The MLL hit its All Star Break this past weekend. With that, some more rookies made their MLL debuts the week before the break occurred. Meanwhile, other rookies such as Jordan Wolf, Justin Ward and Kieran McArdle continued to put up big numbers. How did the rest of the rookie class fare? Check it out.
Chesapeake Bayhawks
Brandon Benn continues to contribute in small doses for the Chesapeake Bayhawks as they try and find their stride and get back into the playoff hunt. On June 28 he scored two goals in the team’s 17-11 win over the Florida Launch. He now has four goals on the season and continues to be a big finisher for the Bayhawks.
Denver Outlaws
Jeremy Noble was shut out in the Outlaws last game before the all star break. While he isn’t expected to be a main offensive force for the Outlaws, he does do many other things that will help the Outlaws. Specifically, he is great in the clearing game and is valuable as a defensive midfielder. He has three points so far on the season as well so don’t think he can’t contribute offensively. Terry Ellis made his MLL debut on June 21 and had one ground ball in the team’s 8-6 win over Chesapeake. Ellis is much more defensive minded than Noble and will be used on defense primarily in the midifeld.
Rochester Rattlers
Jordan Wolf continues to take the MLL by storm as he had four points in the last game before the all star break. In three games, he has nine goals and seven assists for a total of 16 points. He has been a big reason for the Rattlers recent success lately. Miles Thompson scored a goal and handed out an assist in the Rattlers last game before the all star break and has nine points on the season. Mark Cockerton exploded for the Rattlers in their 17-11 win over the Denver Outlaws before the all star break. Cockerton scored six goals and has eight points on the season. Cockerton is a great finisher and will Jordan Wolf feeding him the rock, he should continue to rack up the goals. John LoCascio not only offers great defense but he is also a ground ball machine. He scooped up five more ground balls and now has 30 on the season.
Boston Cannons
Rob Emery was shut out in the team’s loss to the Charlotte Hounds. That broke a streak of two straight games with two points for Emery. So far, he has four goals on the season with all of them coming in the last two games. Emery has a big shot and can really stretch out the defense for the Cannons.
New York Lizards
Brandon Mangan added one more point to his season total but hasn’t played since June 21. Meanwhile, Joe Fletcher had four ground balls in the Lizards 18-13 win over the Ohio Machine and has 16 ground balls in six games played.
Charlotte Hounds
Mike Chanenchuk tied his career high with four points in the team’s 14-12 win over the Boston Cannons before the all star break. He has 11 points on the season and helps stretch out the defense from the midfield position. Justin Ward has 19 points on the season and had five points in the win over the Cannons. He already has 13 assists this season and has showcased his passing skills which made him a great player at Loyola. Thomas DeNapoli has scored a point in six of the seven games he has played so far and has four goals and two assists. He had one goal in the team’s last win. Pat Laconi continues to do it all for the Hounds as he can transition the ball from the between the lines and has one goal and two ground balls so far on the season. Michael Ehrhardt and Henry Lobb each have six ground balls on the season and are getting into the defensive rotation for the Hounds. Ehrhardt can also play LSM and gives the Hounds a ground ball machine on the wings during faceoffs. Lastly, Brendan Fowler appeared in his first game since Memorial Day weekend and is 5-of-15 on faceoffs so far this season.
Ohio Machine
Tom Schreiber added three points to his season total before the all star break occurred. He has 14 points on the season and is a solid third option on the team’s first line and has helped transform this team into the best offense in the league. He also made his first MLL All Star game this past weekend. Jackson Place made his MLL debut before the all start break and had two ground balls. Place was one of the best defensemen in the country and ranked in the Top 5 in caused turnovers while at Bucknell in 2014. Rob Guida also made his MLL debut against the Lizards and had one ground ball in the loss. He is more of a passer than shooter but he can certainly bring the heat if needs be from the outside.
Florida Launch
Kieran McArdle continues to light up the scoreboard for the Launch. Before the all star break, McArdle had a four point performance in the team’s 17-11 loss to the Outlaws. On the season, he has 25 points which leads all rookies and he is starting to put himself in the conversation for the league’s top point getters. Chris LaPierre continues to contribute as a two way midfielder and had two ground balls in the team’s loss to the Outlaws. LaPierre has three goals and 13 ground balls so far on the season. Ryan Creighton, like Chris LaPierre, will see the bulk of his time as a defensive midfielder for the Launch and has seven ground balls so far on the season. He is a tough, gritty player who is not afraid to mix it up with bigger players. Matt Harris continues to see time in the defensive rotation as he has played the last four games for the Launch. Harris also has 10 ground balls on the season and will figure to get steady playing time. Lastly, Tyler Knarr made his MLL debut over the past couple of weeks and went 2-of-9 on faceoffs. Knarr was one of the best faceoff men in the country for Georgetown this past season and should shore up things for the Launch down the line.
