The Durham TurfDogs wrapped up their 2013 campaign with an 11-10 overtime loss to the Toronto Shooting Stars in the CLax Final Four over the weekend. This was a great back and forth battle and it could have gone either way; Durham put in a solid effort and should be proud of their performance. Goaltender Kevin Croswell was their first star in this semi final game and has been a great addition to this TurfDogs squad.
Croswell was acquired March 21st after being released by the National Lacrosse League’s Philadelphia Wings at the previous week’s trade deadline. Croswell was 3-0 going into the championship weekend and made 48 saves in his team’s Final Four loss. It’s likely he’ll return to the TurfDogs next year and if does it will certainly spell trouble for the rest of the Canadian Lacrosse League.
Although Durham finished fifth in the regular season standings, they were only two points out of second place. The league was very tight this year and every team was evenly matched. Durham didn’t have the superstars that other teams boasted but they stood out from the pack with their hard work and determination. The fact that they didn’t have to rely on just one or two guys really helped in their success this season. They played as a team every night and there was no individualism like some of the other teams had this year. This made it difficult for opponents as they weren’t able to key in on one particular TurfDog; they had to be aware of everyone on the floor at all times.
Durham struggled at home this year as they went 2-5 at General Motors Centre. This was particular interesting because they had some of the best crowds in the CLax and that usually sparks teams to perform better. They didn’t play terrible at home, they just weren’t able to feed off the energy of the crowd and step up their game like some teams can when playing at their own barn.
The TurfDogs were road warriors this season and seemed more comfortable as the visiting team, going 5-2 away from the GM Centre. As illogical as that sounds, it actually makes sense as most players live closer to a lot of the road arenas and had less distance to travel to some of their away games. The TurfDogs were even road warriors in the playoffs; they qualified for the Final Four by winning the quarter final game in Brampton.
Durham made a nice trade mid season when they got rid of Dan Ransom and acquired Blake Kenney from the Toronto Shooting Stars. Kenney averaged two points a game for Durham and whether he had the ball or not, he showed plenty of lacrosse smarts on the turf.
Points wise Durham was led by Nic Grasby (19g 34a) but they had several leaders on their team this year. Captain Mitch Dumont (1g 15a) chipped in at both ends of the floor and his efforts were noticed by the CLax who named him a 2nd team all-star.
Graham Bergsma was a wizard in the face-off circle this year which is a huge part of the game of lacrosse. Possession is so key in this game and he was able to get his team the ball at important times of the game. He had 3 goals and 28 assists this season with several of those assists earned from face-off victories. Bergsma can go head to head with any face-off man in the league which makes him a valuable asset to the TurfDogs.
Another player who was impressive was Scott Defrancesco (23g 16a) who showed toughness all season while also adding finesse. At 6’3 it was hard for opponents to stop Defrancesco when he would drop his shoulder and drive to the cage. It’s rare for a big man to also have a quick stick but Defrancesco scored a lot of his goals by burying cross court feeds as he stood on the edge of the crease. On offence he bulldozed his way through opponents but he was also an intimating presence in the defensive zone. Defrancesco is a great two way player and should have a successful and long career as a pro lacrosse player.
Shane Scott deserves the MVP on this team though. He was the most consistent TurfDog this season and showed up to play sixty minutes each and every game. Scott led the team in goals with 31 while accumulating 16 helpers along the way. He has arguably the hardest shot in the Canadian Lacrosse League and maybe even pro lacrosse. With his huge windup it’s obvious to goalies that he’s shooting yet they still can’t stop his canon of shot from hitting the back of the net. It was a huge surprise that Scott was not honored with a CLax individual award and even more shocking that he was not named a first or second team all-star. Fans of Shane Scott won’t have to wait another year to see him play though; they’ll get to see him all summer long as he suits up for the Brampton Excelsiors of the MSL (Major Series Lacrosse).
It’s expected that most of the Durham TurfDogs will return to the lineup next year and they should once again be contenders for the Creator’s Cup. They have a well balanced attack and a young core group of guys which should make them a dominant force in the years to come. The 2013 season might be in the books but you can relieve the regular season and the Final Four game by following the radio link on the In Lacrosse We Trust homepage; all the games have been archived for your listening pleasure.
