Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league announced Florida Launch attackman, Casey Powell was voted the Warrior Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and general managers. Powell’s dominance in all aspects of the offensive game, in conjunction with his consistency and high performance throughout the season, earned him the prestigious title.
“Obviously I would’ve liked to be playing in the Championship this weekend but we’ve had a great inaugural season and I am honored to receive this award,” Powell said. “I had great players around me and great coaches who helped me achieve our goals.”
When it comes to the attack, a roster is usually balanced between the givers and the takers. Some men are better at creating the plays, and others have the speed and skill to finish the shot. Powell is unique in the way that his stats are nearly perfectly split between goals and assists. With 30 goals and a career high of 33 assists this season, Powell is a relentless and unpredictable threat in front of the net.
As the All-time Points Leader (468), scoring in all 14 games of the season, Powell also boasts the 2nd best shooting percentage in the league for attackmen (.524). He takes it upon himself to be the best he can be each time he steps on the field. His heart, dedication and incomparable skill are what earned him this year’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
Opening the season with a 6-point game (3g, 3a), Powell set the tone for the remainder of 2014. In each of the first five games alone, he was able to score at least 5 points. Averaging about 4.5 points per game, Powell’s most impressive performance of the season was Florida’s last game against Boston, where he scored 8 points (also perfectly split between 4 goals and 4 assists).
When it came down to the votes, there was no question that Powell deserved the title. Denver’s John Grant Jr. was in second place, trailing by a whopping 44 points. Marcus Holman of Ohio stood in third place with 15 points. Powell’s runaway win speaks to the confidence and pride the league has in his abilities.
“After winning the championship last year with the Bayhawks I had the opportunity to come and play for my hometown here in Florida with some familiar faces,” Powell continued. “After not playing full seasons the last couple of years I wanted to put in the extra effort and play as consistent as possible. It is great to represent where I’m living and help grow the game.”
This season was the true mark of Powell’s comeback. After receiving the Offensive Player of the Year title previously in 2005 with a total of 57 points (27g, 30a), the attack superstar’s career appeared to be winding down. Between 2011 and 2013, Powell played at most three regular season games a year, scoring no more than 6 points each season. It’s only fitting that with the inaugural season of the Launch, Powell initiated the rebirth of his authority on offense. Finishing 2014 with 63 points, Powell had his best statistical season since 2002.
Despite his individual efforts, Powell could not carry his team into the post season. While Florida won’t be competing, you will not want to miss the Championship showdown between the Denver Outlaws and the Rochester Rattlers this Saturday, August 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Kennesaw, Georgia. Get your tickets here.
