Major League Lacrosse on Saturday held its 2012 All-Star Game, Presented by Moe’s Southwest Grill, in front of a crowd of 4,841 at FAU Stadium in Palm Beach County, Fla. The game featured a Young Guns v. Old School format, with players who joined the league between 2001-08 competing for the Old School team while those who joined between 2009-12 represented the Young Guns. Old School edged out the Young Guns 18-17 and Charlotte Hounds midfielder Stephen Berger was named Bud Light MVP for his three goal performance. Berger was the lone representative for the Hounds on the Old School squad, while Billy Bitter, Ryan Flanagan, Adam Ghitelman and Jovan Miller all suited up for the Young Guns.
The Old School team jumped out to a 4-2 lead, including the first from Berger. Their lead was extended to 7-4 early into the second quarter, with another tally from Berger and the first of the night for Paul Rabil of the Boston Cannons. However, the Young Guns put up a three goal run to tie the game at 7. The teams then traded goals, with Berger adding his third of the night, to finish the half in a 9-9 tie.
The goals went entirely back and forth through the first nine minutes of the third quarter, but Old School held the 13-12 advantage thanks to a 2-point goal from Rabil. Old School tacked on two more for a 15-12 lead before Jeremy Sieverts of the Denver Outlaws scored his second of the night for the Young Guns to end the quarter at 15-13 Old School. Ghitelman was in net for the Young Guns during the game’s second quarter, as well as 8:32 of the third. He had six saves on 10 shots in the second and two saves on four shots in the third.
Max Siebald of the Long Island Lizards ripped a 2-point goal for the Young Guns to tie the game at 15-15 with 8:11 left to play. Old School responded with two goals, but the game was quickly tied again thanks to another Young Gun 2-pointer, this time from Brian Ferrell of the Cannons. In the game’s final minute Steven Brooks of the Chesapeake Bayhawks beat Lizards’ goalie Drew Adams to win it 18-17 for Old School. Flanagan led the Young Guns with five groundballs in the game.
Three Hounds also participated in the Bud Light Skills Competition at halftime. Ghitelman attempted “The Gauntlet,†an obstacle course style contest, and finished with a time of 21 seconds. The winner was Joel White of the Rochester Rattlers with a time of 14.62 seconds. Berger and Miller took shots in the “Freestyle†competition, which allows players to show their creativity, but ultimately lost to Hamilton Nationals goalie Brett Queener who threw his stick into the air and spun it around before kicking it into the net for a goal. The “Fastest Shot†contest was won by Ohio Machine defenseman Kyle Hartzell with a speed of 111mph, which ties the MLL record.
The Hounds (2-6) return to regular-season action on Saturday, July 7 when they host the Bayhawks (7-1) at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. In their first meeting this season on June 9, the Bayhawks dominated the Hounds 15-7. Faceoff is set for 7pm
