2008 Major League Lacrosse season

The 2008 Major League Lacrosse season was the eighth season of the league. The season began on May 17, 2008, and concluded with the championship game on August 24, 2008.

Milestones and events

Pre-season

  • Following the 2007 MLL season, the league saw a number of head coaching changes:
    • Chicago Machine Assistant Coach John Combs was promoted to the team's new head coach, following the resignation of former head coach, Lelan Rodgers.[1] Rodgers, stepped down from the position to accept an assistant coaching position at Syracuse University.[2]
    • Washington Bayhawks hired former Bayhawks player, and head coach of the Denver Outlaws, Jared Testa to lead the team. Scott Hiller, two-time winner of the Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award remains with the team as general manager.[3]
    • San Francisco Dragons hired Tom Slate to be the team's head coach. Slate had been an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Barrage.[4]
  • There were also a number of trades and player announcements in the off-season:
    • January 23, 2008: The Los Angeles Riptide traded team captain Matt Ogelsby and midfielder Garrett Wilson to the San Francisco Dragons for United States Naval Academy graduate Ben Bailey.[5]
    • March 3, 2008: The Chicago Machine traded midfielder Zach Heffner and hard-hitting defenseman Steve Panarelli to the San Francisco Dragons, for Mitch Hendler and Greg Rommel.[6]
    • March 4, 2008:Washington Bayhawks midfielder, and former Ivy League Player of the Year and 2006 McLaughlin Award co-winner, Joe Boulukos announced his retirement[7]
    • March 11, 2008:The Boston Cannons traded David Mitchell and a draft pick to the San Francisco Dragons, for defenseman Colin Hulme and attackman Matt Alrich.[8]
    • March 13, 2008: The San Francisco Dragons traded former Major League Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year Award and MVP Ryan Powell, and midfielder Nate Watkins, to the Denver Outlaws in exchange for a first round and second round pick in the 2008 MLL Collegiate Draft.[9]
    • May 2, 2008: The New Jersey Pride traded Princeton University all-time leading goal scorer Jesse Hubbard to the Los Angeles Riptide in exchange for a first round 2009 MLL Collegiate Draft pick.[10]

Regular season

Post-season

  • August 24: The Rochester Rattlers win their first MLL championship with a 16–6 win over the Denver Outlaws in Boston.

Standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, 2ptGF = 2 point Goals For, GA = Goals Against, 2ptGA = 2 point Goals Against

Final

Qualified for playoffs
Eastern Conference
TeamWLPCTGF2ptGFGA2ptGA
Rochester Rattlers 93.75020251614
Philadelphia Barrage 75.58316661735
Boston Cannons 75.58318271668
New Jersey Pride 66.50017141793
Long Island Lizards 57.41718861948
Washington Bayhawks 48.33315671873
Western Conference
TeamWLPCTGF2ptGFGA2ptGA
Denver Outlaws 84.66717371604
Los Angeles Riptide 75.58317321578
San Francisco Dragons 48.33314981737
Chicago Machine 39.25015841686

Los Angeles finished ahead of Philadelphia based on head-to-head record of 1–0. Philadelphia finished ahead of Boston based on head-to-head record of 2–0.

All Star Game

The 2008 MLL All-Star Game was played on July 17 at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. The Western Conference team won 31-15.[16] Ryan Powell of Denver was named the game Most Valuable Player.

Eastern Conference All-Stars Western Conference All-Stars
Attack
Spencer Ford (Long Island Lizards)Jake Byrne (San Francisco Dragons)
John Grant, Jr. (Rochester Rattlers)Kevin Leveille (Chicago Machine)
Mikey Powell (Boston Cannons)Brendan Mundorf (Denver Outlaws)
Merrick Thomson (New Jersey Pride)Ryan Powell (Denver Outlaws)
Midfield
Stephen Berger (Long Island Lizards)Steven Brooks (Chicago Machine)
Kyle Dixon (Washington Bayhawks)Greg Downing (Los Angeles Riptide)
Chris Fiore (Long Island Lizards)Benson Erwin (Denver Outlaws)
Shawn Nadelen (Washington Bayhawks)Matt Hanna (Denver Outlaws)
Matt Poskay (Boston Cannons)Kyle Harrison (Los Angeles Riptide)
Paul Rabil (Boston Cannons)Brian Langtry (Denver Outlaws)
Matt Striebel (Philadelphia Barrage)Jeff Sonke (Denver Outlaws)
Joe Walters (Rochester Rattlers)Chazz Woodson (Los Angeles Riptide)
Face-Off
Peter Vlahakis (Long Island Lizards)Anthony Kelly (Los Angeles Riptide)
Defense
Brodie Merrill (Rochester Rattlers)D.J. Driscoll (Los Angeles Riptide)
Chris Passavia (Boston Cannons)Brett Hughes (Los Angeles Riptide)
Nick Polanco (Long Island Lizards)Eric Martin (San Francisco Dragons)
Kyle Sweeney (Philadelphia Barrage)Lee Zink (Denver Outlaws)
Goalkeeper
Chris Garrity (Washington Bayhawks)Mike Gabel (Chicago Machine)
Rob Scherr (New Jersey Pride)Jesse Schwartzman (Denver Outlaws)
Coaches
Bill Daye (Boston Cannons)Brian Reese (Denver Outlaws)
Tony Resch (Philadelphia Barrage)Denver Outlaws coaching staff

Playoffs

The 2008 NB Zip Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend took place on August 23 and 24 at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts. The semifinals took place on August 23 and the final was on August 24.[17]

Semifinals Steinfeld Cup Final
      
4 Philadelphia 15
1 Rochester 16 OT
2 Denver 6
Eastern Conference
1 Rochester 16
3 Los Angeles 12
2 Denver 13

Joe Walters was named MVP for the playoffs

Awards

Weekly awards

The MLL gives out awards weekly for the best offensive player, best defensive player, best goalkeeper, and best rookie.

MonthWeekOffensiveDefensiveGoalkeeperRookie
May1 Jeff ZywickiGeoff SniderMike Gabel
N/A
2 John Grant, Jr.J.J. MorrisseyBrian Dougherty
N/A
3 John Grant, Jr.Peter VlahakisMickey JarboeMike Leveille
June4 Kyle DixonPeter VlahakisChris GarrityMike Podgajny
5 Brian LangtryNicky PolancoRob ScherrMatt Danowski
6 Casey PowellRyan McClayRob ScherrPaul Rabil
7 Michael PowellPeter VlahakisBrian DoughertyKevin Huntley
July8 Merrick ThomsonPeter VlahakisBrian DoughertyKevin Huntley
9 Matt PoskayBrett MoyerMike LevinKevin Huntley
10 Matt BrownBrodie MerrillKip TurnerMike Leveille
11 John Grant, Jr.Greg GurenlianMickey JarboeStephen Peyser
August12 Kevin HuntleyRyan McClayKevin KeenanBrett Queener
13 Andrew CombsAlex SmithMatt ValloneStephen Peyser

Annual awards

Award Winner Team
MVP AwardJohn Grant, Jr.Rochester
Rookie of the Year AwardKevin Huntley[15]Los Angeles
Coach of the Year AwardTony ReschPhiladelphia
Defensive player of the Year AwardBrodie MerrillRochester
Offensive player of the Year AwardJohn Grant, JrRochester
Goaltender of the Year Award Mickey JarboeLos Angeles
Sportsman of the Year Award Tom Zummo[18]Boston
Most Improved Player of the Year AwardMerrick Thomson[19]New Jersey
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References

  1. "Rogers steps down as head coach of Chicago Machine". Our Sports Central. November 14, 2007. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. "Rogers stepped down as Machine Coach". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. November 16, 2007. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
  3. "Jarred Testa named new head coach of Bayhawks". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. December 18, 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  4. "Tom Slate named head coach of Dragons". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. December 20, 2008. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  5. "Riptide and Dragons complete trade". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. January 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  6. "Dragons and Machine conduct trades". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. March 3, 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  7. "Bayhawks Boulukos retires". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. March 4, 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  8. "Cannons and Dragons trade 3 players". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. March 11, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  9. "Dragons trade Powell, Watkins to Denver". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. March 13, 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  10. "Pride Trade Jesse Hubbard To Los Angeles". Our Sports Central. May 2, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  11. "Paul Rabil selected with #1 Overall Pick". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. May 28, 2008. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  12. "Casey Powell: MLL All-Time Scoring Leader". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  13. "Dragons trade Park, Lochte to Bayhawks for McGlone". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. June 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  14. "Hubbard makes MLL history". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  15. "Twelve years of the MLL's Cascade Rookie of the Year and where they went in the Collegiate Draft". Major League Lacrosse. May 18, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  16. "2008 All-Star Game to be played in Denver". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. October 24, 2007. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
  17. "Boston to Host 2008 NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. December 11, 2007. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  18. "Quint Kessenich's 2008 MLL In Review: A-to-Z". Inside Lacrosse. July 23, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  19. "Thomson named Warrior Most Improved Player". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 14, 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
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