomenal. He was really, really good. I think beyond the save percentage, he made some saves at critical moments and some tough saves. You know, some some saves are bigger than others.

SPEAKER_04 7:51

And he had some really, really good saves. Well, it's Tampa, you know, they got their explosive offensively, and you know what? They didn't really explode offensively.

SPEAKER_06 8:02

Yeah, when you you talked about their defense, they kept Tampa to 10 goals.

SPEAKER_04 8:07

Yeah, yeah. That's not an easy task. No. You know, and don't tell me that Tampa wasn't out there trying to bury biscuits because they were out there trying to bury biscuits. But that that defense, you know, I I felt both teams played good defense. I felt it was a better defensive game. Oh, yeah. 100% offensive game. 100%. Um low scoring first half. It was 2-2 at halftime, Kev. Yeah. Flawed. I would never have expected that. Exactly. You know, friend, Bashaw, Grant Green got things rolling in the second half for the Spartans. But Tech, they kept answering. They had goals by Strong and Ross and Henry and keeping it to that one goal game all through the third, you know. Tampa was up 7-6 with about four minutes left in the game when Tampa's amped up that defense a little bit. Quick slide, double teamed, caused the turnover, scored off the turnover. One uh tech won the face-off, came down, had control, and again, Tampa slid, double teamed, knocked the ball down, caused the turnover, came down and scored. So here it was, a one-goal game with four minutes left in the game. And Tech had the ball twice. And Tampa was able to step up defensively, you know, and cause turnovers at super duper critical times. I mean, those were two, two of the biggest plays of the game that really sealed it for Tampa, really. It was two defensive plays with four minutes left that Tampa, Tampa held on, if you ask me.

SPEAKER_06 9:46

Right. I mean, you wouldn't notice when the score 10-6, you're like, okay, that's uh fairly good spread. But like you said, it wasn't until four minutes left in the game. Right.

SPEAKER_04 9:57

So Zach Friend had two goals and two assists. Jackson Bashaw had two goals and assists, Grant Green with two goals, Spears with a goal, Tommy Ortega, one goal and one assist. Sam Forte had a goal. Conley Stone, one assist, four ground balls, and a caused turnover in his first game. Gordy Gumbold, the lockdown boy, had four ground balls. Schmidt in goal, six for 13, 68%. Very good for Farda Tech. Chancellor uh had two assists. Esteson had one goal. Stetcher, Kane, Henry, Ross, and Strong each added a goal. Canaway had two uh ground balls in a cause turnover, and uh the face-off Charlie Batt was six for twelve for 50%. They ran out Sager uh eight times. He was three for eight for 38%, and like we said, Francisco and goal for Tech was 10. He gave up 10 goals, he had 15 saves of 60 percent. Yeah. So that was a good first game for both teams. I mean, I think you know, Tampa held on a little bit. Like I said, I just felt that Tech's defense played very well.

SPEAKER_06 11:09

I agree. Okay, now we can move to Saturday. The game that I watched, and I think you watched it too, was another overtime game. And the first upset of the season. Flagler at Emory Riddle. Emery Riddle pulls it out 8-7 over number 12 ranked Flaggler in overtime. And this game was close. This was a close matchup. I said last week that I thought this was going to be a one-goal game. I'm not sure I was thinking overtime, though. There were four times this game was tied, Danny. It was very, very close.

SPEAKER_04 11:55

Yeah, I felt again it was like one of those first game kind of both teams. Not really playing clean ball. I I really honestly felt that the first three quarters were kind of eh kind of lacrosse, and it got going in the fourth. Like literally halfway through the fourth quarter, it started becoming a game. They started hitting a little bit, they started checking a little bit more, they started really to amp up. You know, I guess it took three quarters for the team, these two teams to get going, but quite the game at the end, you know, a lot of penalties, man.

SPEAKER_06 12:30

Led to man. That's the one thing I yeah, but I will tell you, I think that was a problem more of a problem for Flagler. They were in the box six times. Now, Emmy Real didn't score on any of those, which they're gonna want to work on. But we've talked about this before. When you're in the box and you're on your heels for six penalties, that's not good. That's not you're not helping your offense there.

SPEAKER_04 13:00

No, no, you're putting them in harm's way for sure, man. You know, so uh again, and they weren't really able to capitalize on those on those man ups, which is, you know, again, first game, you know, it's gotta still working out the bugs a little bit. But um, you know, the Eagles gotta after lose, they lost their first face-off, and after losing the first face-off, the Eagles won nine out of the next ten face-offs, guys.

SPEAKER_06 13:27

Yeah, they won 12 total to Flagless 5. And you remember, I talked about this. This was one of the matchups I was interested in because both teams had new face-off specialists. Both teams used more than one, which was also good, but Emmy Riddle won that battle by a lot. That kept them in that game. And uh, the other thing I would point out, I think, if you look at some of the other stats, we talked about Flagler's offense against a more veteran defense on Emmy Riddle. I think Emory Riddle's defense, if you look at some of the stats, may have won out. Shots. They held Flagler to only 29 shots for the day. Now, they were pretty efficient when they shot it, right? But to Emory Riddle's 40 shots, ground balls, Emmy Riddle had 39 to Flagler's 19. Those are stats that show their defense was a little more efficient, a little more aggressive, maybe, and winning things that kept them in the game because realistically, Flagler was ahead for most of this game. And Emmy Riddle always had to catch up.

SPEAKER_04 14:35

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right. But uh again, the face-offs, I think, was giving them extra possessions and giving Collins, you know, more chances to get at the goal again. And then that shot category proves that. So exactly. So, you know, the face-off was a problem for Flagler during that game. Again, I felt the first three quarters were real sloppy, both teams kind of sloppy, and it really got going in the fourth quarter. They really started to play real lacrosse, and like, hey, we're close, it's a close game, shit's on the on the you know, yeah, let's go. You know, it was like, all right, was six minutes left, and then and the game started to pick up and started playing good lacrosse and went into overtime, and it was uh it was a good game, man. It really was. At the end of the day, it was a good game. Like at the let the last seven, eight minutes were really good.

SPEAKER_06 15:26

Yeah. So some some uh good perform key performers, uh Emmy Riddle, uh sophomore attack, Lucas Anthony, four goals, one assist, junior defender Gavin Daly had six ground balls, three cost turnovers, and their goalie Reed Kerr was at 53%. And I thought, you know, he got the nod over Carter Grosinger, who had most of the starts last year. Now, Reed Kerr played last year, and he got some good minutes, but that was a little bit of a surprise for me. And he played well. He played well, and then on Flagler's side, senior attack, Tracy McDonald, three goals, one assist. Oh no, just three goals, I'm sorry. There, short stick D. Midi, Brendan Watson had three ground balls, three cost turnovers, and Wade Le Mon was at 50%. So he had a pretty good game, too. They didn't split it this year. Well, no, well, played the whole game. Because one of them's gone.

SPEAKER_04 16:20

Oh, okay. I didn't know that. All right. All right. So I don't know. Uh what'd you think of Flagler at the end? Again, first game, right? It's hard to hard to gauge a team first game.

SPEAKER_06 16:32

I will tell you. I thought up until I I I thought the whole game that Flagler was gonna pull it out. And then Emory Riddle never gave up. And look at they scored with one eighteen left to tie the game. Then there was actually a slash during that goal. Flagler goes man down at faceoff. Emory Riddle wins the face-off, and I'm like, uh-oh, here we go. They couldn't bury the biscuit, as you say. So it goes to overtime, and now it's the momentum almost just shifted there. Emy Riddle. Emy Riddle now it took a while. There was Pierce Montez from the left wing scores, I think he's a freshman with four seconds left on the shot clock. There was still like two minutes left in the overtime, but four seconds, you know, when you get down to that time, you're like, okay, they're gonna they're gonna throw the ball away. He scores with that, and it was like it wasn't a lot of angle on that shot that he got that ball in the goal. So I I almost have to give it to just Emmy Riddle in in pulling out, you know, and I agree with you. Flagler had a lot more mistakes than I thought for but it's the first game. Yeah. And they'll clean that up. But give a lot of credit to Eagles for what they did.

SPEAKER_04 18:08

Big win for the Eagles. Big win. That's gotta give them a ton of confidence. Yeah. You know, Flaggler's a ranked team.

SPEAKER_06 18:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:16

So here we go. I like it. Nice way to start the the season off. The Eagles by down in a ranked team and a good ranked team as well.

SPEAKER_06 18:27

So here's the other overtime. This is the third overtime game that happened, and this was Lees McCrae at Alabama Huntsville, another 8-7 overtime win by Alabama Huntsville. Now, here's the problem with this game. It was not streamed. I could not watch it. I kept trying to refresh. Yeah, me too. See, it's where it was supposed to. I found out from uh Brad Dunn. I texted him, I'm like, Coach, he goes, No, they were having internet problems. And I and I so all I could do was follow what really on the live stats, which is what I was trying to do. Yeah. But it was a pretty close, obviously it was a close game, and it was kind of back and forth. Leez McCray jumped out to a two-goal lead. Chargers answered and tied up 2-2 heading to the second quarter. Bobcutz had a 4-3 advantage at halftime. That went away when the Chargers amounted a strong third quarter uh performance. They were up 6-5. Lees McCrae ties up, it goes into the fourth tied 6-6, and they both trade goals in the fourth to make it 7-7 going to overtime. And then Makai Hillman scored his second goal to secure the win in overtime.

SPEAKER_04 19:43

Lees tied it with 17 seconds left in the game. That's awesome. Cole Mars goal on a man up, on a man up goal. I mean, pretty crazy game. And uh Makai Hillman. The man of the hour. Yeah. What do you think? I mean, two years ago, Alabama Huntsville would have walked all over Lees McCrae.

SPEAKER_06 20:09

Well, and last year Lees McRae beat Alabama Huntsville up in Banner Elk. So this was a payback? A little payback, a little inspired play by Alabama Huntsville. What I found interesting, Danny, was some of the stats. Shots. Alabama Huntsville had 53. Lees McRae only had 26. And turnovers, Alabama Huntsville won that out. Only 18 to Lees McCrae 26. But face-offs, and then face-offs, Alabama Huntsville beat Lees McCrae too. So where where was the difference?

SPEAKER_04 20:50

What was the percentage on the face-offs?

SPEAKER_06 20:53

So 12 to 5. Alabama Huntsville had 12 to Lees McRae 5. You know where the difference was? Goalie play for Lees McRae. Alex Apple had 18 saves for Lees McRae. 69% save percentage.

SPEAKER_04 21:13

So now, I mean, that's gotta give Lees a little bit of uh a little bit of confidence saying, hey, hey, we should have won that game. We should have won that game. They're probably saying to themselves, and you know, they and and Mr. Onagi played. He did.

SPEAKER_06 21:32

Three goals, one assist for him.

SPEAKER_04 21:34

We were saying, you know, last week we didn't think he would play, you know, and we'd be surprised if he played. And when I saw his name in the in the scoring column, I was very surprised, not that he played, but he scored three goals and had an assist in his first game back. He was probably chomping at the bit to get it back onto the field. So I'm happy for Mr. Onagi. But I think Lee's is gonna be a much improved team, Kev. think that this is this loss that it's a stinging loss.

SPEAKER_06 22:04

Well it might be one of those stinging losses that help well here's here's the other thing Danny I would say I'd say the same thing for Alabama Huntsville. Right? They had a tough season last year. Yeah they did. And and they lost to Lee's McCrae last year. And so to pull this out first game of the season gives them probably a little bit of confidence. I this is one of those games that you just have to watch how these teams now what they do after it. Right. Which is what I find intriguing. Both teams that are trying to you know improve improve improve Alabama Huntsville like we talked about last week have a very big roster. Lees McRae has a lot of new players that are trying to integrate in and there's still obviously you can tell by those stats there's still a lot of things they need to clean up and they got one players ever coaching them up. So yeah it's not it's gonna be it's gonna be a lot of fun to watch.

SPEAKER_04 23:07

So for the chargers Mikhail Hillman had two Chris Aiello had two Bert Jackson Land and Jake Hughes and Skinner each with one and for the Bobcats Lee's McCrae Caden Onagi had three goals Cole Morris had two and Cameron and Zignac each with one so not a bad way to start the game a year for UAH and uh I bet you that stinging loss is going to hurt give those Bobcats a little fire under their tails I think. I agree.

SPEAKER_06 23:38

Now the other game and the last game we're going to talk about tonight is another Sunday matchup and it was our game of the week last week for this week and that was Newberry against Tampa. Tampa pulls it out 15 to 12 at home. And the real difference here Danny was that seven to one run they had in the second quarter Tampa against Newberry.

SPEAKER_04 24:04

Yeah it was an active physical fast paced first quarter when you when I think about the Tampa game from Friday night it was kind of like a slower pace more defensive game. Yeah and then two days later you know Tampa was lighting it up quick man they were moving the ball quickly they were they they looked like Tampa offense again you know what I mean? Yeah um Tommy Ortega was able to bury two biscuits in the first quarter and then Scout Williams Liam Vollins and Brian Lake and you know Brian Lake's the defenseman he's a graduate for Newberry I thought he was gone he's back for his graduate year so that really helps Newberry on the defensive end. So uh Brian Lake scored for the Wolves Connor McGregor buried one for Tampa nodded at three after one pretty good game. Second quarter all Tampa yeah swish swish swish I mean I don't know Grant Green on a nice blow by after uh gave that was a nice move he made uh and gave Tampa the lead on a man up Green buried another biscuit off a beautiful skip pass and Tampa took a two-goal lead and after the ensuing face-off Zach Friend found the back of the net and Tampa took a three-goal lead and literally 30 seconds later uh Ortega scored again for the Spartans Bashaw got on the board for the Spartans off a beautiful assist by Aaron Cho. It was a five goal lead it was like before you could sneeze. Yeah I mean Tampa just went bang bang bang bang bang. Cotter coach Cotter finally calls a timeout with like four minutes about three 330 left in the half out of that timeout Newberry scored beautiful gauge vigor scored on a nice little wraparound goal from X nice little play that they had uh uh uh played lined up and uh but Kesslering turned around and added another one for Tampa and and and I'm saying to myself the route is on right the route is on the second half is Tampa causing turnovers making Newberry look kind of crappy here's what was interesting to me in the beginning of the second half the third quarter was it really turned into a there were five goals total that went back and forth.

SPEAKER_06 26:30

Every time Newberry scored and you say okay now they're within four and they maybe they can do something there's still a lot of time left Tampa would answer. Right and they could never close the gap and then Tampa opened it up a little bit to a six goal game and you're thinking just like you did after this is my opinion just after like after the second quarter you're like okay the route's on now they're gonna they're up six goals it's in the fourth quarter they've got it Newberry never ever kept chipping kept chipping kept chipping and you know what it started to get chippy they started to get a little defensive out there.

SPEAKER_04 27:07

You know what I felt both diff defenses in that second half were sliding fast and and they they were knocking each other around it started to get physical yeah they started to get chippy with each other and like again you know Kevin you know me I love it when teams get physical I love it I love it you know and it amps up the game and it amped up Newberry because they outscored Tampa six to four in the fourth quarter. Yeah now here's Tampa up six goals now now it's not six goals no more right it's three goals and and it Tampa held on man you know like at the end but Newberry I gotta get I gotta give my hats off to Newberry they never gave up down six goals I agree.

SPEAKER_06 27:59

The interesting part was Newberry cuts it to 1512 with 140 left you're like okay that's not a lot of time left Tampa wins the faceoff and basically is able to run the clock down to eight seconds that was a the crucial faceoff win. Could they have scored three in 140?

SPEAKER_04 28:20

They could have but a lot of things had to go right they were running out of room but I I give them a lot of credit for not giving in when it's a six goal game and there's five forty four left in the in the game you got to give them credit for like okay we're we're we're buckling down I don't know if it's almost defense slip a little bit that's my question like did they was Newberry's offense like really starting to pour it on and move the ball better and and get a little bit more out of their offense you know and the other thing I was wondering is like when Tampa got up did they it seemed like they started to slow the pace down Tampa you know like in the second quarter they were just running and gunning right and were they doing that to and this is only if we could ask the coaches were they doing that to run the clock down sometimes when you do that you get out of your rhythm. You know I don't think that's JB's style I think so either he's a pedal to the metal kind of guy and you know I I think I think when you start getting into the ranked squads playing each other Kev anything can happen man anything can happen. Yeah so like I don't know I I don't know if I want to slow the game down maybe with two minutes left and get a good possession and maybe I would even say four minutes. If you're up six goals with four minutes left you maybe you're trying to run down the clock a little bit more but just saying you know like I'm one I'm wondering I I'm thinking it was a combination of little bit of a mental really good offense and some and some mental breakdowns on defense for Tampa in those like those last three four five minutes of that quarter but uh again um a top 10 matchup top 12 matchup top 15 matchup three goal game I mean and it was 32 degrees out it was cold ref referees in full pants and full jackets and everybody in hoodies and that's right iguanas falling out of trees that's right hitting players cats and dogs living in Tampa goes 2-0 and you know both teams played well against Tampa you know they they they found ways to win they found ways to win yeah exactly and that's that is Tampa's MO you and I talked about this off podcast I think and and that's the the make of a champion team don't count out Newberry and good coaching.

SPEAKER_06 30:56

Yeah exactly so for Tampa Tommy Ortega had five goals one assist Grant Green had four goals one assist Connor McDonough had one goal three assists Michael Thomas 54% at the dot not too bad for Newberry uh Matthew Burt had three goals one assist Liam Vollins one goal but six assists dishing dimes Mr. Vollins Greg Vigor four goals one assist and then your man you talked about the graduate Brian Lake three ground balls two cost turnovers it's good man kid's good long island kid yeah great to see all right now a new segment

Offensive Player of the Week

SPEAKER_06 31:39

in the crease player of the week offense all right Kev for our first in the creases 2026 offensive player of the week this week goes to none other than Tampa Spartans Mr. Tommy Ortega kind of ripped it up in two games seven goals two assists I mean there's other there's other guys out there that have good games out there I mean Carter Kaczynski had a great game for for Lewis with four goals and three assists and seven points but the Newberry Wolves are a ranked squad you know Carter you know that yeah now yeah yeah uh and uh Tommy had five goals one assist against Newberry had another goal another assist in the first game tough pick I mean like look at Matthew Boas against Emmanuel had six goals five assists but Tommy was playing at a at a different different level team yeah so hats off to him yeah Tommy Ortega Tampa Spartans our first offensive player of the week

Defensive Player of the Week

SPEAKER_06 32:47

in the crease player of the week defense and now for our first defensive player of the week of 2026 and first ever on this podcast goes to Lees McCray goalie Alex Apple 8 saves for a 69% save percentage against UAH Alex is one of the transfers they brought in he brought he came in from Hartford Community College and he had an unbelievable game. Yeah gotta give it to him for this congratulations Alex Eppel defensive player of the week

Games to Watch this Week

SPEAKER_06 33:35

all right Danny now it's time to go to the games coming up this next week games that we've got on our list to watch the first one I've got happens on Saturday February 7th and that's Kataba at Mount Olive. This is what I like to call the teacher versus the prodigy coach Mike Murphy of Kataba had coach Dylan Price of Mount Olive as his assistant when he was the head coach at Mount Olive. What's really interesting here is Kataba won last year against Mount Olive but Mount Olive won in 2024. Cotaba's team is totally different than what they were in 2024. They're much improved in a lot of categories they bring back a ton on both sides of the ball Mount Olive brings back a lot on offense but their defense seems like it almost is a new all new right it's a new team but they're playing at Mount Olive and I just love this matchup coach against coach that used to coach together. I'm sure they talk all the time because they were they were really close but it's a good game. Kataba by five oh I think it may be closer than that. I think Kataba by six I give the nod to Kataba all right what what what games are you looking at?

SPEAKER_04 34:59

Okay I have to say that we have to point out Point Park from Pittsburgh PA as their first game Kev. They're playing Virginia State at Virginia State so the Pioneers are getting their first NCAA uh stats on the board so I I think that's a big thing.

SPEAKER_06 35:22

It's always a big thing when a new team in Division II has their first game so yeah I like this one their first game ever they've got a very big roster all freshmen but at 40 Virginia State much more experienced they've been out there for a couple years trying to do that but a much smaller roster. They're playing at home so I I look forward to this game it'd be fun to see who do you like I'm gonna give the nod to Virginia State going to give the I I'm gonna go I'm going with Virginia State too with the home win.

SPEAKER_04 35:52

I think it's gonna be a close it could be really close to a pick'em game but I'm gonna go with Virginia State with this one.

SPEAKER_06 35:58

I think it's gonna be a close one. Now here's a game Danny that I think could be a pick'em and this is on Saturday also Westminster at Concordia University at Irvine CUI last year Danny CUI had Westminster's number beat him twice. This year Westminster is stacked but so is CUI except for a bit of a reload on D, kind of like Mount Olive. I think one of the key this is a key matchup for the RMAC they're actually playing their first game in an RMAC these two teams playing against each other in conference I what I'd say is watch out for a loaded Griffins offense. Five of their top six scores return against somewhat of that new CUI defense but can CUI's special teams win out remember we thought they were gone and they're back Cade Poe and Daniel Yang this is going to be a close game this could this is really a kind of a pick'em if you ask me the only nod I'd give is it's at Concordia CUI by four no I no I this is going to overtime CUI by five nah I think CUI is going to win this game.

SPEAKER_04 37:20

I think they're good man yeah I think they're one of those underestimated good teams you know because they're new not a lot of people know them they don't have a whole lot of history behind them you know what I mean it's not a team that you go wow watch CUI but you know what watch CUI but I also think Westminster is much better than they were last year on paper so we'll see how it works out you know any other games you're looking at I really there you know Rockhurst and Colorado Mesa on Sunday that's that's one I had to you know you you're a Rockhurst guy. I know you really like Coach Kelly what he's got going on they're actually playing this game at Adams State.

SPEAKER_06 38:02

Okay. Interesting but as we talked about the other RMAC teams that are playing uh this coming week they're playing kind of in conference Colorado Mesa is playing an out of conference game look at this matchup of goalies Shaden Shields versus Brock O'Lila yeah tell me that's not going to be exciting that's a great matchup that's a great matchup so who do you like in this one shall I ask you like I I've got to say Rockhurst. But Colorado Mesa is it's more of a home game for them. I I think this could be another pick'em I you know I'd almost I'd almost go against what I said but because of where I put Rockhurst in my top 20 I can't I got to stick with it. On paper come on Coach Kelly you and I had we're going back and forth on Instagram come on coach Kelly let's let's let's see what you got. Mesa by three what I find interesting here Danny Colorado Mesa loses a little bit on offense with JJ Brumman and Logan Smith but they're still deep I don't see any real weaknesses on Rockers but I don't know if they're as deep as Colorado Mesa. Still you and I are going to disagree because I can't go against what I said in my top 20. That's right. I can't you could if you wanted to I'm not gonna okay all right I might have to eat I might have to eat crow like we do many times but that's where I'm going with so those are so yeah and and uh what do you think uh I don't know I like I I think Mace is gonna take that game I do I'm excited to watch it yeah I like Virginia State against Point Park in the Point Park's first one I like Catawba big over Mount Olive um who else did you have was that it uh that Westminster CUI is the only other one oh well yeah Westminster CUI and I like CUI all right time for the game of the week this is gonna be a good one a battle of elites as you called you've coined that that's I I say granddaddy of them all you say the elite of the elite you've sp you've coined that a little bit I don't disagree with this one this is on Saturday Tampa at Lenore Ryan Tampa already has two games under their belts Tampa better watch out first game for LR because of the canceled UNI game but they're playing between the bricks Tampa better watch out LR you know how those people are they oh I know at home that place is going to be rocking the two things I think one of the the keys is going to be in special teams goalie play is going to be crucial who does LR do well for both I'll tell you why because Matt Mancini's going to have himself a deck well here's the other thing so Mike Thomas had a pretty good thing can he match up with Matt Mancini that is going to be a very very tough matchup. Not from what I saw so far. It's gonna be a very very tough matchup for Michael Thomas to play to match Mike Mancini is what I'm saying. Yes exactly I think Mancini knows what a big game this is so then the last thing you kind of mentioned it which potent offense wins out was one of my notes and I think if if they get them the faceoffs does that go towards LR so you are you are giving the nod to LR for this game?

SPEAKER_04 41:39

I have to give the nod to LR number one being at home with that crowd. It's gonna make a difference it does. That crowd like I said they travel hard for LR it's a big game so they're all going to be there and you know that that school is huge followers of their lacrosse team. Yeah so the football team's going to be out there and the volleyball team's gonna be out there and the swim teams they're all going to be out there watching this game and rooting for LR to beat Tampa. And Tampa's gonna have to play an A game and it starts at the dot it really does. And I think Mr.

SPEAKER_06 42:16

Thomas is going to have himself a day is going to have a tough day because Matt Mancini is one of the best in the country and that's that offense is stacked their that offense is better than Newberry's offense if you ask me Donnie Powell they they've got all their their very very good offense I agree I agree and I think I think Mancini could be the difference. Now the question I still have though is goalie and for LR.

SPEAKER_04 42:50

We don't know who's in goal yet we'll find out Saturday I mean there's four of them in the room so you know two of them been there and two of them are new.

SPEAKER_06 43:00

One's a freshman one's a graduate so the new guy so we'll see when we did our top 20 and I we both had Tampa ahead of LR and ahead of LR but I said Tampa could go if you look at on paper Tampa could have gone farther back. There are some things why I just couldn't uh I did it the year before LR could have been a few more up it's gonna be a close game. It's gonna be a good game.

SPEAKER_04 43:28

Yeah yep exactly both teams know it's a lot on the line right here.

SPEAKER_06 43:33

This is a big game early in the season. It is now what I would say that the thing that Tampa's got going for them is just having a couple games under their belt. That does help.

SPEAKER_04 43:44

It does absolutely so I and there were two games that were not easy games. Well again you know Newberry came back in the fourth quarter I don't know whether the defense led up or what we've talked discussed that but I mean Tampa Held on you know in both games. You know what I mean? They found ways to win. It wasn't like a decisive dominant win. You know, so and now this is definitely going to be the best team that they faced all year. Oh, 100%. You know, and it's in the bricks. And and it just makes a big difference for that team. So I like I like LR at home in a close one.

Player's Spotlight

SPEAKER_06 45:30

Time for the player spotlight, Danny. My favorite part, Cav. My favorite part. I know. This week's player is making a lot of noise on a very young team. Last season, he had 34 goals and 25 assists to kick off the inaugural season for his team. And this year, Danny, he's starting where he left off. He registered two goals and assists in a loss to Lewis on Friday. This team has got a gauntlet of teams to play. First two games are like, hello. I know. Here's the 2026 season. I want to get his uh his thoughts on that. So why don't we just bring him in? Andrew Rogers of the Northwood Timberwolves.

SPEAKER_05 46:17

Hey, I appreciate you guys having me on.

SPEAKER_06 46:20

Great to have you.

SPEAKER_05 46:21

Good to have you, man. How's it going tonight? It's going well. Just got out of practice.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

Had to rush over here and get a shower, and I'm ready to go.

SPEAKER_06 46:29

Now, are you guys practicing outside? What's the temperature? Are you inside?

SPEAKER_00 46:33

We were going to practice outside today, but it's I mean it's it's like 20 right now. It's not terrible. It's been obviously a lot colder. Horrendous past week. It's been real, bro. Yeah, no, then we we switched to inside because it's there's a bunch of snow on the ground today.

SPEAKER_06 46:46

So do you have an indoor practice facility or do you it like in kind of like in a basketball? You know, I'm just curious of what you've got at Northwood there.

SPEAKER_00 46:54

We have like a we have like a three-quarter field. It's it's set up like a football field, so it's like it's like a three-quarter field. It's like a there's a track that goes around it, it's like the full deal. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, it's just ideal.

SPEAKER_06 47:04

That's phenomenal. But enough about where you guys practice up there in northern Michigan. In the cold. In the cold. You come from Lowell, Michigan. Like you're you're only a couple hours away from the campus. For us East Coasters, Danny lives in New York on Long Island, and I live in Northern Virginia. Tell us what the lacrosse scene is like in Lowell, Michigan.

SPEAKER_00 47:30

It's it's different. Um, it's definitely um you gotta you gotta really make an impact to uh to open some eyes, especially from from Lowell. You know, there's the there's the kind of powerhouses, DCC, DCD, Brother Rice, schools like that that you know might might rank nationally, but a school like Lowell, there's you know, you gotta we did really well um you know my junior year. We made it we made it to the uh the state semifinals. Um awesome. And we actually it was pretty cool that year. We we were sixth seed in the in the region or like the the regional playoffs. We actually won that. So it's like the first time in Michigan history, which is pretty cool. But yeah, it's it's it's definitely uh you gotta work a little harder, I think, uh at some some schools.

SPEAKER_05 48:11

Now, did you have did you play in club, any club uh ball there?

SPEAKER_00 48:15

Yeah, so I played I played on true Michigan double A for a while. I played up until like I want to say seventh grade, eighth grade. And then I played, so I started in in fourth grade. My buddy got me into it, and then ever since I I had played travel. Um yeah, so I played like four years with true Michigan, and then I switched to Omnia, if you've if you've heard of Omnia.

SPEAKER_04 48:35

Never heard of Omnia, no.

SPEAKER_00 48:36

Yeah, that was that was a newer team um created by one of the directors of True Michigan. He split off and then he kind of created his own deal. So a lot of us went along with that team.

SPEAKER_06 48:47

So how you've been go ahead, go ahead, Danny.

SPEAKER_00 48:49

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_06 48:50

So you've been playing since fourth grade. How did you end up choosing Northwood? Was it because it was kind of a Michigan school and you're from Michigan, or what was your recruiting like?

SPEAKER_00 49:00

Yeah, so I did a lot of um, a lot of showcases, a lot of prospect camps, a lot of things like that. Um, and I did get some attention. Um, but the main thing that drew me to Northwood was ultimately, I mean, I really loved the idea of being able to start a new team. I thought it was great, you know.

unknown 49:17

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 49:17

But I also just love the coaches, Coach Friedel, Coach Ross. Um, they're just really down-to-earth guys, guys that you can really get like personable with, you know. Yes. Um, and you know, obviously it started off as a small team, so we're all like really tight-knit, close team. Um, and it's just been I think it's just been awesome being able to like slowly build this program and kind of say that you started this. You know, obviously it was started back in like early 2000s, um, and I had the honor of wearing uh Cooper's number. He he passed away. I'm not I'm not exactly sure when, but um, so I'm number 10 for him. And then Drew Lockwood, also on the team, he's number 20 for uh I forgot his name, but he also ended up passing away, just an alumni. Um, but yeah, it's just it's it's all pretty cool. So we can kind of rebuild this legacy.

SPEAKER_06 49:56

So tell us about that. I don't think I knew about that. Northwood used to have a team where they in NCAA like division three or division two, and then it went away and came back.

SPEAKER_00 50:05

Yeah, they were they were, I don't know a ton about it. They were division two, and it was like early 2000s, like 03-04. Yeah, um, and then they got defunded for whatever reason, I guess. And then um, once you know, obviously two years ago we got the funding back, and you know, people wanted to start a program, and the alumni came back and you know put some money and time into it, so then we started it back up. So it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_04 50:26

Yeah, I remember when Coach Friedel came on, he told us that story. Yeah, yeah. So that's pretty interesting. So now you're part of something that's kind of like a reboot and uh a rego like Northwood 2.0. And yeah, how does that feel to be you know part of something that's like rebooting? What is that what's that mindset for you like?

SPEAKER_00 50:48

I think it's I mean, it again, it's it's that's like the main thing that drew me here because it's like you know, I wanted to to have that, you know, have that pride in starting a you know a culture and and kind of rebooting that and and creating that um you know that legacy, right? And and to be to come out first year as a captain as well was just something really, really special. Um to be able to kind of you know lead these guys and really kind of play my best and you know, play against, you know, we're playing good competition, like you said. So um coming out you know right out the gate, year one, year two, playing good teams, um, is something that not a lot of other teams can attest to. So it's it's it's pretty cool. It's a pretty cool feeling.

SPEAKER_04 51:24

Do you like playing in those teams or would you rather like yeah, you do? Okay, it's got a big smile on us. Look at that coach. Look at that, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 51:30

Coach, he's like, Yeah, bring him on. That's what he's saying. Bring him on.

SPEAKER_00 51:34

Yeah, I mean, that's that's how we we've gotten you know good fast um because we're playing these these teams. You know, if we're if we're playing um just you know, not not high-tiered teams, it's um, you know, obviously the journey might be a little longer, you know. It's the to be able to kind of play this skill right out of the right out the get-go is something that's really helped us improve quick, and we can see that you know the game, right? Playing against these high-level teams, right?

SPEAKER_06 51:59

Yeah, I mean, you guys were five and nine last year in your first inaugural season, which is great. And you made the GMAC playoffs. So, how did that feel? And what was that like as going in as a brand new team first year making the conference playoffs?

SPEAKER_00 52:16

That was a great feeling. Um, I mean, I knew I knew we had the talent to do it off the get-go. I I knew we had the the squad to do it, but it was just more about, you know, uh coach always talks about the little things and how that really impacts the game. Um and we, you know, yes, we went five and nine, but a lot of those games were like really gritty. Um, and you know, those those little things, a few things can shift that from five to nine to nine to five, you know?

SPEAKER_01 52:38

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 52:38

Um so to be able to actually, you know, win that last game against I'm not exactly her uh sure who it was, but um, to win that game to to make the um the playoffs was it was really cool. I mean, I think that was the first time since since you Indy did it in whenever that whenever they started, I think it was like 2080 or something like that.

SPEAKER_06 52:56

Yeah, something like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Making the playoffs. Yeah, pretty cool. So now let's turn to this year. What's the feeling in the locker room for this season?

SPEAKER_00 53:08

So I thought you might ask that. Um, I I think the the main consensus is you know, the commitment is as doubled, you know. Like it's it's gone from, you know, obviously there's the you know, like half the team's committed to, you know, a couple guys, a couple guys fall off here and there, we bring in some some new dudes, and you know, all the guys, especially the young guys too, have been like all in. So I think that's again, that's the biggest thing, because you know, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't have the the grit and the actual want to win, then you're not gonna, you know, you're not gonna do much a lot of those times.

SPEAKER_04 53:39

How many freshmen, how many freshmen did coach bring in this year?

SPEAKER_00 53:43

I want to say 12 to 14. So a decent number.

SPEAKER_05 53:47

So what's the number up to now at Northwood? So I think we're at like 36. Okay. 37. So it's you know, deep decent squad. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04 53:56

Yeah, decent squad, yeah. I remember when my middle son got uh recruited to Wingate, I think there was 34 on the team. Now there's six.

SPEAKER_06 54:08

Yeah, that and that's not a bad, that's not a bad number. I mean, obviously, probably the average is 40, 45, but you get them in that 36, you can do a lot of things, you've got depth. Um, but let's talk about these first two games. I kind of uh talked about a little bit in the intro to you, right? Having to play Lewis first, and then you've got you Indy. Is there anything so you talk about having a team that can compete? Tough game against Lewis, really, really a top 10 team, really, in the country, Lewis is. They're that good. What do you learn from a game like that?

SPEAKER_00 54:49

I mean, again, it's just uh a lot of the the small things because at the end of the day, you know, on offense and defense, you got the same, you got six players out there, right? So it's it's um more about you know get getting the GBs. The GBs hurt us. Um, we were getting clamps and you know the GBs weren't going our way, and then um when we had possession, we just didn't, you know, again, the little things we didn't secure and we didn't take care of the ball. So um, you know, it ends up hurting you at the end of the day, you know, it starts off close and then um you know, point by point, it's just you know, it kind of fell away from us. But um yeah, you know, it's just one of those games you gotta just you gotta just kind of kind of move on and yeah, take it.

SPEAKER_06 55:24

Well, is there anything like when you watch a team like Lewis? Because I remember watching when uh my son was playing and they played against Lemoyne, which at the time was the number one team in Division II, and they they were throwing the ball where he they knew the player was gonna be, and the player wasn't there yet. That's how or how good they were. It was just an amazing choreography almost to watch. When you look at film on Lewis or when you were playing them, is there something on a team like that you can say, oh, okay, you learn from that too? Like it's so tough. You're you're a second-year program, and against a more established program like Lewis, you you know, they've got the upper hand. You're really playing with house money, but do you learn anything by look watching teams like that as a player?

SPEAKER_00 56:08

For sure. I mean, I think it's just the main thing I noticed from watching film of you know, ranked teams, just just higher-level teams, is just the speed of play, uh, especially when we played right against them. Just the the way they're moving the ball and the way they're you know they're you know interacting with each other and and the the communication and just like the you know, I'm I'm sitting there obviously on I play attack and um, you know, I'm I'm watching them, and it's just like the it's like a constant, quick flow, you know? Yeah. Um and it's just hard to defend. It's really hard to defend, especially when they're when they're all clicking and they're you know, again, like you said, they're making passes before the guy's even there, before he even turns around. You know, that's hard to defend. So yeah, that's that's the main thing I say is the speed.

SPEAKER_04 56:45

But you know what? To be honest with you, Andrew, I think it's good that young teams play teams like that. Oh, yeah. Because that's what you want to aspire to be. That's what your coaching and your coaching staff and your boys aspire to be like a Lewis, like a UND. That's what you want to be. So you're gonna look at them and you're gonna take things. Maybe you might not say it to yourself, hey, I learned something today, but you're gonna be like, this guy did this on that game. I'm gonna try that. I'm gonna try that. You know what? Hey guys, they did this. Let's try this, you know. So you guys will get better. Our iron sharpens iron, I always say. So by playing those big boys, and especially being so young, such a young team, you know, a lot of freshmen, a lot of you know, sophomores and freshmen, basically. Just think about where this team's gonna be two years from now. You know, like all you guys are seniors and you've been through the gauntlet and played these teams, you're just gonna improve and improve and improve. How does that make you feel?

SPEAKER_00 57:48

I'm excited for it. Again, I mean, that's that's you put it perfectly, you know, playing, you gotta play the good teams to get good, you know. You gotta, you know, because you you we learn and we we have you know, six to eight hours of film a week. We're we're sitting there, we're you know, we're we're dissecting everything they're doing, and we're um you know, just figuring out what we can do better, what and you know, slowly you will get somewhere, you know. Um so and it's that that's exactly why they scheduled these teams because they you know they knew they're gonna be challenges, obviously. Um, but you know, to to come out right out the gate and and schedule these teams, it really, you know, we we gotta get a step forward to other other you know beginning teams, right? Right. So that's I'm I'm excited for it.

SPEAKER_06 58:25

I have to tell you this when and I think this your coach embodies the spirit of your team and kind of the way you're talking. Because when he answered my email about trying to bring you on as our player spotlight, it was Friday. And his first words in that email response was happy first day. Because it's the first day of the season. Right. And it wasn't like, oh, we got to get prepared for Lewis. No, happy first day. We get to now play the game we love. And I think when you take on a challenge like you did, because you're not just you're taking on the challenge because you want to to be a founding member. When I was in the Navy, we called that a plank owner, because back in the day it was wooden ships, right? So if you're on the ship that got commissioned, you're now a plank owner. You have one of those planks. You're a plank owner of Northwood Timberwolves, right? And that is there's not a lot of players. My son wasn't like that, to take that mantle and say, I want to be a founding member and start something. That's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 59:35

Yeah, it's it's definitely been a a learning curve, um, for sure. Because it's you know, it's a new experience for all of us, especially, you know, coaches included. So it's been that's that's been especially cool, is just being able to kind of kind of learn and and grow and figure these things out together. Is it's just it's you know growing us all closer, obviously, and it's it's been really cool.

SPEAKER_04 59:53

That's great. So let's go off, let's go off the the lacrosse subject. How's school going? That's I think mom and dad would love to hear you hear an answer like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:03

It's been going well, um, especially this year. You know, I've been keeping up with assignments, you know. A lot of last year, you know, I I uh you know, things get a little uh say no more sometimes. Say no more.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:14

I had three boys, they all went through their freshman year. I get it, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:18

Yeah, yeah, it it happens, but you know, again, you learn. So it's been a lot, it's been a lot better this year. First semester went well.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:25

Good, good, good. Because with age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes maturity, and with maturity means you start doing big boy shit and getting shit done.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:33

Well, and that's part of it. When you get to college, you learn over your first year to your second year how to study, like and especially as a college athlete, which I didn't I I was, but it wasn't anything too big, it wasn't like what you have to go through. You the time management skills are crazy, and you really that helps you in later in life. That's the the the great thing, but it's not like you're gonna come in your freshman year and be like, Oh, I got this, you know, this award.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:03

Yeah, it's a big, big change, but it's been a great change.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:06

Freshman year, freshman year. My youngest son missed uh a final. He slept through it, and he got pissed off at his roommates because nobody woke him up. And uh he was yeah, he was pissed off at them. So he got very lucky in that the professor allowed him to retake it. So he got lucky, but I had a long talk with my son after that. I was like, listen, it's your responsibility. Get your butt up, you know, especially on final day. But hey, you know what? That's what going to college is learning and just becoming a man. And you know what? And these little things help you help you along the way. So keep keep plugging away, Andrew.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:45

And with that, Danny, I would say what we're learning from Andrew is he's a student of lacrosse, he's a student at Northwood, but can be can he be a student in the firing round?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:56

We'll find out.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:02

I love my new sound effects, guys. All right, tonight on the firing line, we have Andrew Rogers, the attackman from Northwood Timberwolves, the Lowell, Michigan native, not too far from Grand Rapids. I have family in Grand Rapids. I've been to Onstead, I've been to Detroit, I've never been up there where you guys are, up near that Grand Rapids area. Andrew led the team last year, 59 points as a freshman in their first year. Again, like Kevin said earlier, 34 goals and 25 assists as a freshman. Outstanding young man. We're gonna take you through a couple of questions. Give us your best answer. You ready to go?

SPEAKER_00 1:02:40

I'm ready. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:41

Here we go. Question number one Mom's best meal. Mom's best meal.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:49

Wow. Um, I gotta say, I love sloppy joes. She can really make a sloppy joe. Mom makes a means. Never had that one before. I like it.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:58

I love sloppy joes, man. I love sloppy joes. Question number two Xbox or PlayStation?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:05

Xbox.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:07

100%. Number three, favorite type of music?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:13

Favorite type of music. Right now, I like I like a lot of country and just like folk stuff. You know, you know, Noah Khan. Yeah, sure. Yeah, kind of kind of that that vibe, that music. But I'll you know, very crack show list of rap and stuff.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:24

So all right. What's your go-to karaoke tune when uh you're out with the boys and uh you go to karaoke and there's some girls there watching? What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:37

I might have to come back to that one. I gotta I gotta think about that one. I gotta think about that one.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:41

No problem. Uh any pregame rituals that you do?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:46

Um, we started one this year. Um, our entire team, we like to get down on a knee and uh and just pray. You know, we we like to get a you know a good prayer before, get the get the mind ready, get the body ready, and just um, you know, get it get us get us right before the game, really.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:01

Can I get an amen? Yes, preach, baby. Uh any superstitions that you have, like on game day, like wear stinky socks that you you know, or an old jock strap from middle school or something like that?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:13

I I don't. I really don't. I I wish I could. I I never really had one.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:17

Okay, no problem. Morning bird or night owl?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:22

Um, night. I like the night.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:24

Night owl. What's your go-to midnight snack?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:28

Oh, um dude. If there's if there's like like pizza, if I can just go get some pizza out of the fridge, perfect. So perfect.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:36

Oh, that's that's me all the way, kid. What's your favorite breakfast? You know, that hearty, good breakfast that you just love to have.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:47

Give me some waffles, sausage, bacon, the whole, the whole mixture all together.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:55

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:56

That's my favorite.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:57

Okay. What was your favorite cartoon when you were growing up as a kid?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:02

Hmm. I liked um Teen Titans Go. Teen Titans. I love Teen Titans Go.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:10

Alright. All right. Netflix or ESPN?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:14

Ooh, see, it used to be Netflix. I'm I'm siding towards ESPN now. I've been I've been watching a lot more sports.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:21

Okay, great, great. Outside of lacrosse, what other sports did you play?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:27

I played a bunch of sports. I played um soccer, basketball, football, I wrestled for a little bit. Oh wow. Um I had baseball for a year. That might be it. I swam. I swam for like five four years, five years.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:41

You did everything but sell popcorn at halftime, didn't you? I did.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:43

I did yeah, I did a lot of sports.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:45

Try them out. Okay. Who's the funniest kid on the Timberwolf squad?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:51

That's so good. Um I gotta give it to let me think. I gotta give it to Garrett Sharp. Garrett Sharp and why he's a funny guy. He's just, you know, when they when you say it's like one of those guys that just says things just out just out of pocket, just randomly, you know. You don't expect it, but it's one it's one of those guys.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:12

Oh, he's hilarious. And he's just funny. All right. I love those kind of kids. Which teammate would be voted best ladies' man? I'm thinking you might be one of the man. Best ladies man on the team.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:29

Oh, uh Owen Brown. OB. Owen Brown. Our goal B.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:34

O. B getting a big shout out tonight. He's gonna have to listen. Wait, wait, you gotta get him to listen to that. I'll tell him.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:39

I'll tell him after this.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:40

Okay. Which teammate would be voted most athletic? One of those kids that could just kind of do everything. You sound like it might be you.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:50

I'd love to take that one, but I'll give it to uh I'll give it to either there's two Luke Euland or I'll give it to uh Peyton Alaris, a freshman coming in. He's athletic.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:02

Okay. Peyton getting a shout out, the freshman getting a shout-out, the new guy. Tell us something that you like to do when you're off the field, when you're not around lacrosse, you know, like chill time. Like what kind of stuff do you like to do?

SPEAKER_00 1:07:19

So I love to uh, I mean, really anything outdoors. Well, ironically, I mean I love playing, I love playing video games, but outside of video games, like you know, I'm playing like Fortnite right now, a couple other games, but um, just like with buddies. But outside of that, I like to fish a lot. Um, and then I love playing um, you know, just like disc golf. I was in a disc golf program, stuff like that. Just the little little hobbies outside.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:43

Okay. Best lacrosse memory so far since you've been at Northwood.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:49

It's gotta be winning that uh that regional championship that I that I talked about. That was against the number one season. So East Grand Rapids, EGR. Um, they've I mean they've been like a kind of renowned powerhouse for who knows how long, but um, yeah, we we beat them in in overtime. So that was that was pretty great for like the first time.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:09

Awesome, awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:10

That was pretty sweet.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:11

What was what's been the most interesting class that you've taken at Northwood so far?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:17

Oddly enough, so it being a business school, funny enough, I took this class, um, modern world. So I think it was really just uh I mean the class was interesting, but it was really the the teacher just makes it sometimes, you know. Right. Just the way they teach, it makes it really, really interesting. So that class for sure.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:33

What was that class about?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:34

It was just about, I mean, it was just about history, like like my the modern world and how it how it came about, and um, you know, really like the the the the details of how it came about, not like the overview, you know. We kind of got into it. It was it was really interesting, like realistically how it worked.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:48

That's excellent. I like it. Andrew, where do you see yourself ten years from now?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:57

Alright, I I got two. So I see myself either at like a you know, I was in sales for a while, like two and a half years. I'd love to see myself at like a like high up on like a luxury dealership, like Mercedes or something. Um, or so I I started a clothing brand. Um and I I'd love to love to be like running that and getting that going. So one of those two all right.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:21

Last question. Okay. Give us give us your best impression of coach. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your head coach. I gotta I gotta think. Uh he's got a smile on coach. Don't worry about, don't worry about running. He's not gonna make you run. We got dispens dispensation for you. I gotta think. I gotta think. Um he likes cliches that he likes to say or anything.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:50

He likes to say, oh my gosh, I was just thinking about it. He likes to say, um, oh my gosh, we literally, there's one thing that he says, I can't remember it now. We literally counted so in in like an hour-long film session, he said something, he said this this one little phrase like 23 times or something like that. He gotta, oh, I wish I gotta get back to you or text him uh to text you guys or something about what it was. Uh no worries, and Andrew. I'd be able to knock it out for you. I forgot it. I forgot it.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:18

Well, that was a great job in the firing line tonight, kid. You were absolutely amazing tonight in the firing line.

SPEAKER_06 1:10:28

Yeah, so Andrew, thank you so much for coming on. It was great having you, and Danny and I wish you and your team the best. Like, look at it is special what you guys are doing and building, you know, and taking that, like we said, taking that mantle and taking that challenge and building something from scratch is just amazing to see. You guys had a great season last year. We're looking forward to watching you this year, and I'm looking forward to see what you do. And you're one of my players to watch, so looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:57

Andrew Rogers. Thank you so much for taking the time out of study hall tonight to come with us. Mom and dad, he was we had to drag him out of study hall to get him in onto the podcast tonight. You were a great guest tonight. We really do appreciate it. We wish you the best of luck, you know, Andrew. We're watching, you know. Don't think that anybody's not watching out there. They're watching. And they should be keeping an eye out for us. Keep an eye out for us. And we see you too. So good luck this year. Go get him, and uh, we'll be in touch. And thanks again and see you soon. Thank you so much. I appreciate it,

Shout outs

SPEAKER_04 1:11:29

guys.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:30

Tell you what, Danny, I really enjoyed having Andrew Rogers on. What a good kid. Really good kid. Really enjoyed having him on.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:38

Really uh, it sounds like a kid that I'd hang out with if I was his age, you know. He'd be like my kind of kid to hang out with.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:44

I love what he said about really wanting to be a part of this founding team or bringing it back, you know, the reboot 2.0, as you pointed out. I I think that's just so cool that he wanted to do that because he came from a team that had some winning pedigree in high school. And I think that is just really you need players like Andrew Rogers when you're gonna build a program from scratch.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:14

Oh, yeah, and you what a diamond in the rough, you know. You a kid like that could have probably gone to a lot of different schools and still played, and still played. Yeah, you know, I think a big part of it was him wanting to play. He's just a lacrosse player, man. Yeah. I'm gonna look I play lax. I just want to play, you know. I've been shooting at this net since I'm three. I just want to play the game. You know, hey, you're offering me a little scholarship, it's not too far from home. I can be home on the weekends. I got to play probably right away. I get to be on the field uh instantly, and you know what? Not only did he get on the field instantly, but he made his mark. I mean, 54 goals, you know, 54 points. And yeah, I mean, just great kid, just a good kid. I wish him the best. I really do. I he's gonna have another tough one this week with you and it's uh but yeah, but again.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:04

It's a learning moment.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:05

And you know what? He loves it. I think he embraces that that. So Andrew was great, and we've loved having him on.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:12

All right, now it's time to move to shout-outs. Shout-outs! I'll go first. The last couple days, all American lists have come out. I'm just sticking with USILA All-American list, and that came out for Division II. I'll run Dom quickly for first team at attack, Braden Danellan, Kyle Spence, Justin Simonson, and Wade Brunell. At midfield, Kyle Lewis, Tommy Ortega, our offensive player of the week, and Carter Green. At face off, Jacob Chiz, short stick D. Middy, Colby Goodchild, and Tyler Bernaducci. At LSM, Carter Linkletter, and then at defense, Reese Bauer, Gordy Gombold, and Mike Delessandro. So if you look at Adelphi, they have three players, LSM and two defenders in that list.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:13

Poor Panthers. They should be represented a little bit more. I think Coach Purdy's gonna be upset with that.

SPEAKER_06 1:14:20

And and then at goalie, Will Cody of Seton Hill. Then for second team, at attack, Noah Gibson of Adelphi. I guess I missed where they're from to begin with. I'll start doing it now. Matt LeMay, St. A's, Trace McDonald Flaggler at MIDI, Brian Green, Malloy, Raiden Badron, Anderson, and Joey Moran Wingate. At faceoff, ding ding, Connor Widmer, Wilmington, and Shay Rayburn of Maryville, Shortstick D. Midi, James Davies of St. Leo, and Rocco Hogan of Malloy. At LSM, John Charlton of Maryville, at defense, Tyler Davis, Lewis, Alex Score, Uwindi, Jaden Terry of Newberry, and in goal, Alex Agorsian, Montevallo. And then finally the third team at attack, Will Donowski, Pace, Ryan Bitterman, Anderson, Andrew Zubak, Wilmington, Jonah McConnell at Rockhurst, at midfield, Nate Herbster, Seton Hill, Carter Kozinski, Lewis, Ryan Baco, Adelphi, FaceOff, third team, Connor Stack, Assumption, Quinn Gannon, St. A's, Shortstick D me D. Midi, Deuce Kurchsky of Colorado Mesa, and Jake Norton of Mercy. At LSM, we've got two Brian Lake of Newberry, Owen Wills of St. Louis, at Defense, Chris Butler Pace, Kyle Piersack, Bentley, and Aiden Dinnigan at Malloy. And rounding it out, third team at an in goal, Brock O'Leela, Rockhurst.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:58

All right, congratulations, fellas. That's your preseason USILA All-Americans. Good job, fellas. Congratulations and uh good luck. Go get them this year, boys. That's right. So, what shout-outs do you have, Danny? Oh, you're gonna love me tonight, Kev. I have to give a shout out to our comedy team writer and crack research team member, Joe Vedovnik. Happy birthday, Joe. We love you here. We had a birthday. He's 21 now, Kev. He's allowed to get up. He's allowed to go in the bar and have a cocktail now. So congratulations, Joe. Happy birthday. We love you here. We miss you. Gotta have a beer soon. And with that, Danny.

SPEAKER_06 1:17:15

That's a wrap. That's a wrap.