D poles vs. Shorties

[sinner]

I follow some college lax and watch my fair share of highlights.

As a result, I've heard of some of the recent higher profile players - crotty, seibald, stanwick, brattons, pannell etc.

However, there is an absence of d poless in that list and a lack of recent names that spring to mind.

I suppose there are many arguments you could make as to why (feel free to do so), but I'm more interested in the who.

I know of Merril, Sid Smith, Joel White and a man mountain recently drafted by the cannons ( something like 6'5 and 240 ) potentially one or two other names if pushed, but they're few and far between overall.

Anybody know of a recent d man worth looking out for? Or a good shout for a defenceman with similar prowess to the attacking counterparts named above?

[Rotisserie]

I think it's harder for defensive players to stand out because they constantly work as part of a team. There is nowhere near as much scope for individual brilliance as there is at the other end of the field. That said, a few of the players who spring to mind are:

Brian Karalunas
John Lade
Kyle Sweeney
Kevin Ridgeway
Kyle Hartzell
Brian Farrell
Matt Bocklet
Joe Cinosky

[UKLaxfan]

The fashion in NCAA lacrosse is for defensive systems and team defence rather than the individual take away artists of bygone years.

Having said that there are still star individual LSMs and Dmen out there

Brian Karalunas - LSM Villanova was a turnover machine last season
Brian Farrell - LSM Maryland was a monster for them
Joel White LSM Syracuse you mentioned
CJ Constabile LSM Duke - Face-off and scorer of winning goal in 2010 final

Kevin Ridgeway - D Notre Dame was outstanding 2010 taking ND to the Final
John Lade D (Villanova/Syracuse)
Brett Schmidt D (Maryland)

http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php?story=25442
LaxPower pretty much gives you a who's who of Conference teams and individual award winners

It depends what style of defender you want to folllow
- takeaway
- offensive transition threat
- positional don't get beat guy
- Air Traffic Control, (interceptions)
- physical intimidation (big hitter)

If you like defence then the teams to watch are:-
Notre Dame
Johns Hopkins
All the ACC teams for fast athletic Dmen
Army/Navy
Georgetown usually have some monsters
Syracuse (recently have aggressive D)
Princeton/Cornell (Ivy League have smart defenders)

If it is players for the future
Brian Megill - D Syracuse
Tucker Durkin - Johns Hopkins

Hopkins #43 is usually a good benchmark similar to Syracuse #22 but for Defence
Dave Pietramala / Chris Watson they have had some class defenders wear the #43 at JHU

Hope this helps

[sinner]

Thanks guys.

I'll keep an eye out for them. Will be interesting to see how they cope with certain players and different types of threats etc.

Interesting you say that the defensive focus is a team game. Obviously its similar offensively, but then its the big names/go to guys who regularly make the difference - score on solo efforts, outside shots, draw slides etc.

Arguably, defenseman have to be the best all round athletes (size, strength, speed, intelligence, stick skills) but then it doesnt seem there's too many "go to" defensemen.

I have read stuff on the gait-pietramala match ups, is that type of scenario a thing of the past? Would you say there's many teams with a defensive answer to players like pannell, stanwick etc. i.e our best defender will mark your best player all game? Or is the answer the defensive system they play?

[jamesander]

I`m wery close to try out the Sanderson FF6 blockhuggers, just need to check out if they will clear my Z-bar