LaxPower Back-Up Stick

Formerhound wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:53 pm Freshman Minicus is starting. Rest of offensive group is Kamish, James, Higgins, Lindsey and Poitras. Pocheco needs to win at least 50% for Hounds to have a chance. Have watched offense past two weeks and they are moving the ball very well. Think they can put up double digits v MD.
Defense is strong. Staudt has looked good last two scrimmages and SSDMs are great. Sally has scored in both games and Payton Rezanka is best SSDM in country. Wyers and Hughes anchor tough D.
Think this game will be much closer than last year’s blowout. Key is whether Hounds get any kind of production from second line middies. So far, best has been freshman Murphy. Heard McGorry is out for season with knee injury so that hurts. Can Bateman get back to where he was two years ago or does he do what he did last year (no goals in 15 games). Heuston also injured. He was a force at the end of last year. Binney has been hot and cold. Last year there was a tremendous drop off between 1st and 2nd middie groups. Caused Toomey to play 1st line way too much. They were tired by the end of every game. Lost a bunch of close games by getting out scored badly in 4th quarter. Need second group to produce. If they don’t then Freshmen 4stars may need to step in early and produce. Can’t see Toomey or Van giving the second line group the leash he gave them Last year.

My prediction is 16-12 MD and win next week v Hopkins.

Formerhound wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:53 pm Freshman Minicus is starting. Rest of offensive group is Kamish, James, Higgins, Lindsey and Poitras. Pocheco needs to win at least 50% for Hounds to have a chance. Have watched offense past two weeks and they are moving the ball very well. Think they can put up double digits v MD.
Defense is strong. Staudt has looked good last two scrimmages and SSDMs are great. Sally has scored in both games and Payton Rezanka is best SSDM in country. Wyers and Hughes anchor tough D.
Think this game will be much closer than last year’s blowout. Key is whether Hounds get any kind of production from second line middies. So far, best has been freshman Murphy. Heard McGorry is out for season with knee injury so that hurts. Can Bateman get back to where he was two years ago or does he do what he did last year (no goals in 15 games). Heuston also injured. He was a force at the end of last year. Binney has been hot and cold. Last year there was a tremendous drop off between 1st and 2nd middie groups. Caused Toomey to play 1st line way too much. They were tired by the end of every game. Lost a bunch of close games by getting out scored badly in 4th quarter. Need second group to produce. If they don’t then Freshmen 4stars may need to step in early and produce. Can’t see Toomey or Van giving the second line group the leash he gave them Last year.

My prediction is 16-12 MD and win next week v Hopkins.

jrn19 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 2:45 pm You’re not beating any of their poles; I suppose you could attack Burlace but he’s drawing whoever the #4 dodging option on the other team is, which for you guys I presume is…Higgins? Not sure on any freshmen who may be breaking into the lineup. That match-up is probably a wash. I don’t see where Loyola wins running by Zapitello/Makar/Geppert.

Last year, if you were gonna dodge Maryland, you did it by attacking their shorties from the wing. They weren’t super laterally quick, but really strong. This year I think it may be the inverse, they’re really quick but not quite as strong. If you’ve got some strong midfield dodgers who can get downhill, do it there. But also this is one game guesstimating, hard to know for sure. They still looked really good.

The offenses that caused them problems last two years were UVA and Ohio State. UVA did it by just running by them and shooting the lights out. I don’t think the first is replicable and you will have to do the second one. The Ohio State one could be possible for Loyola because when that offense works well; they do cut and move off ball so well. But Ohio State got them caught in the wash on adjacent picks and over helping so much and killed them inside. Basically the only team to penetrate the crease against them and get great looks. Of course, Jack Myers is a Top 5 attackmen in the country and uniquely great at being a guy who plays pick game and feeds crease. But Loyola has had success in those areas. Maybe a place to target.

I just see Loyola having trouble getting to a dozen or so goals though, esp if Wierman is 60%+.

On the offensive side, my question is Loyola’s poles after Wyers. If they’re strong, I think they could match up well in terms of stopping Maryland from running by them, which they did with ease a year ago. Rezanka likely gets a good matchup. But if it’s an area of weakness…Maryland had no trouble with Richmond a week ago winning matchups. Maltz looks stronger as a dodger, Murphy can pop at times. Long is always a threat. And you always have to account for just how good they are at hedging off their man and cutting to open space and creating tremendous spacing in their sets. It’s the best run offense in the country for a reason.

Loyola will fare better than Richmond, especially with a great home atmosphere, if their speciality teams are strong I could see it being a competitive game for a time but in the range of mid-teens for Maryland to 8-11 to Loyola is what I see

GreyingHound wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 1:57 pm Dream start for the Hounds. Virtually no mistakes in the first half, and several freshmen playing very well. Losing badly on faceoffs and GBs, but making up for it with solid defense and goaltending.

Disappointing to see so many players in street clothes on the sideline, including Kamish, but the team is playing great.

Cno3putts wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:09 pm Where did they find the announcers. Two should not be covering a quilting bee

Cno3putts wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:09 pm Where did they find the announcers. Two should not be covering a quilting bee

youthathletics wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:44 pm Terps looking like

laxbro11 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 3:01 pm

youthathletics wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:44 pm Terps looking like

No Loyola out played them even with struggles at the X and with clears. Defense is solid. Ridley is electrifying. Greatest place to watch a game.

I am sold on the young players, Minicus, Haberfield played well on the big stage, Just heard in the stands that Wyers was playing sick. Coaches had the players ready to play.

kramerica.inc wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 3:09 pm “Loyola is the 4th best team in the PL.”
-Lacrosse Media