After two successful years in the Canadian Lacrosse League (CLax), the Durham Turfdogs took a major step back with a disappointing 2014 season. The Turfdogs finished the year with a dismal 1-7 record, leaving them outside of the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season in 2012.
After starting the year at 1-1, Durham dropped six straight games to close out the substandard year. A major factor to the struggles in the 2014 season for the Turfdogs has been an overall positive for the franchise in development to the next level. Former key players Damon Edwards, Derek Hopcroft and Kevin Croswell are all playing integral roles for their respective National Lacrosse League squads.
A primary bright spot to the Turfdogs season was the outstanding play of rookie Dylan Goddard who finished third among all CLax runners with 17 goals.
The Courtice, ON product finished with 28 points in his freshmen campaign, leading all Turfdogs in points. Goddard was also named to the CLax All Rookie Team for his outstanding freshman campaign.
Goddard is not the only young player who made an impact on the floor for Durham as John St. John and Jordan Robertson each played vital roles for the Turfdogs in 2014. St. John tallied 13 points in his second season in CLax despite being just 19-years of age. Beaches Jr. A product Robertson netted 10 points (6 G, 4 A) in his sophomore season of CLax play.
A pair of CLax veterans put together solid seasons in Brad Levick and Scott Defrancesco, as they put up 19 and 17 points respectively. Alongside Levick and Defrancesco was Josh Wasson who was strong on both sides of the floor.
Captain Mark Farthing was named a CLax Second Team All-Star after his stellar season on defense while chipping in offensively in the transition game. The Peterborugh, ON native netted three goals and five assists for eight points.
With starting netminder Kevin Croswell departing the Turfdogs for the NLL, Durham will look to John Chesebrough and Ryan Masters to duke it out for the starting role between the pipes.
With a core group of veteran players in Levick, Defrancesco and Farthing, accompanied by the young talent of Goddard, Robertson and St. John, the Turfdogs are poised to have a bounce back season in 2015 and find themselves near the top of CLax once again.
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