In this week’s version of the “Best of the Rest” series we’re going to take our first look at a goaltender, head back out to the west coast and the WLA to take a look at an offensive player who doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves and a transition player who briefly saw time in the NLL with the expansion Boston Blazers. As far as goaltenders getting a chance at the NLL level, it’s easily the hardest position for any up-and-coming player to get a legitimate shot. It’s important we recognize the talents of some of these goalies who have no NLL experience, as many of them have all the skill to play at the NLL, there just are simply not enough positions to get them all employment in the league.
Ian Duffy (G)—Brampton Excelsiors (MSL)
Duffy is coming off his second season of Major Series Lacrosse with the Brampton Excelsiors. Duffy was the primary backup for the Excelsiors this season, although he did get one start, and despite taking the loss, faired very well. A product of the West Durham Rock program, Duffy has had to work hard for everything he’s got in his lacrosse career.
Duffy started his Jr. B career with the Toronto Beaches Jr. B club in 2010 before moving on to the Oakville Buzz in a late season trade. While with the Beaches Duffy had a 2-9 record, but an impressive 7.38 goals against average. Following the trade to Oakville, Duffy went 3-1 with a 6.26 GAA. In 2011 Duffy returned to the Oakville Buzz, where he went 8-6 with a sparkling 6.23 goals against average. The Buzz lost out three games to one in a tough first round series against the Akwesasne Lightning. 2012 was Duffy’s last year of junior and he again returned to the Oakville Buzz. The Buzz were a team thought to be a true championship contender going into the 2012 season. During the season Duffy recorded 11 wins, six losses and one tie, to go along with a 7.38 GAA. The Buzz finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, and where able to dispose of the fifth seeded Newmarket Hurricanes three games to nothing in round 1. The Akwesasne Thunder again ended the Buzz’s season with a three games to one series victory. It’s important to note that Duffy had opportunities to move up to the Jr. A level; he just felt he had a legitimate opportunity to win a Founders Cup with the Buzz, stating the Buzz were a great organization, with a great group of guys and its something he didn’t want to leave.
Duffy is the type of goalie who feels the more he can do, the more valuable he is to a team. He’s never been content as just a ball stopper as he likes to inject himself in battles for loose balls, and get the ball to guys for quick transition chances. Duffy while standing 6’2″ isn’t the bulkiest of goalies, so he relies a lot on reading and reacting to shots and remembering players shooting tendencies. Duffy realizes the challenge of making the NLL is a large one, but feels his experience at Knighthawks training camp the past few seasons, and his experience with the Brampton Excelsiors has shown him he compete at the NLL level.
Cayle Ratcliff (O)—Nanaimo Timbermen (WLA)
Cayle Ratcliff: yes he’s the brother of potent offensive star Lewis Ratcliff, no he does not play the same style of game as him. But with that being said, Cayle Ratcliff is very much an effective scorer and overall offensive player in the WLA. In Ratcliff’s last season of Junior, he finished fourth in B.C. Jr. A Scoring with 34 goals and 34 assists in 21 games. He was also named a B.C. Jr. A Lacrosse League First Team All-Star in 2008.
2009 marked his first season of Senior lacrosse—he suited up for the Nanaimo Timbermen where he has played every game as a senior player to date. As a rookie in the league Ratcliff put up solid numbers, posting 22 goals & 31 assists for 53 points in 17 games. In 101 games of Senior lacrosse with the Timbermen Ratcliff has recorded 100 goals & 120 assists for 220 points. A player who scorers just barely under a goal per game clip has got to have some value at the next level.
Ratcliff is a gritty offensive lefty, with tons of heart, who does all the little things right to make an offense click. He’s a great team guy, who does whatever it takes to win, he’s not the most flashy of finisher’s put he puts the ball in the net. While he’s just 27 years of age, NLL teams may be turned away from him due to his age. If his NLL window has passed, its a shame, because Cayle Ratcliff has what it takes to compete at the NLL level.
Matt Yager (T)—Victoria Shamrocks (WLA)
Matt Yager had an ever so brief stay at the NLL level. In 2009 he suited up for the now defunct Portland Lumberjax, where he scored three goals and three assists for six points in 11 games. In 2011 Yager was also a part of the now defunct Boston Blazers.
Yager is a player that played more in an offensive role as a junior with the Victoria Shamrocks, racking up 21 goals and 48 assists for 69 points in 20 games during the 2009 season, Yager’s last season in Junior. Yager joined the Shamrocks WLA team after graduating from Junior, where he was placed in a transition role.
Yager is a great athlete, with great lacrosse bloodlines (his father played for the Shamrocks back in the day). Yager is often referred to as a transition player with great stick skills, and a top notch scoring ability when found around the net, although these past two seasons Yager has begun to excel more and more at the defensive end of the rink, where he takes pride in shutting down opposing teams’ offensive players. Yager isn’t asked to match up one on one with opposing teams’ offensive threats, but he is a very effective cog in the Victoria Shamrocks hybrid pressure defense. He’s a coach’s dream, being able to be played at any time of the game, penalty kill, faceoff team and last minute defense, just to name a few.
Yager has brought quality depth to a Victoria Shamrocks club who has won back to back WLA championships. There’s no doubt in my mind if Yager can provide quality depth defense to a club as strong as the Victoria Shamrocks he can provide quality depth defense to any NLL club.
