Episode 5 - It is down to 2!

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Uh oh. I got I got malfunctions.

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Hey, well we so anyway folks, we're malfunctioning here already tonight. This is in the crease.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

There we go. Oh, wait a minute.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

I hear it slowly in the background. Slowly in the background. We gotta fix the we're gonna we we are we are definitely not uh we we uh we gotta figure out our our sound mixing there, Danny. So this is in the crease budget and uh you know we this is a podcast that we think we we planned it to be dedicated to to discuss D2 men's lacrosse coast to coast. I'm Kevin Sentstrom again. I'm here with Danny Moran. Uh we're having sound difficulties with our music as usual. I've got to figure that out. I I I've got to take lessons. I got I gotta take lessons. That's all there is to it. How are you doing, Danny?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Uh I'm doing well, Kevin. How about yourself today?

SPEAKER_00 1:05

I'm good. I'm good. Hey, so let's get right into it. Uh let's get started. Um instead of going right into the games, one of the things we wanted to discuss last week was the D2 All Americans. So let's get into that. But before we get into that, I was interested. I actually had several conversations with other uh D2 parents who were like, hey, can you tell me what the difference is between the all-American lists that came out on U.S. lacrosse and how they pick and what this UCLA North South region. Um so I try to do some research. I know you did too, Danny. And and what from what I found is UCLA in the past has done all American lists up to 2019. Obviously, last year they didn't do one. They didn't come out with one this year. It's the first time we've seen them come out with a North South region, nor a North Region team and a South Region team. And then you've got the USA LaCrosse All-American team, right? First, second, and third team. And we know how they selected it is with their staff and contributors and with also input from college coaches. Other than that, I'm clueless of how it goes. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Well, that's the first time I've ever seen a region team. I've never seen that before. I've been involved in Division II lacrosse for like seven years now. So I've never seen that before. So that's something new. I I all I know is about the all-Americans.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

And I'll have to tell you Yeah, I'll have to tell you that um UCLA has not officially responded to any of my inquiries yet about this. So if I can get down to it, uh I will let you know and let everyone else know when I find out. But so let's just stick with uh the all-American list. Do you want to um take us through it?

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Yeah, you know, congratulations to these guys. Um, these guys are balled out all year from all of all across Division II. And on the first team, we'll go with the attackmen. All right. We'll go with Matt Matt Hutchings from Lemoyne, who's a very, very good player. You're gonna see him this Sunday, and we'll talk more about him tonight. Um, also at attack, you have Willie Greco from Wingate, who had a phenomenal season, led the SAC in assists and and points. He he had a phenomenal season. And of course, the attackman out of Lenore Ryan, Eric Dickinson, who may be the best player in Division II lacrosse. Um he'll be playing on Sunday, too. So, and then in the midfield, you got Danny Riley from Wingate, who had a pretty solid year. Um, a kid who I like really a lot from Lenore Ryan, midfielder Bryce Reese. I like this kid a lot. He's quick, he's a good lacrosse player. And uh another midfielder that you're gonna see, and we'll talk about him again tonight, uh, Ben McCreary from Lemoyne. So Lemoyne's represented pretty well so far. Um the defense, uh, we have Tommy Angela Cola from Mercy Hurst, who's a phenomenal player. Um, also, we have Nate Arnold out of Le Moine. There we go with Lemoyne putting up a lot of first team All-Americans there, you know. Um, that defense is phenomenal. We'll talk about them tonight as well. Um, also on defense, you have Daniel Lewis from Pace. Our face-off first team All-American is Antonio Ray from Mercy, and and well deserved.

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Yeah, we talked about him last, I think it was uh two weeks ago, and how many face-offs he won in their game, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Yeah, that that kid is very good and well deserved. Our short stick D Middy first team All-American is uh Brady Elbin from Mount Olive, and we talked about Mount Olive's defense all year. We talked about them. Um uh the LSM uh first team All-American is Reese Orman out of Wingate, who is one of the better players in in Division II as far as the defense and what he can do. He's just an amazing player. And our goalie, of course, CJ Hart from St. Anslo. You know, talked about him a whole heck of a lot. So there's your first team All-Americans right there.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

So you're congratulations to that group. That's phenomenal.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Yeah, and all of them are phenomenal, phenomenal players. Um, our second team All-Americans at attack, um, Caleb Cooper is one of the top scoring uh guys in the country, one of my favorite players from Mercyhurst, uh, second team All-American there at attack. Uh, also at attack, Jack Wood out of Tampa, and attack Miles Moffat from Lenore Ryan. We'll we'll see him again on Sunday. Um, at the midfield, we got Reed Shakonis out of Florida Tech, who's a solid, solid player. Um, also out of midfield, um, we got Jake Moshe McGraw from Tampa. Again, solid, solid, really good player. Um, also at the midfield, second team All-American, Nathan Brennan from Mercy Hearst. We're gonna see him again on Sunday. So a lot of, you know, this Sunday we're gonna see a lot of All-Americans on the field for sure. Our second team uh short stick D Middy is Connor Braun out of Bentley, who had a really good year. We talked about Bentley in their season, and uh, well deserved for Connor. Uh, second team LSM is Jordan Staros out of limestone, who's a solid player. You know, just he's always in the mix, that kid. Um, and our goalie, Kevin Moe from Seton Hill, second team All-American.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

I would love to see Kevin Moe and CJ Hart go at it again in one more game. I tell you.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

Yeah, those guys are great. Um, our third, our third team, All-Americans at attack. Um, Adam Vadovnik out of Wingate, who put up solid points. I think he set a Wingate record for points in a single season or goals or something like that. Um, he had a great season. Attack, Devin Pfeiffer, Mercyhurst. Another just all-American, you know, out of Mercyhurst. Uh, an attack, uh Joe Venazio out of Coker, which I happen to see him play a bunch of times over his career. He's a really solid player, and he deserves that all-American um nod. So congratulations to you, Joe. Um, out of the midfield was Kyle Dunkley out of Newberry, Carter Collins from Lindenwood, Griffin Shoemaker from St. Anselms. That makes out your midfield third team All-Americans right there. Uh, on the defense, third team All-Americans, Lawrence Galazia from Adelphi. That's a tough name to pronounce. Lawrence Galazia out of Adelphi. Um uh a kid we're gonna see who I saw Sunday really blew my mind how good this kid was on defense. Uh, Nick Fraterigo out of Lemoyne or Fretorigo, I think it's Fretorigo, Fratorigo, something. There's another tough one. And and he's a really say that name three times fast. Exactly. You'll be hearing his name a lot.

SPEAKER_00 8:30

Oh, yes, you will. Yes, you will.

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Um, congratulations to you, Nick. Also, uh rounding out the defense at the third team All Americans is Christian Krapp out of Seton Hill. And our third team All-American face-off is Sean Doran out of Mercyhurst. Our short stick D. Middy is John Galimi out of Lemoyne. Our LSM is Sean McGovern out of Adelphi. And our third team, wrapping it all up, last but not least, third team goalie, Blake Ulmer out of Tampa. Congratulations, man.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Congratulations to all of them. The one thing that I love about this is I I I two observations. One, it is great to see that it's not just uh All Americans from the teams that were in the tournament, right? So you have guys like Kyle Dunkley of Newberry, guys from Lindenwood, Adelphi, you know, those that didn't really make it into the tournament, but uh NCA tournament, but played, showed how well they can play and how you know are helping their teams get to the next level. Then conversely, just second observation, conversely, there's some teams that were in the tournament, like U Indy, know All-Americans. So you don't need all Americans to have a team that goes into the NCA tournament. It's just you have to play well as a team together.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Oh, uh well, that goes without saying, you know, it's a team game, great team game. Um, you're right, you know, um a lot of the the Division II schools were represented in the All-Americans, and a lot of them, you know, didn't make the tournament. But a lot of the teams that do have the All-Americans are in the tournament. So you know, the the better players on the better teams, you know, are the cream always rises to the top, Kev.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

Right. I mean, if you look at, I mean, you're right. I I was I was trying to, you know, show the the diversity there. But if you look at the numbers that Lenore Ryan and then there, Wingate, uh, Lemoine, Mercyhurst as the the final four, um, you know, at least, you know, four each, probably uh in there, three to four each. So yeah, phenomenal. But to all those, all those kids. Well deserved congratulations.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Yes, congratulations. It's it's uh it's an honor to be named an all-American. And it's not an easy thing. And it's it's a it's a an accolade that's difficult to get. So the guys that are named All-Americans have really done above and beyond on the field. And congratulations to you guys. Well deserved.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

All right. So now let's let's get to the games of last weekend, the the semifinals. Let's start up in the north, Mercyhurst and Lemoyne, uh Lemoyne.

unknown 11:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

You want to start us off with a few comments? What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Well, it was a really pretty good solid game. Um, the thing that shot, you know, again, when you I watch lacrosse, you know, when you when you reach the semifinals, you're gonna see two good teams. You're gonna see teams that are well coached, teams that know how to to play lacrosse at a high level and move the ball well and defense and all of that. But then so now things have to stick out. You know, the eye candy, which is always part of my thing. What stuck out to me, what stuck out to me was Lemoyne's defense. Lemoyne's defense was bad, bro. They were getting after it, they were aggressive, you know, their defense, ready for this, ready for this? Listen to this. Their starting defense, Nate Arnold, okay, all American, he's 6'4. Okay. Nick Frederigo, who's an all-American, is 6'4. And Connor Haynes, who's another the other starting defenseman on Lemoyne, is 6'3. These are big boys. Not only are they big, but they're fast, athletic, aggressive, great stick skills. I was so impressed with Lemoyne's starting defense. That's what stuck out first for me.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

Well, I'll tell you, I think um, you know, some of the stats show that too, right? Turnovers. Lemoyne had 12. Mercyhurst had 21.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

Yeah, 21 turnovers, Mercyhurst. They they they threw the ball away a couple of times. They had a couple of clears that they had a little bit of trouble clearing a couple of times.

SPEAKER_00 13:09

Yep. But um, you know, but that shows it with, I think that shows how good Lemoyne's defense is, especially with a team like Mercyhurst, who was scoring almost 20 points per game on average.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

Yeah, they have been. They've been they've been throwing up points in buckets.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

You know, so to hold a team like them to half, less than half of what they usually score, that's a that's a defensive, you know, power game.

SPEAKER_01 13:39

Yeah, they their defense, like I said, it just they just stood out to me. You know, they're even their their their D Midis were were aggressive and fast and just, you know, they they were just really, really good. They were, I mean, they held they held um Caleb Kuber to one goal. You know, he's he's one of the top, maybe one or two in the country in goals scored. They held him to one goal, you know. That kid's a first second team All America.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

American, right. That it's uh it's almost seem, yeah, it's almost seems unfair, right? I don't know what you say, but that that defense was great. And what's also interesting in that game was how it kind of turned, right? So it was 5'4 Mercy Hearst at half. They actually there was a penalty at the end of the half. So Mercy Hearst comes in, beginning the third quarter, they they're uh have their extra man offense. They score quickly, so now it's up 6-4. Then Lemoyne goes on a six-goal run to make it 10-6. And at that point, you know, it seemed, as I was watching the game, it seemed like, okay, this is kind of like Lemoy and St. Anselm's. They've got control of this game, and uh they're gonna ride it out. But then Mercy Hearst starts to make a run, and with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, they make it nine to ten. And you're like, whoa, here we got another game. Well, Lemoyne comes back, scores one more goal, makes it 11-9.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

They they they answered quickly after that goal.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

They did. They did. It was like within within a minute or two, they they scored, and and and then it was just defense against defense.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

Yeah, the whole game was a defensive game. It really, really was. But I never felt watching that game that Lemoyne was gonna lose that game. I just felt that Mercy Hearst just couldn't get over that. Even when they got into that ninth, you know, when they scored that ninth goal to make it 10-9. I said, Lemoyne's gonna answer. And they did, you know. And here's the one thing about the offense about Lemoine. They were slow and steady, and they just they didn't try to force anything, and they had eight different players score. Eight different players scored, so it's like, okay, who do you watch? Okay, so Hutchings, you know, the offense runs through Hutchings, and he's really good. He's a facilitator, he can dodge, he can do a lot of things, and he's a great passer. And Hutchins only had two, but McCreary had three, Pierce had two, Sipik had one, Nelson. There are a lot of Irish kids up there. Nelson, Kelly, Andrews, all had one. They had eight different scorers. So now, as a defense, who are you gonna all right? You try to stop Hutchins. There's McCreary, you know, you try to stop McCreary, there's Pierce. I mean, they're pretty stacked, they're a really good team. And I I I think it's gonna be interesting to see how Lenore Ryan handles that will do against this defense.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Yeah, so let's talk about that. Lenore Ryan uh Wingate game. Just off the top, um, Lenore Ryan controlled the whole game.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

Yeah, Wingate, they they got outplayed. They got outplayed. Um I felt Lemoyne's defense played really, really well. They stopped that attack, you know, that prolific attack unit from Wingate. That that attack unit, you know, has been putting up just the three of those kids alone have been putting up 12 to 13 goals by themselves.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

Yeah, I I kind of I agree with you there. Um, I I also think though that that attack unit seemed to me, it looked like to me that they started press too much. You know, they they they would uh dodge, redodge, and redodge. And and what they were what wingate was good at in other games that I saw was they and what Lenore Ryan did is they moved the ball. And yes, it ran through the attack, it would run through the attack of Wingate, but they would move the ball, rotate it around, get it back to attack, and then someone would be open. I did not see that this game.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Well, I I I thought that Lenore Ryan's defense was just faster than our offense this that that that Sunday. That Sunday. They were just faster than Wingate. They wouldn't allow Wingate to get to those open spots. They just uh there was one point where um the attackman had him held up behind, had his defenseman held up. He must have had the ball 45 seconds behind net and wingate cutters going left and right, left and right, and they couldn't get open. They couldn't get open, they just couldn't get open. And you're right, it got to a point where that attack unit started to do things that they don't normally do. And, you know, trying to get through double teams, press, taking bad shots, maybe pressing. I know last game, the Lenore Ryan and in the SAC championship game, you know, Patton, Bobby Patton had six goals, and this game he had one. You know, he he just he just he couldn't hit water from a canoe. He just had a bad, bad day. And so did the entire attack unit.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Yeah, and you know, I going into that game, I felt like uh Wingate needed to score 15 goals to beat Lenore or be, yeah, beat or be in contention against Lenore Ryan. And I think, yeah, Lenore Ryan scored 18. Wingate only scored 10. So if they kind of had been was able to run, you know, score a few more, that probably would maybe would have dropped down, would have been quick. I will say though that Lenore Ryan's offense moved the ball really well.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Yeah, yeah, they caught the defense made some blunders. I mean, um, the All-American Dickinson was left alone in front of the cage a couple of times and got one or two, three, maybe three quick, easy goals, right doorstep all alone. So that's a defensive misstep. Um, so there were some problems there. I just think Lenore, Lenore Ryan was a better team. They were just faster, quicker, stronger. They played better defense. Dickinson was on fire. Um, that that offense was really good. But you know, if you look at the stats of that game, you know, the stats weren't were more even than you than the game looked like, believe it or not. You know, they had 49 shots to Wingate's 44. That's relative, yeah. You know, on goal, shots on goal, Lenore Ryan had 26, Wingate had 22. It's pretty close.

SPEAKER_00 20:59

Right. I I think one of the telling ones, though, is clears once again. Um now it's 19 to 22 for Lenore Ryan and 14 to 19. So you say, well, they didn't get three, only they missed three, and Wingate, uh Lenore missed three, Wingate missed five. But Wingate missed like five uh against Undy, and it was one of the things we said needed to be cleaned up.

unknown 21:21

Right.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

And I just don't think they cleaned that up enough.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

No, they didn't. They didn't. They struggled a little bit a couple of times on clears, that's for sure. But, you know, again, like um I think another problem was that their goalie, Wingate's goalie, didn't have a good game. Who had a great game the week before against um he's a true freshman, the kid, um Casey Carlson. He he he's a true freshman, and um he just didn't have a great day in goal. He only met eight saves out of you know twenty-six shots on goal.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Right, yeah. I mean, you're right, he did not. There was some that uh From games past that I've watched that he stopped and and today he couldn't stop. I mean, not today, but this past weekend couldn't stop. The other thing I thought was kind of, you know, so it was kind of telling, and I think, in my opinion, was kind of the backbreaker. Um, I could kind of get your opinion. So it was 8-4 at halftime. I'm like, okay, it's only a four-goal difference. It's kind of been that way all game. If Wingate can come out strong in the third quarter, maybe it changes things. Lenore Ryan is the one that came out strong and scored two goals fairly quickly, I think within the first minute, minute and a half to make the 10-4. And and to me, that was kind of a backbreaker for Wingate.

SPEAKER_01 22:44

Yeah, it was it was over by then. You just could tell that Wingate just didn't have it that day. They just didn't have it. And that happens, you know? Yep. And you can't fault anybody or anything. It's just again, we talked about last week. I think Wingate, their offense wasn't as sharp as they were in the weeks, like in the middle of the season, or or three quarters at the end of the season when they were just on all cylinders firing. And then they had a couple of cancellations at the end of the season for COVID. So they had only had two games in a 40-day period. We spoke about that. And I think that's part of it. You know, not having any real games in that many days. It's good, you you it you're gonna lose your sharpness, I think, on offense.

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Correct, correct. So then now we've got the final. Lemoyne against Lenore Ryan. To me, if you just, I mean, I think it's obvious. I'm you're like what I've always talked, I'm no expert, never coached, but to me, the simple thing is this is this is a powerful offense in Lenore Ryan against a fantastic defense in Lemoine.

SPEAKER_01 24:01

Well, what do they always say? Offense wins games and defense wins championships, right? So that's what they say, but that's not the way it always happens. Um I'm gonna be interested. I'm gonna be interested to see the matchup on Eric Dickinson. I want to see who they put up on him, okay? And then on the Lenore Ryan side, I want to see who they put up against McCreary and Hutchins. Because those two kids are very, very good ball players, and they play well off each other. And that, you know, when you have eight different scorers in a national semifinal game, okay, that tells you how unselfish these players are.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Yeah, and balanced, right? But you're right, being unselfish is what comes first.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

So in games like that, you know you're gonna have two pumped-up teams. Both teams have multiple All-Americans on their teams, okay? So you know they have kids that can really flat out play. Both coaches are at the top of their field in Division II and have been. And so you're gonna get a good coach team, you're gonna get two teams pumped, you're gonna get two teams with all Americans, but you also have two teams with two different styles of play, which I love that that that that contrast of styles. Lenore Ryan's gonna look to push and go and quick. They're quick, they're fast, they're athletic. That's what they're gonna look to do. And you know, Mr. Dickinson is gonna he's gonna be a load to handle. He's 6'2, every bit of 200 pounds. He gets shots off from insane angles. That it amazes me how good that kid is.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

He's so do you think that uh Lemoyne's uh tactic is try to slow down the game, then you know it's gonna be interesting to see.

SPEAKER_01 26:08

Again, um, let's let's see what Hutchins and Mc McCreary can do offensively. You know that defense is gonna show up. Because, like I said, you know, you have two two two defensemen that are all American from Le Moine, and two offensive players that are all American from Le Moine. Four players are you know, first team and second team, all Americans from Le Moine. And the defense is pretty bad. They're they're they get after it. Those kids were a bunch of dogs after Mercy Hurst.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

They were, they were.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

When you hold Caleb Kuber to one goal and a team that puts up 20 a game to half, that says a lot about that defense. So I'm loving the matchup, I'm loving this this the contrast and styles, and it's gonna be a great game, I think.

SPEAKER_00 27:02

It's gonna be phenomenal. It's been a great season. Um, we've got one game left to crown the champion. Um, it's always tough when you I think when you get to this point, and I think we've talked about this before, right? I mean, there's so many good teams, and and um any given day. And we'll see how it happens this next Sunday, but it's it's going to be uh I think it's gonna be a thriller.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

Yeah, it's gonna be a great game. Uh they don't they don't get much better than this. And you know, I I was looking at a Facebook, uh, a college discussion page in Facebook, and somebody had posted, hey, this weekend great games at Division I and Division II, and nothing about Division II. And I was like, man, they just had some of the greatest semifinal games ever in the history of in Division II, and Ed on all the COVID protocols and all that stuff on top of it, and the type of year that the students had with not being able to hang out, and to be able to produce one of the best years in lacrosse in Division II. That's right. No one's talking about it except you and I, Kevin.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Right. Well, I'll tell you what. Um I I you know, everything from the the conference championships, uh, and I'm just talking tournament play, right? I'm done. I mean, we can go back to the games before that, but the conference championships to the the first round to the quarterfinals to the semifinals, it's it's it it shows uh that D2 should be looked at more by by everyone. And I I hope that uh people start paying more attention to it. I like I said, I grew into it, you know, by my son finally going and picking a D2 school and at first watching just his games and then trying to watch what other games are in the conference, and now watching other games outside the conference, and you just say, wow, these are just phenomenal programs. Um and and teams and there, like you said, a lot of good coaching out there. So this is the culmination this Sunday. And uh I like obviously we said every week, can't wait till it gets there. And then obviously the only problem is once it's over, I'll be really bummed. So yeah. All right, so with that, Danny, let's let's uh call it for the night. I appreciate it. Let's cue the music, see if we can get it working. All right, it's been in the crease. Have a good night, Danny.

SPEAKER_01 29:37

Good night, Kevin. We'll see you next week.