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 Upcoming schedule for Lacrosse Evolution of Downingtown
 
Wings pick Philly's McDevitt, Grossi in NLL draft Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/8  The Philadelphia Wings selected midfielder Sean Thomson from Bellarmine University with their first pick (ninth overall) in the 2008 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft Sunday in Boston and later picked local products Tony McDevitt (Penn  Charter) of Duke and Steve Grossi (Strath Haven) of Drexel. As a midfielder with Bellarmine in 2008, the 6-foot-2 Burlington, Ontario native recorded six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in eight games played. Thomson was also a member of Major Series Lacrosse's (MSL) Peterborough Lakers 2007 Mann Cup Championship team and was the team's 2007 rookie of the year The Wings selected defensive midfielder Matt Bocklet (99 groundballs) from NCAA finalist Johns Hopkins with their second selection (25th overall). With its third pick (36th overall), Philadelphia selected Syracuse University forward Mike Leveille. Leveille was the 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy winner and was a four-time All-American at Syracuse. The 6-3, 204-pound attacker scored 83 points (49 goals, 34 assists) for the 2008 NCAA Champion Orange. With the Wings fourth selection (45th overall), the team selected forward Matt Lalli (47 points) from Colgate and two picks later Philadelphia selected Jordan Levine (33 points) from Albany. The Wings’ sixth selection (58th overall) was Georgetown University defender Jerry Lambe, a first team All-American as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Defensive Player of the Year. McDevitt, a defender was selected with the 60th overall pick. In 2008, McDevitt collected 58 groundballs and earned second-team All-American while helping the Blue Devils reach the NCAA semifinals. With its final selection in the draft (71st overall), Philadelphia selected Drexel co-captain and defender Grossi, a first-team all-Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) pick. Grossi’s teammate, goalie Bruce Bickford, was picked two choices later by Minnesota. Bickford was the CAA Player of the Year and was fifth in the nation in save percentage (.629) seventh in goals against average at 6.99. Former PW coach selected for Montco Hall of Fame By Chris Goldberg Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/7 Elizabeth “Libby” Williams, who made Plymouth Whitemarsh into a super power in the 1960s and 70s and also was highly successful coaching several sports at Penn, has been selected for induction into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. Williams, Fran Murphy (Upper Merion football), Larry Wilson (Gwynedd Mercy Academy track and cross country) and Skip Wilson (Temple baseball) will be honored Nov. 25 at The 7th Annual Induction Banquet at the Westover Country Club Williams never played lacrosse, but coached 25 undefeated teams in lacrosse, field hockey, basketball and softball at the University of Pennsylvania. She was the head coach at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School from 1960-74 when her teams won eight championships; seven of those teams were undefeated. Williams's coaching record at Plymouth Whitemarsh was 101-13-3. Williams also was an assistant coach for the U.S. national squad from 1980-85 and in 1986 coached Canada in the 1986 World Cup. A member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Williams also coached the Philadelphia 1, 2 and 3 teams at the National Tournament. Williams also has been a pioneer in the sport, helping to start lacrosse at several schools. She also was known for running coaching clinics across the U.S. and Canada, and has run clinics for high school coaches in Philadelphia. She was inducted to the University of Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and is an honorary member of the United States Field Hockey Association. Special stories, information and features today on Phillylacrosse.com Scholastic statistics, standings and All-Americans Philly men and women's collegiate statistics and All-Americans Youth camps, leagues and clinics for the fall in the region 2008 All-Phillylacrosse.com Teams and Players of the Year The most comprehensive list of Lacrosse Links, including scholastic team sites Improve your lacrosse skills and training with the "Lax Tip of the Week" Take a look back at the scholastic polls from 2008 Special feature stories on Philly lax heroes such as Evan Brady and Max Brindle | Wings to start the 2009 NLL season on the road Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/4 The Philadelphia Wings announced their National Lacrosse League (NLL) schedule recently for 2009 and will open with three road games before making their home debut on Friday, Jan. 23 (8 p.m.) against the expansion Boston Blazers at the Wachovia Center. Philadelphia will open against the 2008 Champions Cup winning Buffalo Bandits on Saturday, Jan. 3, in Buffalo. The Wings will see seven different teams over their eight-game home schedule. Philadelphia will play three Friday night games, four Saturday night games, and one Sunday matinee home game at Wachovia Center this season. T “We are very excited about our 2009 schedule, especially at home," said Wings Owner and President Russ Cline. "We start with three very challenging opponents on the road, opening in Buffalo against the World Champion Bandits, (and then playing) Minnesota and Chicago before our home opener January 23 against the new Boston Blazers." Wings 2009 schedule Sat, January 3, 7:30 pm, Buffalo Bandits, HSBC Arena
Sat, January 10, 8:00 pm Minnesota Swarm, Xcel Energy Center Fri, January 16, 8:00 pm Chicago Shamrox, Sears Centre Fri, January 23, 8:00 pm Boston Blazers, Wachovia Center Sat, January 24, 7:30 pm Boston Blazers, TD Banknorth Garden Sat, January 31, 3:30 pm San Jose Stealth, HP Pavilion Fri, February 6, 8:00 pm Buffalo Bandits, Wachovia Center Fri, February 13, 8:00 pm Boston Blazers, Wachovia Center Sat, February 21, 7:30 pm Chicago Shamrox, Wachovia Center Sat, February 28, 12:30 pm New York Titans, New York Sat, March 14, 7:30 pm Minnesota Swarm, Wachovia Center Sat, March 21, 7:30 pm New York Titans, New York Sat, March 28, 7:30 pm Colorado Mammoth, Wachovia Center Sun, April 5, 2:30 pm, New York Titans, Wachovia Center Sat, April 11, 7:30 pm, Toronto Rock, Wachovia Center Sat, April 18, 7:35 pm, Rochester Knighthawks, Blue Cross Arena Philly recruits head PSU's incoming class Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/1 A contingent of six student-athletes from Philadelphia heads Penn State’s incoming men’s freshmen class, which was ranked No. 5 among Division I recruiting groups by Inside Lacrosse. The Nittany Lions’ list includes: *Midfielder Matt Mackrides (Newtown Square, Malvern Prep) is the younger brother of former Nittany Lion standout Andrew Mackrides, and is considered one of the nation's top recruits. One of three Under Armour All-Americans in the class, Mackrides was a two-time high school All-American at Malvern, a three-time All-State selection and a first-team All-Phillylacrosse.com pick in 2008. He was a member of the USA Under-19 World Championship team that claimed the world title this past summer. *C onrad Ridgway (Audubon, La Salle), a 5-10, 185-pound midfielder, is also considered one of the country's top newcomers. An Under Armour All-American and high school All-American, he was a two-time All-State pick and a second-team All-Phillylacrosse.com choice who led the Explorers to the state title this year. *Alex Gannett (Downingtown, Downingtown East) is a 6-1, 190-pound defender who earned high school All-American and was a two-time all-state pick as well as a three-time all-league selection. He helped the Cougars win the 2007 state championship. *Mike Vandergrift (Jenkintown, Abington High), a 6-1, 195-pound, midfielder earned all-state honors twice while being a three-time all-league pick. (CONTINUE) Philly connection helps MLL Dragons finish hot By Chris Goldberg Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/29 Call them Philly West. The San Francisco Dragons – led by eight graduates of Philadelphia-area high schools and three coaches from Philly – finished strong in their 2008 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) season by taking three of their final five games. Overall, the Dragons, guided by rookie head coach and former Philadelphia Barrage assistant Tom Slate (Springfield-Delco), went 4-8 and finished third in the Western Conference. They capped their season Aug. 9 with a 19-15 triumph over Western Division runner-up Los Angeles, 19-15. The Dragons’ lineup was almost completely overhauled from the previous year, when the Dragons struggled through a 4-8 season. During the off-season standout Ryan Powell was traded to Denver for draft picks and Slate and Dragons general manager Doug Locker began rebuilding. By the end of 2008, San Francisco was playing nine rookies and began to mold a team that will go into 2009 with much promise. “That was the first time we’ve beaten L.A. in franchise history,” said Slate, who was assisted by Joe Romano (Penncrest) and Jack Morrison (Ridley). “It was a great way to end the season. “We lost a lot of key guys from the year before, and filled out the lineup with nine rookies. We probably played the most rookies in the league week-to-week. The guys are psyched and excited to get back next year.” The following Philadelphia products played key roles for the Dragons: (CONTINUE) Karcsh enjoyed strong career at G. Washington By Chris Goldberg Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/27 George Washington midfielder Kristin Karcsh (Bishop Shanahan) capped a brilliant career in 2008 by leading the Colonials in three major categories while earning second-team All Atlantic-10 Conference honors for the second straight year. Karcsh paced the Colonials with 31 goals, 42 points and 25 draw controls in 2008. A tri-captain, Karcsh scored the game-winning goal in GW's upset of Richmond April 16 and finished her career as GW's career leader in games played and draw controls, second all-time with 115 career goals and 165 points, third in assists with 50 and fourth with 114 ground balls. Also for George Washington, sophomore attacker Taylor Donahue (Radnor) had 19 goals and five assists. Sophomore attacker Monica Breslin (Haverford High) appeared in three games. GA grad Cohn enjoys big year at Trinity College Senior defender and team captain Ellen Cohn (Germantown Academy), who helped Trinity College (Ct.) reach the NCAA Division III tournament, was recently named to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Honor Roll. Cohn, who graduated from Trinity in May with a double major in public policy & law and American studies, had 14 ground balls and a team-high 19 caused turnovers, as Trinity went 11-7 and 6-3 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The Bantams won two league playoff games and fell to Colby, 14-12, in the NASCAC title game before bowing to Babson, 19-10, in the NCAA tournament. Trinity finished 12th in the nation.
| Phillylacrosse.com is looking for interns for reporting, photography Phillylacrosse.com Phillylacrosse.com is looking for college or high school students interested in becoming a journalism or photography intern for the 2008-09 season. Journalism interns would receive experience in reporting and gathering information as well as being published online. Photography interns would receive experience in still and action photos and have slideshows and individual photos published online. Interns may be eligible to receive credit as part of a college internship program or high school co-operating program. Students also can receive credit for community service or graduation projects. Candidates should have some writing or photojournalism background and an interest or experience in lacrosse. A major focus for interns would be to help Phillylacrosse.com fulfill its mission of promoting lacrosse in the Philadelphia area. Those interested should contact Phillylacrosse.com at golax@phillylacrosse.com.. Field, schedule set for 2nd Colleluori Classic Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/3 The men's college teams competing in the 2nd Annual Nick Colleluori Classic Oct. 11 at Ridley High will feature Philadelphia's Penn, Villanova, St. Joseph’s, Drexel, Widener, Haverford College and Cabrini among a 14-team field. Also in the field are Hofstra, Maryland, Princeton, Loyola, Penn State, Lehigh and Bellarmine. Games will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 11 p.m. with a clinic slated for early in the afternoon. Admission is $10 per person. The rain date is Sunday, Oct. 12 The tournament and clinic will raise money and awareness about the HEADstrong Foundation, which was created to raise money for blood cancer research and to help those afflicted by the disease. The foundation was created in memory of Nick “Head” Colleluori, a 2004 graduate of Ridley High School. Nick was a member of the Hofstra University lacrosse team when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Nick lost his relentless battle to cancer on Nov. 28, 2006, after a 14-month fight. Nick himself developed the idea of HEADstrong and tournament directors have worked to ensure his dream of ending this disease is realized. At 1:00 p.m. there will be a lacrosse clinic and autograph session given by professional and ex-college lacrosse players. It is open to all paid tournament attendees between 3rd and 8th grades. Attendees must bring a helmet, gloves, and arm pads to participate in the clinic.(CONTINUE FOR SCHEDULE) Hoyas' Kahoe transfers to national champions Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/31 Georgetown’s Scott Kahoe, who struggled through injuries since being highly recruited out of Radnor High five years ago, is transferring to defending national champion Syracuse for his final year of eligibility. Kahoe, a 6-5, 220-poound midfielder who was a high school All-American in 2004, said he has fully recovered from shoulder injuries that caused him to miss the entire 2007 season. Last year Kahoe returned to the Hoyas’ lineup following shoulder surgery and played in all 13 games, starting two. He had three goals and two assists and scooped six groundballs. Kahoe was ranked No. 8 among incoming freshmen by Inside Lacrosse in its 2004 recruiting issue. He had six goals and one assist as a freshman in 2005, and scored NCAA playoff goals against Army and Maryland. Kahoe scored two goals in his sophomore year, appearing in all 14 Georgetown games. “Georgetown is one of the best undergraduate educations in the country,” Kahoe told Inside Lacrosse, adding that he is now 100 percent healthy. “It’s also great networking and a great social experience…The friends I made there, on the team and off, are ones I hope to keep in contact with forever.” Kahoe, who was named Central League MVP as a senior and also was named Genuardi’s “Top High School Athlete,” said he feels starting fresh at Syracuse presented a new opportunity. “The past is the past and I kind of wanted to move on,” he told Inside Lacrosse. “I can’t overemphasize how excited I am to play the style that Syracuse uses.” Kahoe is the second Philly athlete to transfer to Syracuse in the past 10 days. John Lade, a defenseman and member of the United States Under-19 team who spent his freshman year at Villanova, also has transferred to Syracuse. Quick Feet Reaction can pay off at end of game By Dave Donovan Of Lacrosse Evolution Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/28 If you can spend hours beating a ball against the wall working on soft hands and pass/shot accuracy, you can certainly train yourself with a few minutes a day to have a quicker reaction time. The gains you can make by doing Quick Feet Reaction (QFR) drills may not be astronomical but could make the difference in the last second of the big game. For these drills you will need a buddy, parent or coach to react to; whether it is verbally or visually. You will begin in good athletic position: with a wide stance, your knees bent, butt back and down, and chest over toes. This will give you a pretty good workout because you will be doing 1-2 minute bursts of quick feet. The term “quick feet,” for those who are not familiar, is tapping your feet as quickly as possible in an alternating fashion while maintaining that athletic position. The buddy, coach or parent prompts the start of quick feet with a go or whistle then every few seconds prompts a quick hip snap, by calling left or right. The hip snap should be a quick twist brining either the left or right foot (depending on the prompter’s call) in front of you as the other goes behind in a hip rotation fashion turning as close to 90 degrees as possible. Then, snap back to feet square as quickly as possible and resume the quick feet. As you make that hip turn your shoulders and torso stay square to the start position. And it is a quick snap to the side and back, there should be no pauses. You can also add a jump up or a hit the ground where you dive down and lie flat on your stomach then push yourself back up and into quick feet. Registration still open for PLA Golf Outing Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/25 Registration is being accepted for the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association (PLA) Golf Outing at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club on Monday, Oct. 20. The annual event supports the PLA's mission to promote the game of lacrosse in the region, particularly its New Start Program, which provides technical and financial assistance to new lacrosse programs. The PLA has provided close to $200,000 in grant support to n ew lacrosse programs in the area since the outing’s inception in 1993. Two major projects of focus now are the Philadelphia Middle School Program and PLA's Berks County Initiative. The PLA has been instrumental in helping launch the Philadelphia School District’s middle school lacrosse program, which will feature a high school junior varsity team in 2009 after several seasons of middle school league play. Last year’s PLA Golf Classic at Rolling Green involved 110 participants, 43 individual and corporate sponsors and raised over $20,000. The proceeds helped the PLA maintain its web site as a portal for lacrosse in the region (www.palacrosse.com), conduct coaches’ clinics, sponsor area tournaments (including the Katie Samson Tournament, the Nick Colleluori Classic, EvanFest and the U.S. Girls Lacrosse Festival) and support area travel teams (including teams competing in the US Youth Lacrosse Festival). At this year’s event, the PLA plans to honor Tom Bruder for his significant and enduring contribution to Pennsylvania men’s club lacrosse. Mr. Bruder, who will serves as Honorary Chair of the event, sponsored and supported the MAB Paints/Philadelphia Lacrosse Club for almost 20 years. The PLA welcomes you and your company’s participation and sponsorship to help ensure the outing’s success. The registration form contains additional specifics regarding sponsorship. If you are not a golfer or cannot attend the golfing activities, you are welcome to attend the cocktail reception and banquet that begins on Whitemarsh’s scenic terrace at 5:45 pm. Please reserve your spot in the outing (or the reception) by completing and returning the event registration form as soon as possible, but in any event before Friday, Oct. 10. |
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