Headed to Charlottesville!!

SPEAKER_13 0:32

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Creed with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of D2 Men's Across. I'm your co-host, Kevin Stenstrom, and with me as always is the Yogi Berra of D2 Lacrosse, Danny Moran.

SPEAKER_14 0:49

Yogi Berra, huh? All right, explain this one.

SPEAKER_13 0:53

So I go back to his big quote, Danny. It's deja vu all over again.

SPEAKER_14 0:59

It's getting late early.

SPEAKER_13 1:03

But if you think about it, we started this season when we're doing the conference previews, then we got to our top 20. We thought, okay, yeah, a Delphi's a Delphi, Tampa's a Tampa, but we really, even as a lot of the season progressed, we were like, who is really going to break out? You know, who's really going to come on top? We thought it was a little more wide open, but who ends up going to the finals? The two teams that were in it last year, deja vu all over again.

SPEAKER_16 1:32

Right, uh when it was all over, I said to myself, Is that all there is to a fire? Is that all there is?

SPEAKER_14 1:54

Peggy Lee, my man.

SPEAKER_17 1:55

That's all there is, my friends. Then let's keep dancing.

SPEAKER_13 2:04

That's right. Just the big dance, this week. The same too. Deja vu all over again.

SPEAKER_14 2:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_13 2:13

Old school Peggy Lee. I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_14 2:16

My grandparents.

SPEAKER_13 2:18

That was a that was a a a real warm-up. It took a while, a few of the words, then the music started in. Then a little Peggy Lee dance uh singing. Yeah. Good. It was good. It kind of warmed us up. Warmed us up to talk about. It's our championship weekend, kid. Can you believe it? We're here. My God. It went by fast, man. I can't believe it. It went by really fast.

SPEAKER_14 2:41

And there was so much going on in D2 with new teams in it in it this year and teams like Northwood making noise and CUI making noise.

SPEAKER_13 2:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_14 2:51

Just it's just been a whirlwind of a a year in D2. And you know what, Kev? The two best teams in Division II, they're they're in the dance. I agree.

SPEAKER_13 3:02

I didn't really finish my sentence, but you hit the nail on the head. We're waiting to see. As the season progressed, those are the two top teams. We talked about it, especially late in the season. You know, when you say a Delphi.

SPEAKER_14 3:15

Hold on, let's see if I can get it going. Something's not working right tonight. I don't know what's happening. That's alright.

SPEAKER_13 3:22

Well, roll and roll and roll. And the same thing with Tampa, and that's what it has proven out. You know, so let's get to the games that happen on Sunday. The two uh region finals, the final four. Though this week we're gonna mix it up a bit. You know, we usually we do the weekend review, then we do the games to watch, and then we usually have a guest, uh, you know, player spotlight or something like that. Well, as always, we have the teams that are going, Tampa and Adelphi in the wings. We already recorded with them, but they're sitting in the wings waiting for you to hear what they have to say. So we'll do the their game review, how they got there, and then we'll bring them in. How does that sound?

SPEAKER_14 4:09

Sounds good to me, man.

SPEAKER_13 4:10

All right, let's get started. Let's start. We usually start in the North, so let's flip that around and start with the South Region final. Tampa against Anderson. Tampa wins out 13-7. What did you think of this guy? Well, before we get to the game, I have to point this out. I got this from a fan, and I thought it was really cool. Jackson Bashaw at this game played his 80th college lacrosse game. He's the all-time leader at Tampa. And if you think about playing since his freshman year, and you think about the D1 transfers that constantly come in, obviously other players trying to that's a remarkable number of games that you get to play throughout your college career. So that's a shout out to Jackson without a doubt for that. Congratulations in that game.

SPEAKER_14 5:03

It's not easy to be a freshman and play on Tampa. Any team. Yeah, well, yeah, especially Tampa. Especially Tampa. Yeah, so for him to come in as a freshman and do what he did for four years and get that record, I think that's remarkable. Yeah. But if you ask me what I thought about the game, I thought Tampa, Tampa played really, really good, Kev. Yeah. They were really good. Anderson's a high octane offense, and and Tampa's defense was doing their job, man. They were doing what they've been doing all year, just stopping guys from putting biscuits in the basket.

SPEAKER_13 5:39

Yeah, this is what I saw. This is somewhat of a repeat of Tampa Lewis. Game was close first quarter. Once again, tied after one. Second quarter, all the difference in the world. Tampa once again came out and held Anderson to zero goals while they scored four. It was a good defensive battle on both sides, I thought I thought in that quarter. But the difference was Anderson got them to shot clock violations, whereas Tampa was able to disrupt and cause turnovers, creating more offensive possession for them, and they just wore down Anderson's defense in that second quarter throughout the rest of it. You see what I'm saying? Like Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_14 6:22

Anderson's defense isn't the the world's greatest. You know, they they rely on their offense.

SPEAKER_13 6:27

Right. It's a mirror opposite of Tampa, which they rely on their defense and their and then to give it to their offense. This is the opposite way. They have their offense and the you know, to to win it out. I agree.

SPEAKER_14 6:41

And Anderson's been having great goalie play throughout the tournament. I think that was a big reason why they're there. Because their goalie just he just had a great tournament. And uh even had a good game against Tampa, but MP Thomas was ridiculous at the dot. Yeah. He, you know, and AJ Rush and Dixon are two of the best in the country. MP Thomas had his out is out his way with them, really.

SPEAKER_13 7:06

Yeah, and I think the second quarter, when it ended up being 7-3 at half, really kind of the stats show exactly what was happening. So Tampa D holds Anderson to zero goals. The shot differential in that quarter, 15 shots for Tampa to two for Anderson. Lachlan, like you said, Aiden Lachlan, he had 11, he and he had to have 11 saves. He four went by him, but he had 11 saves in that quarter, but Anderson had 14 turnovers there also.

SPEAKER_14 7:38

Yeah, you can't turn the ball over against Tampa, you know, and they're gonna cause turnovers. Right. Conley Stone and you know Harry Gordon. Gordy Gombold and Gordy Gombold and those guys, man, they're very active back there on defense.

SPEAKER_13 7:52

And the short stick D-Mittis.

SPEAKER_14 7:54

They're tough, man. I I said it was a pick'em game because I was wondering how Anderson's offense and the the matchup at the dot. That's where I thought this game was gonna be. How good was the the matchup at at face off X? And how good would Anderson's offense run against this defense? Again, Anderson beat Tampa earlier in the season, so I had him as a pick'em, but boy, Tampa, they showed why they're the best team in the South. They're they really did.

SPEAKER_13 8:26

Yeah, I I totally agree. We talked about this last week. I went out I went out on the limb, in quotation marks, that Tampa was gonna win, right? But limb. Yeah. But I agree with you. I thought it would be closer. I uh you hit the nail on the head face offs, Anderson had eight, with Aiden Dixon and AJ Rush against MP Thomas of Tampa, who had 16. Yeah. That's a big difference, man.

SPEAKER_14 8:57

And in a game like that, it's huge.

unknown 9:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_14 9:00

Now you've given the other team, which is you know arguably a better team already, you know, at 20 and 1 going into this game, a home game for Tampa. They've, you know, they've they've been sleeping in their own beds the whole time, the Spartans. And you know, it's tough to go into Namoli and and and and play the Spartans there, you know. And I give Anderson a lot of credit. Oh, I do too. They had a great season. They coming out of the sack. They beat Tampa. The sack the whole South Region tournament was the sack. It's like the sack. Outside of Tampa and Florida Tech, right?

SPEAKER_13 9:40

Yeah, except uh Anderson's only came up on well, Lenore Ryan went pretty far too. So yeah, yeah, you're right. There was four teams in there.

SPEAKER_14 9:48

One of them won their conference tournament.

SPEAKER_13 9:49

Neither one of them. Yeah. We went back to that again. It's it's it's a gauntlet, and it's a gauntlet through the south. And I think you add in the fact that I agree. Hats off to Anderson. Look at they made it to the final four. First time in their history. They've been a program for like six years, six, seven years. The length of what we've basically been doing this podcast, and they made it to the final four. Yeah. But Tampa's been to the final four a lot. We talked about this with Lenore Ryan and Florida Tech when they played their game, how bright the lights would be. Anderson's done a good job up to that. I don't, I'm not saying that had a huge thing, but I think when you get down to a team like Tampa, it just compounds.

SPEAKER_14 10:32

You know, Kev, it was just, you know, a better defense, a defense that was so good it was better than the other team's offense. Yeah. They shut Raiden Badron down. Raiden Badron's one of the best midfielders in the country by by far. The guy can score on anybody. I don't think he had three, four, five shots all game. Yeah, one goal he had. And only shut them down. He shut them down. When you're shutting when your big boys are struggling to get goals in a game like that, it's going to be a long day. And after halftime, I never felt that Tampa was going to lose that game. I never felt that Anderson had enough in their tank to do what they needed to do to win.

SPEAKER_13 11:10

I I didn't either, mainly because, you know, at 7-3, that's you can come back, but when you see that many turnovers, they needed to have a totally perfect second half to come back and beat them. It is tough when you're playing a team like Tampa or a Delphi to be down by several goals and try to, especially when they are home.

SPEAKER_14 11:33

Yeah, and you're losing face-offs and you're turning the ball over. Yeah. You know, it's like strike, strike, strike against you. You know, again, I gotta give Anderson a lot of credit. Going through that sack, going through that south region is not I there, I thought it was crazy good. I mean, it was what they what they were able to do throughout the tournament, their offense was prolific. But there, they just ran into a really, really, really good defense this time in Tampa. And Tampa did what again, I had him as a pick'em, but Tampa really showed me a lot in that game. They really played well.

SPEAKER_13 12:11

All right, Danny. Now that we have gone over their semifinal win, we have a few folks joining us from the Tampa Spartans. Coach JB Clark, Coach Ryan Sullivan, and some players, MP Thomas, Grant Green, and Harry Bolin. So welcome, guys. Thanks for taking the time.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

Yeah, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_13 12:34

I I have to say, this is getting to be routine.

SPEAKER_14 12:38

We're old friends now. I know. It's like we're old friends.

SPEAKER_13 12:42

I was just thinking about this. We've done the podcast for six years. You've been on for this time of year half the time. Three out of the six years, we've had Tampa on. So, first of all, congrats for a great season and getting to the championship weekend. That's just awesome.

SPEAKER_19 13:02

Kevin, it's been fun being on with you guys. I hope we can make this uh a long-standing relationship.

SPEAKER_13 13:08

Yeah, just let me start with you, coach. This is you're back for a second year in a row. Was this kind of like a rinse and repeat, or is every year kind of different as you start off and how you're going to get to where you are today?

SPEAKER_19 13:24

There's some rinse and repeat to it, Kevin. We do uh we start the fall pretty similarly every year, trying to one of our main goals in the fall is to figure out who we are. You know, the best thing about a freshman is becomes a sophomore. So did our freshmen become bigger, faster, stronger, better players, better athletes, more mature over the summer. It's always interesting to see the new freshmen come in because you don't, you know, you have high expectations for them. Uh it's hard at a at a place like ours or at Delphi for freshmen to actually have an impact. So you you wonder if any of them are going to be able to do that. And then, you know, anymore with the transfer portal, you're going to have some new guys like MP uh and uh you know that transfer in. So it is a new slate every year, but we we kind of start our fall with very similar uh goals in mind. And one of them is definitely to figure out who we are and who got better and how we're gonna play and what we need in the recruiting cycle and all that.

SPEAKER_13 14:25

Yeah, that's awesome. I I have to ask this question. This goes to the players. Please jump in, any one of you. I'm gonna say a name and I want your reaction. John Gruden. What has that been like?

SPEAKER_14 14:40

Grant, what's it been like?

SPEAKER_08 14:42

Yeah, um, one word I'd say he's a legend. You know, he's a very animated guy, brings a lot of energy every time he's around us. Um, and it's been a lot of fun just you know seeing him in our practices and in our uh game day atmosphere. Like it's he's a good fit for our team culture, and uh yeah, he's he's a legend, you know. That's the easiest way I can describe it.

SPEAKER_14 15:02

When I saw him on Instagram the first time, I was like, oh my lord, they got Gruden in the in the locker room. They're sending him sticks, they're sending him hats. I was like, this is great. It's great for the sport. It opens it up to so many people because a lot of people that aren't lacrosse people follow Gruden. You know, they're football guys, and now they that opens up a whole thing. But man, that helps recruiting at uh at Tampa, doesn't it, Coach?

SPEAKER_19 15:30

It does. Uh I heard from one of our uh one of our alums started a uh video production company, Maverick Media, and uh he works with Coach Gruden's crew at times. They worked a Super Bowl together, things like that. Anyway, he said uh he talked to me this morning. He said some of the videos from Sunday were over a million views. So just to have the school's logo and name out there, much less the lacrosse program, is it's it's it's been fun for sure, but it's it's also impactful. And yes, I think it does help to support lacrosse.

SPEAKER_13 16:07

Yeah, and I think it also I'm gonna be selfish here and say not only for Tampa and lacrosse, but D2 lacrosse, when he's highlighting highlighting Tampa, which I have to say this, I'll say that to you guys. I I posted, you know, on Instagram and Facebook about the last the final four that we were having, and someone someone came on and left a comment like all D2 teams should go D3, they can't beat a D3 team. I didn't even answer that comment because when you look at what you guys can do on the field and other teams like you're gonna play a Delphi. Last year's game in the championship was the best game of the weekend, hands down. Hands down. So, and the level of play that you've got, I'll just ask you, Coach Sullivan. Your defense has only allowed more than 10 goals twice this year. That's two years in a row. I went back to last year and this year. And how do you stay so consistent? Because that shows the level of talent preparation discipline that you bring to the to the game. How do you stay so consistent on your defense?

SPEAKER_04 17:20

The players. I mean, they're really good. They are really good.

SPEAKER_14 17:24

They really are. They really are.

SPEAKER_04 17:28

Shame on me if if we give up more goals per game, I would say, because the talent doesn't uh the the talent the the kids are great. They they're just great players. They're big, they're athletic. I'm very fortunate to work at a school that that attracts such a uh such an athlete, whether it be a high school kid or the uh or the transfer portal. Um it's a destination, not destination, but it's a it's a quality program for kids to come from Division I programs uh for a fifth year or a change of scenery. So um I try not to make it too complicated. I know some of the guys probably their heads spin when I talk sometimes, but uh my biggest, what I think my biggest job is or role is to is to keep them motivated and focused. If they're playing hard, if they're playing to the best of their ability, and if they're focusing on the little things, their size and athleticism will take over. So um I'm very fortunate to, like I said, be at a place that attracts such uh quality of an athlete. Um and then it also helps when we win faceoffs. I hate playing defense. Every time that ball comes on, every time that ball comes down on our side of the field, I I just my my legs shake and I just get nervous because when we make a mistake, uh the scoreboard can change. When other positions or position groups they make a mistake, the scoreboard doesn't immediately change or um the threat of that. So like the players are great. Uh and I just it's it's more of them than than me, trust me.

SPEAKER_14 19:13

Harry, let me ask you a question, being on the defensive side, what's your mental state, you guys as a unit, when you're going into a game? Because when coach ain't there, I'm sure you guys talk to each other. And what's the mental state? What do you guys talk about on the field? Like does it to get yourselves going and get yourselves amped up?

SPEAKER_00 19:35

Yeah, from the mental, I'd say it would start with our scout team getting us ready throughout the week. So when we get out there on the game day, there's really little to no surprises that face us in the game. Right. And so our scout team does a great job. Either it's a two-day turnaround like it was during the playoffs this week or a full week, giving us a week straight of preparation. They um they get us prepared for everything we're gonna face. And then at that point, it just comes down to us playing and remembering who we are. And at that point, it's just communication to each other, knowing that we're in the right places and doing the right things. And once we do that, we're pretty much uh we're we'll be in good shape.

SPEAKER_14 20:13

Yeah, no, you guys are in great shape, and Coach Sullivan, you talked about making mistakes. Your defense doesn't make too many mistakes. As a matter of fact, they force other teams to make mistakes more often than not. MP, let me ask you a question. D2, it's real, isn't it? Oh, it's very real. Very real. That's what we want to hear. You know what? And and you've been outstanding, young man, this year. Outstanding. Tell us what it's been like for you to come and and join this Spartan team and everything that's gone on for you this year.

SPEAKER_13 20:48

Yeah, not make Coach Sullivan's knees shake because you win it so often.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Maybe a few times and I get caught there back at X, but yeah, hold my own. Um, no, it's been fantastic. I think it was about this time last year I decided to come down here. Um and one of the best decisions I made. Just kind of had some buddies that played on this team previously. Um, and they talked very highly about Coach Sullivan, Coach Clark, and kind of the team and all the chemistry that they have, and I was it pretty much was Tampa or go get a job. So I was I was grateful when I got that opportunity.

SPEAKER_14 21:28

Good choice, my friend. Good choice. Yeah, adulting ain't easy, let me tell you. Now let me ask you about this. What do you think about the level of play at this at this division? Or w what do you think? Because you played at the other division. What do you think of the level of play? Did it surprise you?

SPEAKER_01 21:47

I yeah, I think coming in, I was expecting it to be a little less than division one, but I mean we get out there on the practice field and we're flying around full speed, the practices are just as intense, even maybe more. intense. They're fast, the game's fast. Um and the players, kind of the skilled players that not only we have but other teams have are phenomenal and have the ability to play it at the division one level. Right. And just choose here and it's as good I would say.

SPEAKER_14 22:20

Wow. That's great. That's a great great uh plug for division two. Yeah we're gonna keep that on just a repeat. Everybody poo-poos division two. It's it's ridiculous. I know the level of play. And coach I missed limestone this year. As much as I want to love to hate them because they were I had a love-hate relationship with limestone being that my son was at Wingate and we always got beat by limestone. And I missed them this year. Coach, what did you think of the South without limestone this year?

SPEAKER_19 22:51

It it was very it was sad for me, Dan. I uh when we went up and played uh who do we we played Anderson I drove through uh I took a car and drove through Gaffney and uh it was sad to go through there you know everything overgrown and you look at the old facilities you know I spent I guess 11 years there so uh you know it was sad to see uh there it was great competing against them you know we continued to play them and uh when I got here right uh which was hard to do but uh the south is different without limestone and uh you know it's not as different as the north is without you know the Merrimax the Lemoyne's the posts the Dowlings the you know mercy hearst and on and on but um it's different down here now without limestone and it's been great to see the the growth of the the sport in the South you know uh losing limestone hurts but gaining the Andersons and and schools like that has been a lot of fun to see as well.

SPEAKER_14 23:52

And look what John Grant's done in Lees McCrae and just a yeah took him about 15 minutes to get relevant well it didn't hurt that limestone went defunct in some yeah yeah that's true yeah yeah but still he had 30 games and look what he did in like 30 games it's just amazing. So Grant so Grant let me ask you on the offensive side burying biscuits that's what we talk about you've uh had a great year and you have a great offense to work with a lot of good players man um I like Aaron Cho. My son played with him up in Nassau I think his dad was a coach if I'm not mistaken and um what's it like to play with your those guys on offense?

SPEAKER_08 24:32

Yeah um thank you for saying that I appreciate that um it's been a lot of fun you know we're a very selfless group as you can tell by our stats I mean everyone's pretty spread out in points yeah um and it's it's a lot of fun I mean those are some of the best guys I've ever met in my life certainly some of the best teammates I've played with um and we die for each other. It's uh you know people say that all the time but I've never been a part of a group that actually means it as much as we do. But you know I give a lot of credit to Coach Goldsmith for fostering that attitude amongst us and certainly to Coach Clark as well. And I give credit to Coach Sloy's defense for pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves every day in practice. You know those guys are studs and they give us our hands they keep our hands full in practice you know they push us to to be great because that's how scary they are defensively. Right right right so yeah that's that's what I'd say that's great.

SPEAKER_14 25:21

That's great. Now let's talk about the national championship Harry and Grant you you guys have been there. MP, this is your first time in a division two these guys have played a Delphi before this is going to be some game boys what do you think Grant what do you think?

SPEAKER_08 25:37

Yeah I'm I'm I'm very excited very excited you know it's uh it's a hell of an opportunity to get to play those guys again it's a great team very talented team very well coached um but you know I I kind of had a feeling that we were gonna see them again especially how last year ended you know um and I think a lot of us felt the same way we really hoped we'd see them again and here we are so I'm just really excited to to be there you know and experience that weekend again because it's it's a lot of fun it's definitely some of the most fun I've ever had playing this sport was seeing championship weekend and enjoying what comes with it but um yeah it's it's a great team we're going up against um very very talented it's gonna be it's gonna be a battle um and we're very fortunate as a team to to get that opportunity again you know it's very rare that that happens for a team so right right yeah now Harry before you answer Danny on that let me ask uh an additional question for that did last year's finish motivate you even more to want to get back this year yeah I would say you know no matter if it was in national championship final four elite eight losing your last game of the year is going to motivate you to want to get back and put yourself in order for the next I like that answer.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

So I mean yeah we'd love to be back seeing a Delphi again um we were going we were toe for toe for four quarters and so I'd say it's no one else we'd want to face and hopefully we got the same game again and it'll be fun no doubt just like last year.

SPEAKER_14 27:05

The game was epic man it was a game unbelievable epic. Coach Clark I'm gonna ask now maybe I don't want to put you on the spot in front of your players but sure you don't well maybe a little he knows me he knows me he knows me um after all these years and all the success do you still get nervous on championship day do you still get I'm a mess.

SPEAKER_19 27:31

What's your morning like it's championship day tell me what Coach Clark's morning like everybody's like how'd you sleep coach and and the the response I give now is I sleep like a baby I wake up every two hours I've crapped my pants and I'm crying I'm a mess and uh coach Sullivan can attest to that uh hopefully I keep that from the guys a little bit better than uh than I do from my staff. Coach Sullivan has to hear from me uh too frequently at 505 in the morning um it's a lot of deep breaths and uh you know it's that the older I get the more I do this the you know the more fortunate I've been to get to this game a few times um the pressure for me is is far less about me getting another win but it's about Grant and MP and Harry and the seniors and the opportunity that they have that they'll never get again you know uh that that's the pressure for me is to make sure that these guys go out you know jumping around and happy um and I said it to Coach Sullivan the other day you know we've been in this thing three of the last five years and we just have to be so grateful because you never know as a coach when it's gonna be the last one. You know I know you guys are parents you never know the last time you're gonna push your kid on a bike or on a swing right you never know when that day is happening. You never know when your last national championship game will be so um or a week of practice or week of preparation and uh there'll always be sleep. We can always sleep but uh we we're not always guaranteed to be able to do this. So yeah I'm a mess.

SPEAKER_13 29:12

Yeah yeah coach that's why we started this podcast so I could start keep watching D2 lacrosse games after my son graduated that's that's one of the motivators there. So uh Coach Sullivan I have to ask you this question. I was listening in on the media day coach Clark to you I wanted to ask a question but for my day job I was on driving in my car so I couldn't ask you a question. I thought it was really interesting both coaches you and Coach Purdy when asked question you know how how do you see yourselves matching up both of you had the same answer. You haven't really had time to really study the team because you've been so focused on on the season. So I'm gonna ask you Coach Sully what do you think of this matchup with the Delphi and how do you game plan for this repeat matchup? I'm keeping you off the hook there coach Clark and make Sully answer it for you.

SPEAKER_04 30:06

I would have rather played Malloy um hey Malloy's a pretty good team man they're a pretty good team I'm telling you um basically it's it's tell our guys what they need to know uh you know don't go over every step every movement everything just try to gauge uh an understanding of what they do and where they like to attack from and what each player skill set is and and try and game plan around that you know they have they have a list type players uh on that end and they've they've played together for certainly two if not three years a lot of them so um we're certainly gonna have our hands full but uh basically it's it's you we're not putting it putting in anything new um it's just reminding the guys and focusing on the fundamentals and the little things because that's what last year's game I think came down to is it was it was just a bounce here bounce there and approach there and approach there a shot there. It all comes down to the the very little things um the fundamentals and the in and the details so um basically just continue to give your guys the best opportunity or best chance to be successful and then let the kids do what they do best.

SPEAKER_14 31:33

I think at this point you know I think at this point the guys kind of know they've been there you know they're they've you've got a lot of senior leadership there and guys have been there. I think once once the game gets going they just kind of go am I right grant you just kind of go with the flow you know you just you feel the ebbs and flows of the game and you go you yes you've you've done you've done your homework but I think when the game time comes it's kind of like all right here we go instinct and and and just a bunch of great players just running crazy right Grant that's right yeah and uh coach Sully has the best scouting reports hands down in the country and you know with those being so detailed we don't have to think we're on the field just because of how much preparation goes into those scouting reports you know we we take those seriously and then when it's time to play we just play we don't have to think about you know X's and O's or and and that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_08 32:26

So you're absolutely right with that.

SPEAKER_14 32:27

Yeah you guys held Badron to like five shots man. I mean that game he's a beast he's a he's a dog man he's is one of the best midfielders in the country in my opinion and you guys just shut him down. MP, I think you're gonna have a game this uh this Sunday uh the the young man you're gonna be up against is very good. It's I think a lot of it's gonna come down to special teams.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

What do you think MP I mean I think I kind of when I look at games I try to approach them all the same. I don't you know look at these guys like looking back at Anderson going against two of arguably the best kids in the country you kind of you know if you overanalyze them and overthink about what they're gonna do you're not gonna be able to play to kind of your ability so right I think it'll be a great matchup. I've already watched the film on him um definitely definitely he's got some got some talent um but yeah I'm just gonna take a step back look at it um talk with coach Bramble talk with coach Flores and you know we'll get a good scout on these guys kind of what they like to do what they don't like to do and kind of just go with the flow gotta gotta find that flow state when you get in there sometimes.

SPEAKER_14 33:38

And uh Coach Clark let me ask you this uh now it's in Charlottesville it's in a college uh not the big big stadium you know sometimes I feel maybe the big stadium is it's it's maybe too big what do you think of the smaller confines of Charlottesville?

SPEAKER_13 33:54

What do you think that's gonna be like well we liked Connecticut I guess uh yeah right you know uh I think similar I think I think Charlottesville feel bigger I think because it's more of a it's more of a out than up okay you know like Gillette is straight up it's like you're putting a box in there um yeah but I you know it's great and you know I grew up with going to and fortunately coaching a few times in the Final Fours when they were at College Park or Rutgers uh even Delaware you know so uh looking back on those those are great experiences they did a great job in heart in West Hartford in Connecticut um right it'll be another great you know great venue for us uh it it'll be a little bit different just just because of the locker room situations it's just it's not a pro stadium but it's still bigger than Namoli where we play out here you know which is about 3500 people uh so that'll be different um but it it's different for everybody you know it's different for them too so uh we we have to work on being focused on the ball not not the bleachers there you go I love it and so I just want to thank all of you for coming on it's been great having you we can't wait I can't I'm I'm sure Dan is the same way I'm speaking for both of us we can't wait for the game because last year's matchup was so great i'm I know it's gonna be the same this year and um maybe we'll be having you on again in another week we'll be here if you call Kevin Coach Clark we wish all the best of luck thanks appreciate what you do for the sport and especially Division II thank you so much Grant Green Harry Bolin MP Thomas three ballers for the Tampa Spartans next time we come got to get Gruden come on that's a nah we don't need Gruden on this podcast you got Sully you don't need Gruden that's right that's right hey guys all the best of luck to you man go get him we'll see you on Sunday okay thank you so much thank you guys very much really appreciate it all right Danny let's now move to the final in the North region a Delphi against Malloy a Delphi once again rollin' rollin' rollin' 19 to four when you see the first two goals of the game are poll goals to me that that set a statement right there it's like we can score any way we want against you and that's basically what they did.

SPEAKER_14 36:39

Well I I attended the game Kev packed house to Mohammed at Garden City Long Island beautiful day actually very hot I got like sunburn on the tops of my legs um Adelphi looked incredible and as good as a team as Malloy is and as much as I love Malloy and Coach Dunn and everything that he's done there they were no match for a Delphi that afternoon. A Delphi looked like a team that was locked loaded and ready to go I agree I agree I also think I wrote this note early probably after those two poll goals they really like to push transition a Delphi they did in this game and they just wreaked havoc and look at John Basili had a good game really good game he stopped several shots but uh you they you just can't do when there's that many shots you're not it was five zero after one I mean he had one time where I think he had three stops bang bang stops in a row until they they finally scored off a rebound a Delphi scored yeah a couple times they scored off a couple of rebounds in that game a Delphi looked again Kevin they just looked on a different level than Malloy they were faster stronger bigger they were Greaves dominated the face off X. Christian Thomai was insane in goal he didn't let much get by him at all he made one crazy save that's been all over Instagram when you saw it and you were like oh my God you know and and the speed of a Delphi like they were able to get out and transition and when you got two poles playing give and go and playing catch and throw with each other you know and scoring goals and scoring points I mean just like how what do you do? What do you do?

SPEAKER_13 38:37

It was you know you keep asking the ref how much time is left in the game look at it it was five zero after one a Delphi and I wrote a note that's not what Malloy wanted they could not get that far behind and you talked about Will Greaves he went six for six in that first quarter it was all a Delphi it was all Adelphi if you look at it was and it was 10-0 at half you know all their all their shooters on a on Malloy Green Simic Taylor Corker and Hammond they couldn't break through that Adelphi D.

SPEAKER_14 39:12

I think like the first five or six possessions that the Lions had were intercepted, picked off you know uh just you know passed right to the Adelphi guy Adelphi stick in lane Delasandro with a couple of uh uh uh uh uh interceptions Reese Bauer with a couple of interceptions I mean they just they I think they played for like seven or eight minutes before they even got a shot off Malloy it was a long time I mean Adelphi was on a different level than Malloy and I love Malloy and I really do I think they're a really good team I said how physical their defense was dude they couldn't they couldn't they just couldn't keep up with a Delphi Adelphi looked on a different level Kev we said this and I agree it's not Malloy it's a Delphi's strengt strength there is no gap in any or any weakness in any part of the field for them. No they have no weaknesses I I you know you and I never coached never played we've watched a lot of games we know when we can see a few things I don't know how you scheme against them it starts at the top how you match up I it starts at the dot so you gotta win faceoffs yeah you gotta you gotta win face-offs you gotta keep Kyle Lewis and Noah Gibson and McDermott Mikey Dernan and Mr Dunnellin who's like a an outstanding quarterback back there you gotta keep them off the field and how do you do that? By winning faceoffs you know controlling clock controlling clock time. Now on the other side of that coin you got Christian Tomei in goal who is playing at an unbelievable level he's like number one out of all three divisions. He's just killing it I mean just killing it.

SPEAKER_13 41:02

Alright so you win your faceoff you go down you'll be lucky if you can get past the first line of defense you know Malloy Domikus and those boys they're just it they're just tough man they're just really good cat yeah and this what like we said I mean down the stats you know shots 32 for Malloy 58 for a Delphi you look at clears this was a very interesting stat 18 for 26 for Malloy 25 of 26 for a Delphi. Yeah tell me that you you described that before sticks in lane causing turnovers getting the middle of the field ground balls 21 for Malloy 46 for a Delphi now you can see a lot of them are could be for based on face off but still you dropped the di differential in face off was 10 eight for Malloy 18 for Delphi so it still would take those 10 out it's still 36 to 21 right so they just dominated every facet of the game complete domination they look locked and loaded. I was watching them in the warm ups and they looked man they looked ready coaches were amped up and they they made a statement the last couple of weeks they put up a lot of points they really played really well you're exactly right I mean there isn't a team that has scored in the playoffs I'm looking at right now more than six goals on them more than six goals starting with assumption Wilmington scored the most six pace had five Malloy had four and they're in double digit and the Delphi's in double digits every time so they got better as they played the better teams yeah oh boy tough their defense just sort of clamped down more and more a Delphi dominated Division II all year especially in the North they dominated it they were the number one team for a reason Kev their last year's you know national champions coming in here with pretty much the same team that's the other thing one or two guys you know you added you know you added to May but pretty much everybody else came back. So this team's been together a couple of years I mean it looked good man okay now it's time to welcome in the Adelphi Panthers winners of the North region heading back to the championship and looking for a three Pete I don't know if they want me to say that but that's the truth. With us tonight are Coach Gordon Purdy Coach Brian Volpe and a bunch of players Michael Dernan Kyle Lewis Brain Dunellan Michael Deli Delessandro Steven Scuba Diamikas I got to find out where that came from and Reese Bauer and Christian Tomei. So welcome fellas and congrats

SPEAKER_05 44:02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_13 44:02

I have to say, it kind of feels like old home week. This is getting to be a habit between us this time of year.

SPEAKER_14 44:11

It's a good habit, right, Coach Purdy?

SPEAKER_18 44:13

Yes. Yeah, we're excited to be here. Uh guys have worked really hard through this process.

SPEAKER_14 44:19

Hey, it's been a great season for the Adelphi Panthers. Amazing season. Defense amazing, offense amazing, special teams amazing. Coach, are you nervous? Are you nervous for Sunday?

SPEAKER_18 44:32

Uh I would say I'm excited about Sunday. Yeah, we've got four more sleeps and we're gearing up and getting ready for every one of those. And we've got a lot to do to prepare before our game Sunday of course. So I just feel uh while I might be excited, um, I'm not really too nervous at this point.

SPEAKER_14 44:52

Okay. Okay. Do you get nervous on the game day? Like, what do you get like that little hollow feeling in your chest? Like, here we go, boys.

SPEAKER_18 45:00

Uh so these guys work so hard during practices uh and and uh with film and everything else we do. We really try to rehearse that in practice. So I'll be honest, as I walked out on the practice field today, I really felt a sense of, come on, let's get to this already. Because I really wanted these guys to go out and perform. And I the last thing I said to them today was that was a great practice. We really I was real excited about what I saw today.

SPEAKER_14 45:31

The performance against Malloy was just amazing. I think that Malloy is a very good team. I think they're good defensively. They got some weapons on offense, their special teams are good. You made them look like they didn't belong there.

SPEAKER_18 45:43

I think listen, now our defense, I don't know who puts in more hours than our defense. They nullified some of those shots that they've been taking over here, and they, you know, having spoken to their coach after the game, um, they just couldn't seem to find a great shot. And that was the defensive pressure that our defenders put on them all game. And we're really proud of that. And, you know, we didn't give them the ball too much. My worry that game was about the face-off, and uh, we were able to, you know, Will did a fantastic job there. And with that said, um, the you know, I saw one of my prettiest goals I've seen all year with that man up goal that basically included every one of these guys on the field. So real excited about how these guys are playing right now.

SPEAKER_13 46:29

Yeah, that's amazing. Coach, I listened to the both the NCA media interviews today, and it was interesting that both you and Coach Clark repeated each other because you both said you really had not yet studied the other team, mainly because you were focused on the season, right? You're not really looking at down the road. So walk me through your preparation now, getting ready for this matchup on Sunday.

SPEAKER_18 46:58

Well, I think for us, it was about getting us a day off, um, and which we had yesterday. And today was about getting out there and getting our sticks in our hand and you know, uh just enjoying the game again. And we've, you know, getting up and down and some transition, not ideal for goalies sometimes, but uh, you know, that was really important to us. Getting on some grass and taking some shots was something that was starting to prepare. But everything right now, you know, while we did do some film, a little film on them today, it's really been about us and getting us prepared, making sure that we're ready to go uh for tomorrow's practice now.

SPEAKER_13 47:36

I love it. I love it. Okay, let me move on. Let me ask Braden a question here. Braden, what does it feel like to be back? And what does it feel like to be chasing history going for back to back to back?

SPEAKER_03 47:51

I mean, uh, there's nothing better than going out with your brothers to play a national championship game and it just feels amazing getting there. Yeah, and we're ready to go.

SPEAKER_13 48:01

All right, awesome. Kyle, let me let me go to you in mid-chew there. What does that motivate you? What motivates you? Does it motivate you like to try to get that historic back to back to back, the three peep? Or are you just trying to more to focus on the opponent and the matchup for Sunday?

SPEAKER_10 48:20

Yeah, I think it's just the opponent and the matchup. Um that we can't really think about making history and everything. But then that's another little cross game that we have to win. That really motivates us, is we know the feeling when it's all said and done, and you've achieved your goal. I think that's really what motivates us. So we're just trying to focus on our matchup on Sunday.

SPEAKER_14 48:37

Well, let me ask any anybody who wants to answer this, any one of the players, especially the guys that have been for the two and going for the third, how do you keep yourself focused to win that third? You know what I mean? Like, what does it take? Because you know, sometimes you get that in your head, like we've been we did this twice already. You know, what what do you do to keep yourselves focused? Anybody? Reese.

SPEAKER_07 49:07

Uh yeah, honestly, it's just kind of uh like Kyle said, we don't really like look too much at like the history standpoint of that. It's just kind of like the next step, like what's next? And right now, Tampa is what's next in front of us. So we kind of just prepare as much as we can for that. Um, and like obviously, like we know what it feels like to win a championship. Some guys two going on for hopefully a third, and to just kind of bring in the new guys and the freshmen, stuff like that, giving them uh the chance of feeling that at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_13 49:37

Yeah, that's awesome. Uh uh, Mr. Dernan, let me ask you a question. You guys have been dominant throughout the N tournament and the NCAAs. I mean, I don't think I've seen a team since I've been watching do what you guys have done through the playoffs. All positions are clicking. There seems to be no weaknesses across, no gaps. How have you guys sustained that momentum?

SPEAKER_12 50:04

Yeah, definitely. Um, like Kat says, we're basically a positionless offense, and we've been playing with each other for a long time now, and everyone knows where everyone can be. We know we can force in certain passes, and we just have great depth too. We got good second-round middies, everyone all around, great players come in, bring different things to the table, and when we're all out there, we just all click.

SPEAKER_13 50:26

And and Deli, let's go on the defensive side. What do you think about this rematch with Tampa and how your defense is gonna match up?

SPEAKER_02 50:35

Um, you know, I think the matchup really good for us. And, you know, we have Tomayonette, and I think as a defense, we trust him. As long as we're not letting up anything inside 12 yards, if we're pushing them to shoot outside shots, you know, all the faith in the world to him, he's gonna stop all those shots at our backs.

SPEAKER_14 50:52

Delhi, Delhi was Delhi was pressing out. He was 48 yards out, man. He was pressing out the other day. He was at the half field line. I was like, let Delisandro go. You wouldn't let the guy breathe. Guys, you've had Deli, I've watched you play since sixth grade, man. You have just developed into yourself into one insane hell of a defense, man. I gotta congratulate you, man. You really have done an amazing job. Just I've watched you develop over the years. So kudos to you, Kyle. Kudos to you on that PLL draft, man. That's the coolest thing. And I gotta tell you something I think that's really cool that I think all you guys will dig. Um, sitting in the stands, there's a lot of kids, right? You know, those fifth, sixth graders had their first tournament game, so they all had their sticks in their hands, and they're sitting with their dads and their friends. And every time Kyle touched the ball, like, Kyle's got the ball. Kyle's got the ball. These were kids, man. They were like digging every move you guys made. They were following everything. They knew all the players' names. They're like, look at Delhi pressing out, Danellens, what a pass. Like these kids, you're like like rock stars on Long Island with these kids. How does that make you guys feel? Anybody? Anybody wants to take that question?

SPEAKER_10 52:05

That's what it's about, you know. Uh that's what some younger, younger boys to work hard and eventually get to the same level.

SPEAKER_14 52:12

Yeah, yeah. It was really cool to hear that, you know, just being being a dad myself and hadn't gone through all of that kind of stuff to hear these guys knew everybody on the team. That was pretty cool. And Christian, gotta ask you, bro, how'd you make that save? That was sick, man.

SPEAKER_09 52:29

That was sick, bro. Yeah, I said in the conference after the game, it was kind of blurry, and um, you know, I saw a feed and I turned my head and just stuck my left hand out there and prayed to God it was laying on my stick, and he threw right in me in my stick. So um I think you know, it was kind of slow and sharp on their offensive side, so it was nice to get a little yon for our defense, and then you know, ultimately just step on the corrupt throughout.

SPEAKER_14 52:53

How's the transition coming to a Delphi been for you, man?

SPEAKER_09 52:58

Uh it was I I mean, I wasn't able to play in the fall, which kind of sucked. Um, so you know, I was out for like seven, six, seven months, and then uh I uh I jumped right into it, and I mean it was it was tough, you know, coming from where I was to hear. Um, you know, it took me I would say well over a month or month and a half to get used to the shots and stuff. Um, but there's no other group I'd rather play with, and you know, I feel myself getting better every day just playing priority with these guys.

SPEAKER_13 53:26

Yeah, Christian, we've been talking about you obviously in the D2 ranks since you were you came to Belmont Abbey and we're waiting for to see you play there. And you I think you had to sit out a little bit, then you got into play, and then you got injured again. So, and I know you've heard all of those podcasts because you've got to be a huge fan of ours. But I I just want to say it, it's been really cool to see your progression and be able to, uh you know, seeing you and and watching some of the clips of you and seeing you get back to enjoying the game and seeing you play with a Delphi has been really great. I think that is a testament to you and and really doing what kind of what Coach Purdy said, getting out there with the sticks and enjoying the play, and I think that is really cool. Coach Volpe, let me ask you this. Going to goalie play and face-offs, you with you know, Danny and I talked about this year. They don't have Dylan Renner, but all of a sudden, Christian Tomey is like the number one goalie in all the NCAA lacrosse. And then you add Will Greaves at faceoff. What does that mean, what has special teams meant to your team this year versus like two years ago when you won the Natty and you guys won about 33% of the face-offs?

SPEAKER_06 54:40

Um, well, I think you know, two years ago when we won it, we were a different team. We knew we didn't have a photo. Um, but at the end of the day, we all bought into we knew we were gonna lose the face-off. And you know, we did different things. We did uh we traffed, we rode. Um, so it's a really a credit to the kids of really not putting their heads down. Um, you know, the wing play did a great job and they worked so hard. And uh I think at the end of that game versus LR, we actually had a couple big wins, which was you know, to get we had the momentum going and it just kept juicing towards the end of that game. So we had a couple bright spots with it, but we bought into it. We just we knew that that deficiency is is something that we had and we'll be fine. It's kind of like somebody, you know, if they're blind or deaf, their other senses, you know, uh heightened. And that's something we we adapted. Um this year would happen. Will another year uh older uh makes a big difference for him. And uh, you know, Will works very hard. And uh with Christian, it's you know, Christian's been great since he came with us, and it really was just shaking the rust off of him. And if you speak to any coach of the country, you know, building uh up the middle is where you want to go. So we feel that we're pretty decent up the middle. So um it gives us opportunities to take away runs and get on our own runs.

SPEAKER_14 56:02

It just seems like in the last month or so, you guys have just been like you just took off to become a different team. What was the difference? I mean, all of a sudden you're just just exploding in points and really shutting down other teams. And has there because in the beginning of the season there was a couple games in there and it was kind of tight, you know, but the last month or so, uh, just and through the tournament, through the N conference tournament, you guys just were on a different level. What's going on over there at Mahomet Field?

SPEAKER_06 56:33

We were banged up in the beginning of in the middle of the year.

SPEAKER_14 56:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 56:37

Um, and guys were out there playing, and um, you know, I think that was part, that was definitely part of it. Um, but you know, uh other guys stepped up and filled, you know, different roles, and um and it's a credit to the kids who were banged up and hurt that they got themselves back into spots. It's sometimes it's tough because you got you want to try you have to save them from themselves almost because they want to go back out there and uh you know keep going and fight through it. But um, you know, guys stepped up in spots and did a good job and got us through what we need to get through. And uh, you know, I think we're healthy we're as healthy as we've been all year.

SPEAKER_13 57:16

That's great. That's a great place to be as you're going into the yeah, yeah, the natty. Hey, Steven, first of all, how did you get scuba?

SPEAKER_05 57:27

Uh so I guess it was um one of the seniors that gave it to me when I was a freshman. Yeah it comes from uh Adam Sandler movie. It's called Big Daddy, yeah. And uh he dresses up as this guy, Scuba Steve. Some people call me Steve, so just stuck around.

SPEAKER_13 57:45

I love it. Yeah, I love it. I love it. Hey, so your defense, we've talked about already, right? Has been stout, and I really think it starts at the D mid position. You and Gavin Herzog really dictate that defense. You almost stop it, it seems like, sometimes before he even gets to close D. What is your mindset going into a game to get you prepared like that? I mean, I it it's I short stick D midi is like the unsung hero to me on the field. You don't get enough credit. They don't, you know, especially when you got LSMs like Carter Linklett or other. I mean, but you guys are like the workhorses in the game. So just give me your perspective on that.

SPEAKER_05 58:29

I think it's just a mindset of you're refusing to get beat. And that's that's the simple way I look at it. Like, I don't letting anybody pass me. I'm gonna do my job, win my ones, and yeah, there's nothing else to it, really.

SPEAKER_13 58:45

Well makes it seem so simple, but I don't think I could do it.

SPEAKER_14 58:49

You really made it look easy. I'm telling you, the the defense was outstanding against Malloy the other day. You guys were getting sticks in lanes, they were you were intercepting passes. I mean, they just couldn't get anything going, and I that's on the defense. Christian make a say, bang, out in transition, bing, bang, boom, goal. Guys look really, really sharp. You know what you look like? You look like a D1 team, man. You look like a D1 team out there.

SPEAKER_13 59:17

Yeah, and Reese, I have to ask you this. Long polls in transition, you and Carter are like a two-headed monster out there. Is that something you guys practice a lot, or is it because you've known each other going from AIC and now here, has that just become pretty natural?

SPEAKER_07 59:34

Um, yeah, I think we've been playing with each other for a while, especially back in Canada. We play a lot of costs together over the years. Um, and yeah, just over the like it's just real natural running up. Like we know where each other are, like even before it happens. So it's just kind of like our thing. We kind of like to push together, and yeah, we know where each other are at uh all times on the field. So yeah, it's it's a lot of fun playing with him and uh running transition for sure.

SPEAKER_13 1:00:00

Yeah, when you guys are beating other short stick uh players on the other defense or offense and beating them in transition into the crease. That's a scary thing to watch.

SPEAKER_14 1:00:12

They're doing give and goes. They're doing give and goes, they're running their own offense, the polls out there. It was amazing. It was a really good. I am really excited for Sunday. I think it's gonna be a great matchup, especially at the face-off. I think that's gonna be a really important matchup in this game. Um, both goalies are outstanding, both defenses are outstanding, and both offenses are outstanding, and you guys are going for a three-peat. I think that's an amazing accomplishment. Um, coaches, uh, that's kudos to you guys and what you do with these guys and how you handle them and what you do at practice and the things that you look at. And uh it's been just fun to watch a Delphi. I always used to doubt a Delphi coach. You remember me talking about this a couple of times. I always used to doubt them. I was like, why are they fourth? They haven't played anybody. Dude, you guys are a really, really good team, just a well-oiled machine, well coached from top to bottom. Um, I think it's gonna be a great matchup on Sunday. Coach, let me ask you this. You know, you guys are used to playing in those big ass stadiums. It's gonna be in the smaller confines of Charlottesville, Virginia. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_06 1:01:25

Um it doesn't matter. It's just a field, to be honest. I think that's kind of been our message to them, you know, into going to these tournaments. It's just a field. Um, so with some extra bells and whistles, I guess. Um, but it's just another field, and we step in between the lines. It's just a university opponent. Um, you know, at the end of the day, yeah, there's crowds there and this and that. But you know, these guys are so locked in, they're focused. Um, they've been in situations, so they understand how to communicate with each other and stuff. So, you know, that's just how it's been. Um kind of like just push that all to the side and it's a it's a game.

SPEAKER_14 1:02:01

Yeah, it's gonna be great. You know, you're undefeated this year. It's funny how it was. Last year, Tampa was undefeated, you guys had one loss. This year you're undefeated, they have one loss. It's kind of like it's almost meant to be this game. Um, I'm excited to watch it. Fellas, I wish you all the best of luck uh in the game on Sunday. Have great travels. Christian, keep killing it, kid. Kyle, can't wait to see you in the PLL uniform. That's gonna be pretty cool. Deli, it's always fun to watch you play. You're a dog out there. Um, Reese, uh, Demekus, you guys are just a great team, and I wish you nothing but uh success and good luck this week.

SPEAKER_13 1:02:42

Thank you.

SPEAKER_15 1:02:43

I enjoyed it again.

SPEAKER_13 1:02:44

All right. Now, Danny, we've talked about the games that happened last week. We've met with both teams, talked to them. Great interviews. They were a lot of fun. But now it's time to talk about the matchup on this Sunday. Tampa versus Adelphi. Both teams, Danny, made it to the championship weekend last year, and they've made it to the championship weekend 50% of the time, both of them, since we've been doing this podcast, we both had them on three out of six times. We said it with Tampa. We said it's like it's like just a routine thing that we have these teams on at this time.

SPEAKER_14 1:03:21

Yeah, we've become friends with Coach Clark and Coach Sullivan and Coach Purdy and Coach Volpe. We're actually friends now. Uh can't wait for the golf tournament to come on. So yeah, invite, you know. Yeah. First of all, thank you, coaches, for coming on and taking the time. You guys are busy, you know, and to come on, to f to take 15 or 20 minutes to come on with two knuckleheads. Never played the game. Kev humbles me every time. So I really appreciate the coaches. I agree. And and the players too coming on and just did a great job with the interviews. This game is going to be born burner.

SPEAKER_13 1:04:06

I think it could be. Last year, 9-8 and overtime, the best game of the weekend. I said it when we were talking to the teams. Then you look at what the teams have. They are both loaded for bear. Both stacked, both deep, both well coached.

SPEAKER_14 1:04:49

Two legends are coaching.

SPEAKER_13 1:04:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_14 1:04:51

Coach Clark is a legend in Division II, and so is Coach Purdy. These guys, these two gentlemen are gonna go down in history in Division II for all time. Um to have these two match up against each other, it's great, man. It's like Lombardi versus Belichick. You know what I mean? It's like the two great coaches against each other. Um, it's gonna come down to a couple of matchups, Kev. The first matchup I think that's gonna be really important is MP Thomas against Will Greaves at the face-off dive. 100%. These two are really, really good face-off guys. MP Thomas has had his way with pretty much everybody this year for Tampa. As as Will Greaves for Delphi. Yeah, pretty much dominated everybody he's played. Um I think it's a very good possibility. A team that gets more face off wins, I think has the better chance to win the game.

SPEAKER_13 1:06:00

I think you could be right. I'd add to that because both defenses are so stout. I see this game being much like last year's, where it's going to be low scoring. I'd be very shocked if it got in the double digits. Maybe one team gets gets to ten or eleven, but I think this is very, very close.

SPEAKER_14 1:06:24

Let's talk about their goalies.

SPEAKER_13 1:06:26

Yeah, that's the other matchup. When you you look at it, you've got Christian Tomey against Weston Schmidt. Both have played really, really well this year.

SPEAKER_14 1:06:36

Weston Schmidt has played as good as anybody in the country, and Christian Tomey is right now the best save percentage-wise in the country. So you got two of the best face-off guys in the country facing off against each other, and two of the best goalies in the country in net for each other. So there's your second matchup right there. Now it comes to offense against defense. Both teams have incredible short stick D middies. Both teams have incredible close defenders. Both teams are extremely fast. Both teams are high IQ. I think it's gonna come down to a couple of small little things. Coach Sullivan said, a bounce here, a bounce there, you know, something like that. This is going to be a great, great game. I like I agree with you. I think it's gonna be rather low scoring. I think it's gonna be hard to get balls by either goalie, especially in a game like this. I think this is gonna be a great game. I really do. I'm really looking forward to seeing this game.

SPEAKER_13 1:08:01

I I wrote a note with a question mark at the end, and I want to hear what you have to say to this. I wrote slight edge to a Delphi offense. I think I'm leaning that way a little bit, but it's so close. I think both look, both have plenty of firepower. Delphi with Donnell and Gibson, Dernan, Lewis. You went through them, right? And then uh Tampa with Cho, friend, Bashaw, Kesselring, Ortega, Grant Green, Grant Green. They they are all stacked.

SPEAKER_14 1:08:35

Oh, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_13 1:08:38

Maybe it's because of what I've seen throughout the season and how they've scored more points usually than what Tampa has on average. You know, average goal scoring versus what they've done. We've talked about that with Tampa being lower teens than high teams like they've been in the past. Right.

SPEAKER_14 1:08:55

But look what they did the last couple weeks.

SPEAKER_13 1:08:57

That's the other thing I was gonna point out. Both teams have gotten better and better as the playoffs have gone on, I think.

SPEAKER_14 1:09:04

Some big points, Tampa, the last couple of weeks, you know. And I I I I I think I'm gonna agree with you that Adelphi is gonna have the slight edge on offense. I think they're slightly a little bit deeper better on offense.

SPEAKER_13 1:09:20

Here's the only thing I would say, and this is only from going to my notes from last year and looking at the notes and then trying to write the notes for this year, for this matchup. Not many, you said this earlier. Not many names have changed on the Adelphi roster, especially on the offense. And certainly some on the defense as well, but not that many on the offensive side. Whereas they have changed a little bit on the offensive side for Tampa. Not that those players aren't good and not that they don't gel well together. I just think when you can do that for two or three years and build that. I asked that question to Coach Purdy during the NCAA Media Day. I said, What lessons have you learned from the season? He said, Kevin, it's not just this year, it's the past three seasons because that's how we've built this team over the past three years. Coach Sully even said it when we talked to them, you know, on the recording, was he said, these guys have been playing together for several years. Does that give them a slight a Delphi a slight edge? I think it may. I think it does.

SPEAKER_14 1:10:31

But not a lot. Like again, I I I'm looking at matchups now, particular matchups. Who's Gumbold gonna guard? Who's Stone gonna guard? Like who are those guys gonna guard?

SPEAKER_13 1:10:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_14 1:10:48

I want to see those matchups.

SPEAKER_13 1:10:49

Who do this short stick, who does Harry Boland have to take follow around? Yeah, yeah. And the same way on the other side.

SPEAKER_14 1:11:00

And there's um Tampa's defense is ranked number one. Adelphi's defense is ranked number two in the Massey ratings by literally a couple of tenths of a point. So analytically, they're so close. Yeah. You know? I just think that on the offensive side, maybe Adelphi's got a little bit of a slight edge. I think the matchup against, again, at face-off with Greaves and MP Thomas, that's gonna be a matchup for the ages. That's gonna be a really interesting matchup, that one.

SPEAKER_13 1:11:32

I agree. I think you hit you nailed it there. You nail it there. I think that's the difference. Do you have any predictions? You want me to give you mine?

SPEAKER_14 1:11:38

Yeah, give me yours.

SPEAKER_13 1:11:39

I I know, because I usually make you go first and then I pick up the the pieces afterwards, you know. Um I'm gonna say a Delphi pulls this one out. I look at you called it Barn Burner, it can go either way. I'm trying to shuffle back, I'm trying to do a little tap dancing, but I'm gonna say Adelphi pulls this out, gets the three Pete, puts that in the history books.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:06

I think that's a big part of why they're so locked in. Because again, when I saw them the other day, they looked like a team possessed. They didn't look like a regular Division II team, Kev. They looked like a Division I team out there. They were big, strong, fast, getting after it, getting nasty. They were swag. They got a lot of swag going on at Delphi II right now.

SPEAKER_13 1:12:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:28

They're very confident, they and they're looking forward to this matchup. But then again, so's Tampa. Yeah. Tampa wants this matchup. They want the revenge. They definitely want the revenge. So there's so much emotional going on in here. So I think it's gonna be a great game. I think it's gonna be a barn burner. I do agree with you. I think it's gonna be a rather low-scoring game with these two outstanding All-American goalies in between the pipes for these two teams. Uh I'm I'm gonna say a Delphi comes home with a three-peat. In a close one again. Yeah. And you know what, Kev? It wouldn't surprise me if Tampa pulls this out. No way. It wouldn't surprise me at all. I just I'm just looking at the papers, looking at what I saw, thinking, you know, I've watched a lot of Tampa games and I watched a lot of Adelphi games. I like watching the good teams play, Kev. I like seeing what they do. I like watching good ball. I like watching the ball movement, who the defense, what they're doing. I just enjoy watching high-level lacrosse. And I think this is gonna be as good as it gets. It certainly will be. This lacrosse game, I don't give a crap what division, NIA, MCLA, division one, two, three. This matchup is gonna be a great lacrosse game. You've got to watch. Yeah, it's a must-watch game for sure.

SPEAKER_13 1:13:55

I totally agree. It was last year. I told you that before. I talked to a lot of the other media reps, you know, texting them while the game's going on. We were in different spots, and there wasn't one that didn't say that was an amazing game. And it was an amazing game because it went to overtime and what the circumstances were. It was an amazing game because of the level of lacrosse that was played. And there's no doubt in my mind that that exact same thing is going to happen this year. And, you know, for all those listeners out there that your teams are no longer in it and you're not really as much into it, you need to watch this game.

SPEAKER_14 1:14:33

I think most of the Division II lovers will probably watch this game.

SPEAKER_13 1:14:37

They should. They should. It's worth it. It's yeah.

SPEAKER_14 1:14:41

It doesn't get much better than this. It really doesn't.

SPEAKER_13 1:14:44

It does not.

SPEAKER_14 1:14:45

You know? I mean, it's Division II at its highest level. And both of these teams could beat several Division I teams if you're gonna be. Totally agree. Totally agree. They could put they could put a they could put a hurt against some mid-level teams, too. But yeah. Um, it's gonna be a great game, and I'm looking forward to it. Again, two legends with Gordon Purdy and JB Clark, and you know, with Coach Volpe and Kat and everything that that coaching staff does at the Delphi and with Coach Sullivan and all those guys down there and what they do, and they got John Gruden hanging out with them now. Dude, that's huge. That is, that is so great. I really do. That is so cool. Not only does it help Tampa, like Coach Clark said, but it definitely puts a light on Division II lacrosse. 100%.

SPEAKER_13 1:15:33

100%.

SPEAKER_14 1:15:34

So people looking like, hey, if Gruden's into Division II, maybe I should maybe I need to give it a look. Maybe I should think about this. Right. Right, exactly. So it's gonna be.

SPEAKER_13 1:15:42

Did you hear? I didn't put that in there, but he got on the on the broadcast of the game, Tampa against Anderson.

SPEAKER_14 1:15:51

Did he now?

SPEAKER_13 1:15:52

Yeah, he was beginning of the second half, he was on the broadcast, and then then they showed him in the stands. I've seen clips from him from in the stands and everything, but really kind of he's there with all the all the fans. So if Tampa wins and we get the champs back on, we couldn't on. Yeah, I agree. I agree. We could do it. He'll do it. We'll figure it out. That would be true. If Tampa does it, which they could, that would be awesome. It'll be awesome, whoever whoever wins and whoever we get on. But okay, now we've gone through, we've talked to the teams, we've done our preview, we've done our predictions. It's time we're near the end. What we've got one more show after this. It's time for shout-outs, Danny. So here we go. First shout-out. Shout out. The USILA regional teams, both North and South, have been announced. And so the real shout is out is to all those players who made it. If you look at that list, it's I guarantee about 95% of those players we've talked about on this podcast sometime during the season. Oh, yeah, 100%. You go down that, you're like, oh yeah, great player, great player, great player. It was just awesome to see. Yeah, congratulations to all those guys. Good job, fellas.

SPEAKER_14 1:17:15

Well deserved.

SPEAKER_13 1:17:17

The next shout-out. Yeah, I love it. The next shout-out is to coach Jim Murphy of Bentley Murph. He's retiring after 34 years as the head coach. Oh, wow, man. We're gonna lose another legend in the game. Legend. What a legacy he has left. You think uh I wrote a note of congratulations on Instagram to him. The amount of uh men he has shaped over those 34 years. That's a great program. A great school, great program. Yeah, just amazing. Just amazing what he's done for not only the lacrosse community, the D2 community, Bentley, NE10, but every player he's touched.

SPEAKER_14 1:18:13

Well, thank you, Coach Murphy. We appreciate everything you've done for the lacrosse community and Division II and coming on the show and talking with the two knuckleheads. He was great when he came on, and I wish him nothing but the best. Now we can get him and Mrs. Murphy, go down, enjoy the grandkids, go down to Florida, watch the palm trees, hit the little white ball, you know. And maybe he just stays up in uh Massachusetts. You never know. He's too smart for that. He's going south.

SPEAKER_13 1:18:43

All right. Now, I've got one request. It's not really a shout-out, it's a request. I'm just telling the fans right now, all the listeners, Danny's not able to join me at championship weekend, so please reach out to me, DM me, let me know where you'll be. If you want, invite me to your tailgate. I'll be a lone wolf out there.

SPEAKER_14 1:19:02

Kevin's going solo. I'm going solo this year. That means the diesel's coming out. It's going solo. Yeah, I got a gig. I'm gigging this weekend. It's a big it's a big weekend for the for the rock and rollers out there.

SPEAKER_13 1:19:18

I love it. I love it. Well, we're gonna we're gonna miss you down there. It's always fun when we get to do it together. This is a little bit of a haul for you. Uh Philly area is much easier when we've done it there. That's where it's gonna be next year, Danny. So maybe we can uh we'll we'll pair up again next year.

SPEAKER_14 1:19:32

Yeah, and my vehicle will be brand new next year. I'm getting a new vehicle soon, Kevin. I love it. I love it. The vehicle I have. I don't know if it'd make it to Charlotteville. It might make it, it might not make it back.

SPEAKER_13 1:19:43

Make it back.

SPEAKER_14 1:19:44

I'd be stuck in Virginia somewhere. But yeah, I need a few of them. And thank you to all the listeners for listening all year and all your comments and your DMs and all your well-wishes and everybody that said that they liked the show. I really appreciate it. I met so many people this year, Kevin. I did a lot of traveling this year from my son's senior year. So I wanted to see as many games as I could. And I met people from Florida Southern and Anderson and just, you know, from North Greenville, and just people who enjoy the podcast and actually wait for Thursday to come. Hey, you know, I mean my wife, we drive home together, and I had another guy say, hey, every morning on my way to work, I can't wait for that eight o'clock. So thank you, listeners, for listening, making In the Crease what it is. And uh don't forget, got merch, Kev.

SPEAKER_13 1:20:36

That's a great way to end. And with that, Danny, that's a wrap. That's a wrap, Kev.

SPEAKER_16 1:20:45

There is.

SPEAKER_17 1:20:50

And when I was 12 years old, my daddy took me to the circuit. A good new show on earth. There were clowns and elephants dancing there and a beautiful lady.

SPEAKER_14 1:21:02

A beautiful Peggy Lee, and that's a rapper.