BALLERS ELITE

Game 1 – Blazers 11 Rattlers 9

MVP's: Christian Ferro & Rhys Comstock/Sam Carroccio

In game 1 of the penultimate week of the regular season, the 3-2 Blazers took on the 2-3 Rattlers in an important matchup for Ballers division championship seeding. Talbot Biles kicked off the scoring on the game’s opening shift to give the Blazers a quick 1-0 lead. After both teams killed penalties, Lincoln Zick struck back for the Rattlers to even the score midway through the period, and then a minute later Zick added a sick swim move and score to give the Rattlers the lead. But Leo Patru immediately responded in
a big way with a twister goal for the Blazers to tie the game at 2-2 to end the first period. Biles started the second period the same way he did the first, and scored another goal on the period’s opening shift to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead. But Sam Carroccio quickly responded for the Rattlers to again bring the score to a deadlock. After back and forth play, Talbot Biles and Evan Elkins executed a beautiful box lacrosse pick play, and Elkins buried a goal to give the Blazers the lead at 4-3. But in the span of a minute
Carroccio scored again, and Hank Billings scored twice and suddenly the Rattlers took a two goal lead into intermission. For the 3 rd period in a row, Talbot Biles scored on the opening shift, giving him a hat trick and bringing the Blazers within 1 goal. But Rhys Comstock would not let the Rattlers take their foot
off the gas, and scored immediately to keep the lead at 2 goals. Carroccio followed that with his third of the day to put the Rattlers up 8-5 with 10 minutes left in the game. Michael Ribero extended the Rattler lead to 4 goals, but Christian Ferro finally stopped the bleeding for the Blazers to make it 6-9 midway through the final period. Biles kept the momentum going with his 4 th goal of the day to bring the Blazers within 2, and Ferro brought the comeback to a fever pitch with a on the run snipe l to make 8-9 with under 5 minutes left in the contest. After a Blazers defensive stand, Ferro’s third goal of the day tied the game, and on the ensuing faceoff Biles found Evan Elkins who finished on the doorstep to complete a
wild comeback and give the Blazers a 10-9 lead with 90 seconds to play. Brody McGee added insurance with a diving goal to given the Blazers a wild 11-9 win and put themselves in the drivers seat to make championship weekend! 

Game 2 – Wildcats 4 Warriors 11

MVP's: Jude Dauer & Jack Agnew

The Warriors took on the Wildcats in the second game of the day, with the Warriors desperate for a win, as a loss would eliminate them. But it was the Wildcats who came out swinging, with Jude Dauer taking the opening faceoff down and scoring to open the game. Jack Agnew of the Warriors responded quickly
with a scoop and score in tight. Agnew followed that with a ridiculous behind the back goal to put the Warriors up 2-1. But Weston Nierenberg evened the game up for the Wildcats with a nice finish to tie the score midway through the period to make it 2-2. That score held for the rest of the period after tough defense from both teams. After a back and forth start to the period, the Warriors were awarded a penalty shot. Jack Agnew made no mistake and scored on the penalty shot. But Agnew did not slow
down, as after completing his hat trick he immediately added to the Wildcat lead with another goal on a breakaway finish to make it 4-2 Warriors. The Warriors did not let up, and Agnew found Louis Brown who sniped it home to extend his squad’s lead. Brown added another beautiful snipe late in the second period, and then Jack Agnew ripped his fifth of the game as time expired to make it 7-2 Warriors heading into the final frame. After the teams traded goals to start the 3 rd period, Agnew scored three more goals to give him 9 for the day and to make the score 11-3 Warriors with 4 minutes left. With the Wildcats playing for pride, Knox Niroo showed no quit and scored a ferocious goal, and the game ended 11-4. 

Game 3 – Thunderbirds 8 Swarm 9 (S/O)

MVP's: Oliver Byrne & Beringer N/Clark Wright

The Swarm met the Thunderbirds in the last game of the Ballers division for the week, with the Swarm looking to remain undefeated. After a slow start to the game offensively, Carson Chun weaved through the Swarm defense and scored to put the Thunderbirds up 1-0. After killing a penalty, the Swarm got
their first on a nice goal from Oliver Byrne. Off the ensuing faceoff, Quinn Riihimaki and Oliver Byrne traded goals for their teams to make it 2-2. But the Thunderbirds, determined to ruin the Swarm’s
undefeated season, got a sick breakaway to make it 3-2 as time expired and bring their lead into the break. The Swarm came out swinging to open the second, and Jake Castle scored to tie the game at 3 with a great on the run shot. Soon after, Castle scored with his off hand on a beautiful lefty finish to give the Swarm their first lead of the day. But the Thunderbirds responded off a powerful finish from Beringer Nowinski and midway through the second period the game was tied 4-4. That score held into
intermission, setting up a big final period. The Thunderbirds broke the tie 3 minutes into the period off a Quinn Riihimaki laser from deep. Jasper Johnson followed with another Thunderbirds goal after a Swarm goal was called back on a controversial crease violation. But on the ensuing faceoff Oliver Byrne scored a
big goal for the Swarm to keep them in it, and then immediately followed up with the game tying goal seconds later to make the game 6-6. On the subsequent faceoff, Jake Castle made it three in a row for the Swarm, and then Oliver Byrne got his 5 th goal of the game to cap off a crazy run for the Swarm and make it 8-6 with 3 minutes left in the game. With things looking dire for the Thunderbirds after they took a penalty with 2:30 left, Clark Wright injected life into his squad with an unbelievable shorthanded goal to bring the game within 1. As his team scrambled to come back, Archie Wiedemann looked to feed the crease, but the pass banked off the keeper into the net to give the Thunderbirds they game tying goal they were so desperate for. Tied 8-8, neither team could break through as the seconds waned and the game went to a shootout. Vincent Carman broke through after two rounds of shootout, and the Swarm preserved their undefeated season with a 9-8 victory.

FUTURE ELITE
 

Game 4 – Rock 14 Roughnecks 8

MVP's: Christian Tomasso & Connor Chun

The first place Rock took on the Roughnecks in the first game of the Future Elite division. The game opened up at a frenetic pace, with Roughnecks opened the scoring on an end to end goal from Ryan Hermann to open the game and take the lead. But Rock fired back off a goal from Michael Marschner to even the game at 1, and shortly after Jake Rafii scored to get the Roughnecks the lead back. Not to be outdone, Rock’s Christian Tomasso and Marschner scored three goals straight to give Rock a 4-2 lead. Continuing the high scoring pace, Laws Howard responded for the Roughnecks quickly after, and the game went into intermission at a score of 4-3 Rock. Connor Chun opened the period for the Roughnecks with a sick goal to tie the game. The Rock came out clicking and showed why they were in first place, as Lucas Laudier and Tommasso quickly scored to start the period. Augie Patru added an absolute hammer for the Rock to go up by 3 goals, and then Patru assisted Kellan Moore to make the game 8-4. Moore quickly added another, and in the blink of an eye the massive Rock run saw them go up 9-4. Patru made another impressive feed to Tomasso for the Rock to go up by 6. Showing no quit Connor Chun went end to end as time expired and the period ended 10-5 in favor of the Rock. After the teams traded goals to
begin the period, Tomasso added his 5 th of the game to put the Rock up 12-6. Patru found Moore with yet another great feed to put the Rock up 7 goals, and the game ended with a Rock 14-8 win, clinching their spot in the championship.

Game 5 – Rush 8 Seals 3

MVP's: MJ Sada & Rex Campbell

In the second Future Elite division game of the day, the Rush took on the Seals in a game with massive championship seeding implications. After a defensive start, the Rush broke through when Micah Nesbitt scored an on the run goal, and MJ Sada added another soon after to go up 2-0. Sada again scored to give the Rush a 3 goal lead. After another Rush goal, the period ended 4-0. After the Rush had built their lead to 5-0, Micah Nesbitt scored another great goal off a faceoff to bring the Rush lead to 6 goals. The Seals, down 6, showed fight as Rex Campbell scored to get them on the board and give his team life heading into the final period. But the Rush kept their foot on the gas, and Carson Chun had a nice fake to beat the Seal goalie, and right after Luc Spalter had a beautiful underhand bouncer to make the score 8-1 for the Rush. After the Rush took a penalty, the Seals showed zero quit as Nate Sadosky scored on the powerplay to get the Seals their second. Jacob Purdy took a feed and drove through contact to score, showing the toughness of the Seals to not give up. That score held and the game ended 8-3 in favor of
the Rush.

 

JUNIOR ELITE
 

Game 6 – Vienna 4 Knighthawks 8

MVP's: Elliot Rhines & Brooks Forsythe

The first place Vienna Eskimos took on the Knighthawks in a big matchup for the junior elite division. Brooks Forsythe kicked off the scoring with a sick low to high lefty shot off the wing to give the Knighthawks the lead. Elliot Rhines responded with a goal for Vienna to tie things up at 1 apiece. Forysthe added another off of a sweep and the Knighthawks, and Declan Gill followed him with a nifty finish to make it 3-1 Knighthawks, and that score held into the first intermission. The Knighthawks took a penalty during the first shift of the period, giving Vienna a powerplay, but Sayan Debakhtar scored shorthanded to make it 4-1 Knighthawks. After both goalies made saves, Sayan Debakhtar added another on a low angle snipe to extend the Knighthawk lead to 4 goals. Forsythe completed his hat trick with a shorthanded breakaway goal, giving the Knighthawks a 6-1 lead heading into the final period. Elliot Rhines kicked off the period with an incredible effort, scoring a goal while taking a hit to end the Knighthawks run. Vienna looked to capitalize on the momentum, and a minute later Kellan Harrison cut the Knighthawk lead to 3 with a goal of his own. Brooks Forysthe decided to stop the Vienna run, and ripped his 4 th of the game on a step down hammer. Vienna fought back, and Rhines finished off his hat trick to make it 7-4. With 4 minutes left, Vienna went on a powerplay, but the Knighthawks yet again
scored shorthanded off of a slick catch and finish from Daniel Cecere to make it 8-4.

Game 7 – Mammoth 5 DC Lightning 1

MVP's: Jack DiFrank & Trip Horning

In the final game of the day, DC Lightning took on Mammoth in a big matchup for playoff seeding. Despite taking a penalty, DC Lightning came out firing and took the early lead on an Alex Webb shorthanded goal. A physical period followed, with both teams battling defensively and minimal room on the offensive end. After the Lightning killed off a Mammoth powerplay, the first period ended 1-0 in the Lightning’s favor. After both teams struggled to generate offense, the Lightning broke through to make it 2-0 on a Jack Henry shorthanded goal. Trip Horning finally got Mammoth on the board with a nice shot. With the floodgates opened, Sebastian Zuniga added another to give the Lightning a 3-1 lead. But the goalies tightened up, and again both teams struggled to generate offense. After going two men up on a 5 minute major boarding call, the Lightning cashed in to make it 5-1 and effectively ice the game.