How does a 3-3 zone defense work in lacrosse. What are the key principles of a backer zone defense. Which offensive strategies are most effective against zone defenses in lacrosse. How can teams practice and prepare to face zone defenses.
Understanding the Basics of Lacrosse Zone Defenses
Zone defenses have become increasingly popular in lacrosse over the past decade, especially at the collegiate level. While man-to-man was long considered the standard, more teams are now employing zone schemes to disrupt offenses and limit outside shooting opportunities. Two of the most common zone formations are the 3-3 zone and the backer zone.
The 3-3 Zone Defense
The 3-3 zone divides the defensive half of the field into six boxes, with three defenders positioned high and three positioned low. Each defender is responsible for their assigned area or “box”. When an offensive player enters a defender’s zone, that defender picks them up. If no offensive player is in their zone, the defender collapses towards the middle to provide help defense.
Key Principles of the 3-3 Zone
- Defenders pass off offensive players as they move between zones
- Double teams can occur when an offensive player dodges hard into a new zone
- Off-ball defenders crash to the middle to clog passing and shooting lanes
- Communication is critical as defenders switch assignments
The Backer Zone Defense
The backer zone utilizes one defender (the “backer”) who roams the middle of the field, similar to a free safety in football. The other five defenders match up with offensive players but can pass them off to teammates. The backer provides help defense and covers the middle.
Offensive Strategies for Attacking a Zone Defense
Beating a zone defense requires patience, ball movement, and smart off-ball play. Here are some key offensive strategies to employ:
Quick Ball Movement
Rapid passing forces the zone to shift and can create openings. How quickly should an offense move the ball against a zone? Ideally, the ball should be moved every 1-2 seconds to keep the defense scrambling. This prevents defenders from getting set and allows the offense to exploit gaps as they appear.
Overloading One Side
Putting multiple offensive players on one side of the field can overwhelm that section of the zone. This often forces the defense to compensate, creating opportunities on the weak side.
Skip Passes
Long passes that “skip” over a section of the zone can catch the defense out of position. These passes are especially effective after overloading one side.
Attacking from Behind the Goal
Initiating offense from X (behind the goal) can be effective against a zone. This forces the defense to turn and lose sight of cutters in front of the goal.
Key Player Movements to Beat a Zone
Successful offense against a zone requires coordinated off-ball movement. Here are some essential player actions:
- Cutters slashing through the middle of the zone
- Shooters finding open space on the perimeter
- Screeners setting picks to free up teammates
- Feeders drawing defensive attention to create openings
Practicing Against Zone Defenses
To effectively prepare for zone defenses, teams should incorporate specific drills and scenarios into their practice routines.
Zone Recognition Drills
Run drills where offensive players must quickly identify the type of zone being played and adjust accordingly. This improves decision-making and reaction time in game situations.
Ball Movement Exercises
Practice rapid passing sequences against a zone defense. Focus on making crisp, accurate passes while maintaining proper spacing.
Shooting Drills
Set up shooting drills that simulate game-like scenarios against a zone. This helps players find and exploit shooting lanes more effectively.
Common Mistakes When Facing a Zone Defense
Teams often struggle against zones due to several common errors. Avoiding these pitfalls is crucial for success:
- Forcing shots too quickly instead of working for better opportunities
- Failing to move off-ball, making the offense stagnant
- Over-relying on dodge attempts that the zone can easily contain
- Neglecting to attack from behind the goal
- Poor communication leading to turnovers
Adapting Your Offense to Different Zone Formations
While the 3-3 and backer zones are common, teams may encounter various zone formations. The ability to quickly recognize and adapt to different zones is crucial.
Identifying Zone Types
Train players to quickly assess the defensive formation they’re facing. Look for telltale signs such as defender positioning and movement patterns.
Flexible Offensive Sets
Develop offensive sets that can be easily modified to attack different zone types. This allows for seamless in-game adjustments.
Multi-Purpose Plays
Design plays that can be effective against both man-to-man and zone defenses. This prevents the need for complete strategic overhauls mid-game.
The Role of Coaches in Preparing for Zone Defenses
Coaches play a crucial role in preparing their teams to face zone defenses effectively. Here are key responsibilities for coaches:
- Scouting opponent tendencies and preferred zone formations
- Developing game plans tailored to specific zone types
- Teaching players to recognize and exploit weaknesses in zones
- Making in-game adjustments based on the defensive looks
- Providing clear communication from the sidelines
Advanced Techniques for Zone Offense
As teams become more proficient at attacking zones, they can incorporate advanced offensive techniques:
Two-Man Games
Utilize pick-and-roll or give-and-go actions to create mismatches and confusion within the zone.
Hybrid Formations
Implement offensive sets that blend elements of different formations, making it harder for the zone to predict and react.
Tempo Changes
Alternate between quick-strike offense and deliberate possessions to keep the zone off-balance.
How can teams effectively utilize two-man games against a zone? The key is to create momentary 2-on-1 situations within a section of the zone. This can be achieved through well-timed picks, cuts, and passes that force defenders to make split-second decisions on who to cover.
The Mental Game: Psychological Aspects of Facing a Zone
Successfully attacking a zone defense isn’t just about X’s and O’s; it also requires the right mindset and mental approach.
Patience and Discipline
Players must resist the urge to force shots or make risky passes. Maintaining composure and working for high-percentage opportunities is crucial.
Confidence in the Game Plan
Teams need to trust in their preparation and stick to their offensive strategy, even if initial possessions don’t yield immediate results.
Adaptability
Players should be mentally prepared to adjust their play style and embrace different roles as needed to exploit the zone’s weaknesses.
How can coaches foster the right mental approach for facing zones? Regular visualization exercises, situational drills, and positive reinforcement can help players develop the mental toughness and adaptability needed to excel against zone defenses.
Evaluating Success Against Zone Defenses
Measuring a team’s effectiveness against zones goes beyond just looking at the final score. Coaches should consider various metrics to gauge performance and identify areas for improvement.
Key Performance Indicators
- Shot quality (not just quantity)
- Time of possession
- Assist percentage
- Turnovers forced by the zone
- Success rate of specific offensive sets
Film Analysis
Reviewing game footage is crucial for identifying both successful strategies and areas needing refinement. Coaches should look for patterns in how the zone reacts to certain offensive actions and adjust accordingly.
Player Feedback
Gathering input from players about their comfort level and understanding of the zone offense can provide valuable insights for coaches.
What metrics are most indicative of success against a zone defense? While scoring is obviously important, coaches should pay close attention to assist percentages and shot quality. A high number of assisted goals often indicates effective ball movement and player positioning against the zone. Similarly, consistently generating high-percentage shots, even if they don’t all fall, suggests the offense is successfully creating quality opportunities.
The Future of Zone Defenses in Lacrosse
As the game of lacrosse continues to evolve, so too will the strategies for both implementing and attacking zone defenses. Staying ahead of these trends is crucial for long-term success.
Emerging Zone Variations
New hybrid zone formations are likely to emerge, blending elements of different defensive schemes to create unique challenges for offenses.
Technological Advancements
The use of data analytics and video analysis tools will become increasingly important in game planning and making real-time adjustments against zones.
Rule Changes
Potential modifications to rules, such as shot clocks or defensive positioning restrictions, could significantly impact the effectiveness of zone defenses.
How might future rule changes affect the use of zone defenses in lacrosse? One possibility is the implementation of a more stringent shot clock, which could make it harder for defenses to employ passive zone schemes that aim to slow down the game. This could lead to more aggressive, trapping-style zones that seek to create turnovers rather than simply contain offenses.
As lacrosse continues to grow in popularity and complexity, the ability to effectively attack and defend against zone defenses will remain a crucial skill for teams at all levels. By understanding the principles behind these defensive schemes, implementing smart offensive strategies, and continually adapting to new trends, teams can position themselves for success against even the most challenging zone defenses.
The Day – After a long wait, Griswold girls’ lacrosse is back to making its mark
New London — It is the typical storyline that COVID-19 has brought into being. In 2019, the Griswold High School girls’ lacrosse team qualified for the Class S state tournament for the first time in program history, seemingly full of momentum headed into 2020.
Then, nothing, as the season was canceled.
“I did a lot of wall ball by myself,” Griswold senior midfielder Abbie Wing said. “I’m really excited to be able to play again. For the senior class, this is our year to leave a mark. We have a lot of new players. I’m really, really proud of this team.”
Wing scored six goals Thursday afternoon in a 13-7 victory over New London in an Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II game, which was a rematch of Griswold’s 19-11 win over the Whalers on opening day.
New London pulled within 5-4 with 6 minutes, 39 seconds left in the first half on back-to-back goals by Emilia Skrabacz and Je’Licia Rivera.
But Griswold scored the final three goals of the half, starting with a quick strike by Kylie McCormack on a rebound after a save by New London goalie CheryAnn Lubin to push it to 6-4. Griswold then made it 7-4 on a fast break goal by Wing that was started by a stop from Wolverines’ freshman goalie Adrian Walders and Wing tacked on a goal with 3:33 to play in the half, her fourth, for an 8-4 Griswold advantage.
New London started the second half with a free position goal by Skrabacz, but Griswold came back with a string of four straight goals to give it a decisive 12-5 lead.
Kenadee Rubino scored three times for Griswold (4-4, 3-2) and Emily Aviles twice. Skrabacz had four goals for New London (2-7, 2-7) and Aislinn Strecker two.
Wing was an ECC Division III first team all-star in 2019 as Griswold finished the regular season 8-8 to earn the 15th seed in Class S, dropping a 10-8 decision to No. 18 Law in the qualifying round. The 5-foot-9 Wing, who takes the draw for the Wolverines, shuttling back and forth from middie to attack, will play next year for Division III Worcester State.
“We just want to make sure Griswold is a team in the future that people want to beat,” Wing said. “… The team has improved overall. We’ve been working really hard on our defense; a lot of what we got today came from our defensive stops.”
The Wolverines are coached by Martin Malchunas, in his first season.
New London, meanwhile, also has a first-year coach in Amy Christian, who was hired to take over last season but also had to wait a year. When New London finally got on the field, Christian found a core group of players who are brand new to lacrosse but have impressed her with their effort and attitude.
The Whalers take time after games to talk about the positives they accomplished and Christian said the returnees, including 2019 All-ECC picks Lubin and Nadya Murphy, are always willing to take time to help the more inexperienced crew.
“They just are a great group,” Christian said. “They lift each other up. They help each other. If I’m running a drill somewhere else on the field, they will pull girls aside themselves.
They lift each other up. They encourage people. … (They’ve improved) their overall lacrosse IQ, communicating as a team, working together as a team.”
Can Your Lacrosse Team Beat A Zone Defense?
Very few teams played a lot of zone defense in college lacrosse 10-15 years ago. Almost no D1 teams ran it the majority of the time, and only a handful of D2 and D3 teams were using it heavily. The general consensus was that outside shooters at the D1 level would be too much for a zone to handle.
I have argued against this theory for a couple of years now, and it looks like the tide is finally turning, as more and more D1 teams are using some form of zone defense. The successful ones find a way to cut down significantly on deadly outside shots from the opposing offense.
Photo Credit: Greg Vasil
This begs the question: Can your team beat a zone defense? It’s simply not the same as attacking a man-to-man scheme, so can your team beat a really good zone? It’s a question you’ll likely have to answer sooner or later.
Before we talk about the complexities of beating a zone defense, we need to talk about the principles of a zone defense, and the two most common forms of a zone defense.
Form 1 – The “3-3” Zone
The 3-3 basically creates six boxes on the field, centered around a low crease, and players are responsible for anyone who enters their box. If a defensive player does not have anyone in their area of the field, they crush down to the middle and help on the crease, but remain responsible for players who enter their portion of the field.
Offensive players are usually passed from defender to defender on the outside, or doubled if they are dodging hard into another zone or the middle of the field. Defensive players can switch zones as well if they decided not to pass a certain player, or in a certain zone. This is a very basic form of zone. It is often used to sit back against teams that lack great outside shooters, and is more of a read and react type of defense.
When people generally talk about zone defense, and how it’s not a great defense, this is often what they are referring to.
Form 2 – The “Backer” Zone 2-2-2
The Backer is similar to the 3-3 in some of the principles list out above. Offensive players are often passed from defender to defender on the perimeter. Players are still responsible for their zones, and can switch zones. You can sit back with this zone as well, but it’s structure allows for the defense to dictate more, and apply better pressure on ball.
This form of zone utilizes a 2-man crease system, where all coverage bubbles extend from the crease. There is a high and low crease man, and then two low post defenders. Each player in this lower chevron is responsible to get out and play any man in their bubble, but the primary concern is crowding the crease, back side looks, and passing lanes. With the backer zone, defenders will often stay on a man carrying from the wing to X, and then switch zones once the ball moves on.
As you can see, it’s basically a 2-2-2 or a “box and 2” defensive set up.
The two short sticks seem to be out on and island up top, but teams will typically either force guys down the wings knowing that a low defender is ready to take on the dodging middie, or they will actually force them to the middle and double with the longstick from the high crease. The crease is already covered by the low and back side defender in that case, and the only open look is behind the offensive player. If he does make the pass, the D has time to reset. The key is that the D-mids get their opponents to go where they want them to every single time.
The backer zone is complicated, and relies heavily on communication, trust, and comfort within the system. It often takes younger players a season or two to learn fully, whereas the 3-3 is more simple, and easier to learn. But it allows for the defense to do a lot more, and put the offense in bad situations. It also possesses tempting soft spots, which allow offensive teams to take seemingly good shots from the outside.
These soft spots are predictable, and teams who play this zone make sure their goalies see plenty of these predictable shots in practice.
Shooter’s “soft” spots.
Many offenses are tempted to shoot from 12-13 yards, and when they do so from the low angles arrows above, they have truly settled for a bad shot. When they shoot from the better angle arrows, they are getting an ok shot, but one that is score-able for many D1 players. The key here is to have a goalie who is great on outside set angle shots. The zone won’t give up much inside, but you need a keeper who can stop an outside rip or ten.
If you do posses this goalie, the backer zone becomes an offensive defense. It makes things happen in terms of turnovers, but can also lead to predictable shots, open outlet passes, and plenty of transition the other way. Oh, and it is much harder to beat than a basic 3-3!
Beating The Zone, Finally
In order to beat a 3-3 zone, you can use a relatively simple 3-man overload on one side of the field.
Put three players in a tight space on the wing, and have the ball carrier dodge into a double (he knows the double is coming). As he does this, the other two offensive player slip picks or cut to scoring space, creating a quick 2 on 1. Move the ball, and a goal from 5-9 yards out is all yours.
Photo Credit: Craig Chase
Another option is to dodge from up top with a midfielder and take the alley, as the defender comes up to meet you in the lower zone, roll back quickly and attack the middle of the field. Your other two middies have stayed up top. The middle midfielder cuts through to the crease, the midfielder on the far side cuts to the middle of the field, 12 yards out, receives a pass, keeps running, and scores. This one is all about timing and making the first cutting middie a true threat so the second option opens.
The basic lesson is to create a double team, and then flood that area with two more players and force that third defender to make a choice. Go with whatever option he decides against.
To practice this, run three on threes in tight spaces. Make sure that your other three offensive players are staying “dangerous” so the backside can’t help. They should be threats to score to keep other defensive players from crashing over too hard.
Beating the Backer Zone is a little harder. You can overload a typical 3-3 zone for good inside looks, and decent shots from short distance. A skilled dodge to pass team with some shooters can have a field day. But a Backer Zone doesn’t allow for the overload quite as much, as two defensive players are more or less dedicated to the crease, sliding, and knocking down both passes and people. As a defender, you don’t ever really get beat in a backer zone, the slide just comes from somewhere else, so you go with it. Doubles are good. And since the crease and backside are all jammed up, there is really only option… and that’s the dreaded far side, where all those sticks are jamming up the lanes.
If you can attack effectively from X, and draw not only the bottom crease man, but also the lower defender, the short stick DM on that side of the field is pulled down to the next attackman.
The LSM is kept on the high crease, the other SSDM has to then split the top. If you also possess a good shooter or dodger from up top, the attackman gets a pass through (or more likely, over) the defense, and the midfielder has about 2-3 seconds to attack the cage without a great slide lined up. Then the defense recovers, so this MUST be done with urgency.
Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan
This approach can work from the wing as well, but the look often switches from a wing to wing pass (similar to the X to middie pass laid out above) to a wing to wing to cutting high crease set of passes, as that LSM should fire out on an attackman getting topside on goal. It’s all about timing and patience, and the ability to attack one side of the field and quickly swing the ball to other side and then attack again. In the end, passing through a defense is harder than passing around the outside of the defense, and that is what makes the Backer Zone so effective. Against a 3-3 outside ball movement works, against the backer you have to pass THROUGH the defense to get consistent chances.
If you can attack, pass through, and then attack again quickly, you can see success, but you have to practice this approach. Knowing what you’re going to do and being confident in your looks is key. If it isn’t there, pull it out and try again. If you rush shots, the zone is winning.
Are There Any Drawbacks?
At this point, you must be asking yourself why every college team doesn’t run a backer zone, and it’s a fair question… but this more complex zone scheme does indeed have its drawbacks. First off, it takes time to install and learn, and I am not talking about 2 months of preseason or fall ball here. I’m talking about 2 YEARS in many cases. It can literally take that long to figure out all the details (like I said, it’s more complex than I will explain here, but I’ll spare you the minutia for now), find the right personnel, and get all your players on the same page. Building the trust alone to run a good backer will take months.
When we started off with it at Wesleyan over ten years ago, we had smart guys, but we did not get it right away, and we practiced it ALL THE TIME.
We ran man a bit, but rarely. We were a zone team, and it still took us a while to really find the right way to play within the system. Defensive players today at Wesleyan often take a year or two (or three) to really shine because the zone is that complex. And this scares a lot of programs away.
Other than that, I don’t honestly see many weaknesses in an aggressive backer zone, and I’m surprised more D1 programs don’t run it. NY Tech won a ton of D2 titles running zone under Jack Kaley (it’s where Wesleyan got their zone as well), and if done right, it can work anywhere. If you’ve got any ideas, throw them in the comments. I’m always interested in talking a little zone.
(Older posts on Zone Defense: The Honest Truth About Zone Defense In Lacrosse, Why Don’t Some People Understand Zone Defense In Lacrosse?, & Quint Still Doesn’t Understand Good Zone Defense)
Syracuse lacrosse will be down a defenseman/wing against Stony Brook
Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse will be down a defenseman and one of its faceoff wing players when it hosts Stony Brook on Friday.
Landon Clary won’t play after leaving last week’s 17-13 victory against Vermont with an injury, coach John Desko said Wednesday.
Desko didn’t say what the nature of the injury was or how much time Clary would miss.
“We’re waiting to see,” Desko said. “You won’t see him this game.”
Clary, a second-year freshman from Oakridge, North Carolina, is part of the team’s defensive rotation and faceoff unit on the wing.
“He has a great future here at Syracuse,” Desko said during his weekly press conference via Zoom. “Very athletic, fearless on the groundballs. He doesn’t care who’s around or if he’s about to get checked or hit. He’s going to go after the loose balls, which makes him big on the wing on the faceoff.
“He can play two positions, especially his freshman year when we weren’t asking a lot of him, we would bring him down and play close defense and play up top. He’s doing very well at close defense.”
His absence comes at a time the Orange is looking to bounce back from a one-sided outcome at the X during last week’s win.
Vermont won 24-of-34 (.706) faceoffs and beat the Orange on groundballs (42-29).
“If you look at the stats, you might think the other team won,” Desko said.
Syracuse, playing at a decisive possession disadvantage, converted more than 50% of its shot attempts into goals against Vermont.
Stony Brook is only succeeding at a .457 clip at the X, ranking 43rd nationally.
Desko hinted that would be an area to watch during Friday’s game as Stony Brook likes to push the pace of play.
“I’m not sure you can play real fast if you don’t have the ball a lot,” Desko said.
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Which Lacrosse Position is Better For You
Okay, let’s cut to the chase here.
You’ve just started playing, you are looking at all of the Lacrosse positions on the field, and you are wondering where you are going to fit in. Attacker, middie, defender or goalie, you may think you are right for a certain position, but your skill set, your body style or your mind set may make you better for somewhere else. So, let’s go over the Lacrosse positions and see where you might work out best.
Attacker
Not only do you have to have exceptional stick handling skills, but you have got to be a killer shot on goal. You must have an in-your-face attitude, and then you have to back it up. You can’t be afraid to stick your nose in the action, and when you do, you better make the shot. That’s what makes a good Lacrosse attacker, and if you are a little bit cocky, so much the better.
Midfield
Your stick handling must still be awful good, but first and foremost, you must be a runner. Lacrosse middies run up and down the field setting everything up, so you have got to be long winded, but most importantly, you’ve got to be able to pass the rock effectively.
Although you’ll get some shots on goal, it’s primarily your job as a midfielder to get the ball to an attacker and let them take the shot. You cannot be selfish here, so if you would rather pass the ball and make the play happen, then being a middie is right for you.
Defender
This is the backbone position of any Lacrosse team, and if you like sticking your helmet into the thick of things and have no fear, a defender might be right for you. You can be bigger and less mobile here, your stick work doesn’t have to be great, but your aggressiveness does, and if you think of yourself as an enforcer, the defense is probably your style.
Goalie
If athleticism is your forte, then you’ll fit right in as a goalie. Hand-eye coordination is the key at this Lacrosse position, but being nimble and quick are also an absolute must. Regardless of any stick handling skills you have or do not have, if you can get in the way of the ball and keep it from going in the net, than being a goalie is where you’d be best suited.
FOGO
This is the most specialized position Lacrosse, and if your skill set is limited, but you are quick on the draw, you may qualify as a FOGO. (That stands for Face Off and Get Out, by the way.) All this position needs to do is win the face off, and that’s it. If you do nothing else but practice clamping, pinching and raking, and you are quick enough to get away with it time and time again, you could, literally, come in for the face off, win it and get the ball to your team, then get off the field.
The above mentioned are the basic positions, but one more thing needs to be said. It doesn’t matter where you want to play, what your skills are or whether or not you can handle a stick. What you must have, more than anything else is desire.
Lacrosse is a team sport, and the most important position and mindset is being a team player. Put in your practice time, both with your team and alone, support your teammates and coach. Those are the first Lacrosse positions.
Pat March’s rise from coaching D-III to crafting Syracuse’s offense
In 1998, when March was in elementary school, he and Patrick attended every game of the World Lacrosse Championship at Johns Hopkins. At one game, Patrick asked March, “Where have you been the last 20 minutes?”
“Oh, I was playing catch with Casey Powell,” March replied.
A few years later, the Baltimore Bayhawks were founded as part of Major League Lacrosse, and March would watch the team’s practices with friends.
“He was meeting people around the sport and everything,” Patrick said. “And that was the thing. Lacrosse is so different than any other sport where … a little kid can just walk up to them, and they’ll play catch with them, you know, they’ll talk to them and everything.”
During the all-star game of a recruiting tournament March’s senior year, he caught the ball off a ride and stormed in on a breakaway. He tucked his stick between his legs and rolled forward, shooting as he popped back up from the ground. From the sidelines, D-III Roanoke College assistant coach Carl Haas couldn’t believe March even tried the move, let alone scored with it. March learned the trick from former Princeton midfielder Josh White at a day camp, Patrick said, and it packaged March’s confidence and creativity on the field.
“I was like, that’s pretty, you know, you got a lot of gumption to do something like that,” Haas said.
March filled the final offensive spot in the Maroons’ recruiting class late in his senior year, Roanoke head coach Bill Pilat said. They needed a left-handed player at the time, and March fit the bill. Pilat remembered initially saying that March looked “too small” when seeing tape of him. But Haas pushed for the Maroons to sign March.
“Carl really liked Pat, really said he thought he could be a great player,” Pilat said. “And Carl was right.”
He was the kind of guy where every day I’d come to the office and he was already in and drawing things up and asking, ‘What do you think about this coach?’
Dave Webster, former Dickinson head coach
March played four years at Roanoke, finishing with the fifth-most points (243) and fourth-most goals (152) in program history. He still shares the record for most assists (6) in a single game with the school and earned honorable mention All-American honors twice.
“We were really, really lucky to get him at Roanoke,” Haas said. “And he helped the team get to achieve some of those heights that I think will probably live on in a lot of the memories of some of those guys who played during that time.”
March stayed with the Maroons in 2011 to help coach, something March’s dad knew he’d end up doing in some capacity. March always had a strong understanding of offenses and what weaknesses the defense presented, Pilat said.
March worked primarily with the offense and the man-up unit, providing input on personnel and playcalling. He didn’t travel much for recruiting but led campus visits for recruits and helped ease transitioning freshmen.
“I didn’t hold him back,” Pilat said. “We let him do whatever he wanted to do.”
After a year at Roanoke, March moved to D-III Dickinson. He spent two seasons there working under head coach Dave Webster. At the time, Webster wanted to shift to a higher speed of play. March was “a great hire” after having played in a high-octane system at Roanoke, he said.
“He was the kind of guy where, every day, I’d come to the office, and he was already in and drawing things up and asking, ‘What do you think about this, coach?’” Webster said.
March’s time coincided with Dickinson’s all-time leading point-getter, Brian Cannon. Like he’d do years later at Princeton with Michael Sowers, March helped Cannon develop his game around the goal-line extended, where the majority of Cannon’s goals came from.
Before working with March, Webster said he would have discouraged the tight-angle shot, as it’s traditionally a low-quality shot. But Webster eventually became a “big fan,” he said.
“It’s less about where your feet are and more importantly where the head of your stick is,” Webster said. “While it looks like a low angle because of your feet kind of behind the goal, with the stickhead forward and momentum and whatnot, you know, it works if you practice it.”
Working at the D-III level taught March to “grind,” Haas said. There is no set recruiting calendar or athletic scholarships to offer. There’s a larger pool of players to draw from, which makes finding the right recruit more difficult. March had a keen eye for talent, though, Haas said.
March stepped up to the D-I level in 2014 at Vermont. In three years at Vermont, March worked with many Canadian players coming from box lacrosse backgrounds. He ran a “pairs” offense, similar to what Princeton used at the time. The offense utilizes two-man games around the field without much cross-field ball movement.
Prior to hiring March at Princeton in 2017, Tigers head coach Matt Madalon spoke with him about switching back to a traditional system, Madalon told The Daily Orange last year. Sims, who was a junior at Princeton when March entered, remembers March instituting more alley-dodges, which current Syracuse players also noted. In a system called “400,” Princeton placed three midfielders at the top of the offensive zone and a player in the middle and attacked from the high wings, Sims said.
Shooting became more of a focus for the team, both Sowers and Sims recalled. March stressed changing levels when shooting, like going from high to low, Sims said. Attacking the middle of the field became a priority so players had the full cage to shoot at instead of tighter angles, Sowers said.
True Midfield | Premier Lacrosse League
When I was in 5th grade, I was given my first (of many) hand-me-down lacrosse sticks. I showed up to the first day of practice and the coach was handing out jerseys, so I made sure to grab #13 like my oldest brother Glenn. After all, it was his stick I was carrying over my shoulder that held all of my gear. Then came the time to choose a position, and I went through a goldilocks-esque selection process to find my “just right” bowl of porridge.
I quickly learned that being confined to an 18ft diameter circle while everyone tries to shoot the ball with a middle school level of remorse, wasn’t for me. If I played goalie, before someone shot the ball, I was already outside of the crease looking to run the clear, shouting at a middie to stay back because I’m headed to the rack. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those that accept the burden of being the last line of defense, but for me – this was too cold.
Inflicting pain on the opposition has always been a byproduct of playing the sport, not necessarily the main objective. Nothing clicked in my head when Coach Gray screamed in our tiny impressionable faces, “You gotta rip his [expletive deleted] arms off baby!” This was back in the good ol’ days when it was OK to scream at your players. When I played D, again I found myself shouting at midfielders to stay back because I was ahead of the play pushing transition. And to be honest, most defenders crossing the midfield are like dogs unleashed on a squirrel; they wouldn’t know what to do with the opportunity. I’ve always admired defenseman with the precision, physicality, and ability to disrobe an opponent with a couple of waves of the pole. Overall, this bowl was too hot and not where I saw myself long term.
Once I failed to do things exactly like Mikey Powell (like everyone failed), playing attack lost its luster. Also, it just didn’t hit for me because I couldn’t take an omnipresent midfield line restricting my domain. Everyone raised their hand when the coach asked, “Who wants the next attack shift?” – but I decided to subscribe to the idea that middies are the workhorses and attackmen cash in on that hard work. Scoring a goal is one of the best feelings in the world, but I’d rather be a workhorse. This bowl was also too hot.
Then there was midfield, and boy was it jussstttttt right. I stripped myself of #13, and stepped into #8 which I felt was fit for a position with no boundaries. Midfield encompasses all of the beautiful, alluring motions of the sport; you get to play O, D, run transition, ride, face-off, and run in from the wing like a mad man. I’ve never fancied myself a runner but if you put me in between two 6×6’s with a rubber ball and a lacrosse stick, I’ll run for days. I was a kinesthetic learner who was determined to work on my dodging, shooting, and feeding as much as my footwork, cross-checking, and defensive positioning. I decided that if the game is tied with 15 seconds on the clock, I wanted to be near the play, no matter what end of the field.
Fast forward to college practices at Fairfield University that were spent running back and forth between huddles during the O/D split segments. I had to know everyone on the scouting report (rather than just a couple matchups), as well as the defensive slide packages and every offensive set/set play/rotation. Week after week we added wrinkles to our schemes based on our opponent and the corresponding personnel in scouting reports. This is when I truly became a student of the game of lacrosse. It’s also when I started to notice the great divide of midfielders into Offensive and Defensive. Then my very own “Mama Bear”, pro lacrosse, reiterated this divide. I graciously stepped into the role of D-Mid for a team that went on to win the championship in my first season but was eager to return to my idea of the quintessential position.
Now, there are many circumstances where a player is more suitable to play on one side of the field. Some players are steered in one direction by a coach or naturally float towards one side of the ball based on their skill-set, athleticism, lacrosse IQ, etc. Others are influenced by the pros or college players they watch on TV and strive to emulate their skill set (mostly on the O side). For some reason, if anyone gets persuaded towards the D-mid spot they see it as a demotion of sorts, which is FAR from the truth, and in many ways it’s the hardest role on the field. It’s this stigma that has more and more young players completely disregarding an enormous chunk of what being a midfielder is all about. It never made sense to me that some of the best O middies at the higher levels, who have such great body awareness and footwork, would much rather sprint to the box than back on D. Rant almost over. It’s a running joke in locker rooms that some offensive middies can’t play defense. Not only do they not play defense but are often exposed by offenses who realize the player is “trapped.” Midfielders are allowed to roam freely all over the field. So why wouldn’t you strive to be the best you can be, all over the field? Or at the very least not be a liability on defense.
All I’m saying is that, in the future, I think we return to a “True Midfield” posse that plays all over the field, a crew of long poles that are threats in transition, attackmen that aren’t laughed at when they need to cross the midfield line and face off guys that…still pretty much just faceoff.
Caden Padelford, strong second half help No. 1 Wahconah boys lacrosse claim its first West-Central D-III title with win over No. 3 Grafton (video)
DALTON – Despite trailing by seven goals to begin Friday evening’s West-Central Division III championship against No. 3 Grafton, the top-seeded Wahconah boys lacrosse team wasn’t nervous.
“Grafton is a great team,” Ernie Lampron said. “They are certainly one of the betters teams we’ve faced all year and didn’t want to quit because we knew we had it come the second half. This team’s character speaks for itself.
“We play together, we work together, and it makes a huge difference because if people can’t trust each other, then you can’t have success.”
Moments after Jack Scales briefly moved Grafton ahead during the 39th minute, Caden Padelford sent a behind-the-back lob past Grafton goalie Reed Henson (two saves) to even the score for Wahconah.
Caden Padelford then earned his eighth and final goal with 2:48 remaining in regulation to ensure the Warriors a 16-14 home victory Friday.
With the win, Wahconah (14-0) claimed its first sectional title in school history and will now welcome the winner of the South D-III title matchup between No. 4 Bishop Stang and No. 2 Norwell to town for the state semifinals on Tuesday, June 29, at 6 p.m.
“You don’t win a Western/Central Massachusetts title without having character,” Warriors coach Joe O’Neill said. “Big-dog energy has been our saying all year, and we played like it today. We knew what we could do, and we did it.”
Meanwhile, the Gators’ five-year tenure as regional champions is over as they concluded their spring with a record of 12-3.
Jack Hart got Grafton on the board early, as he juked his lone defender and then located teammate Colin Thornton along the right-wing for a quick one-timer. Four minutes later, Warriors netminder Joe Massaro gained possession and headed towards midfield. The decision proved costly as Thornton forced the turnover and responded with his third goal to extend the Gators lead to 5-0 with 5:06 remaining in the first quarter.
Coming into Friday, Wachonah’s offense was averaging 16.7 PPG while also outscoring its first two postseason opponents 38-10, helping Lampron remain confident his team’s scoring drought wouldn’t last long.
“We had to slow it down,” he said. “We got so excited that we were panicking and had to overdue and overkill it because we thought we had to get out early. Once you settle into the game, the environment, and all the fans, we got back to doing what we do.”
Following one of Joe Massaro’s seven saves to keep the Warriors’ second-quarter deficit at seven, teammate Johnny Render forced a loose ball near midfield and took off. Moments later, the senior connected with a striding Noah Porior for Wahconah’s first goal as the hometown crowd soon erupted in celebration.
After only maintaining two possessions in the first, the Warriors finally found their stride as Trey Massaro forced another turnover. After a brief timeout from Joe O’Neill, Caden Padelford responded with a side-arm throw to cut their team’s deficit to four through 19 minutes.
Caden Padelford paced Wahconah with a game-high 12 points (eight goals, four assists), while Lampron was next with five (four goals, one assist). Jonah Smith (three goals) and Trey Massaro (one goal, one assist) round out the goal scorers. Billy O’Neill (one), Rylan Padelford (one), Blake Casella (one), and Brad Noyes (one) each registered one assist each.
Following five straight goals for the Warriors, Grafton eased the oppositions scoring with one of its own, but not before Lampron located Caden Padelford on a backdoor cut to keep it a one-possession game entering halftime.
“This is the most surreal feeling in the world,” Caden Padelford said of his team’s accomplishment. “Once we were down by seven goals in the first quarter, we realized our heads needed to be in the game. So our boys decided to flip the switch, and our boys were ready to go from there.”
Despite Wahconah scoring eight of the game’s last nine goals heading into the third, things were far from over as Matthew Bittel’s 15-yard shot capped off three consecutive goals to push Grafton back on top. With the Warriors still trailing during the 34th minute, Lampron changed that with back-to-back goals, including a five-hole shot through Henson seconds before the fourth.
In the end, the productive duo of Caden Padelford and Lampron ultimately helped Wahconah come away victorious behind two late goals.
Even though the Warriors are unaware of whom their next opponent might be Tuesday, the mentality remains the same — keep working until time runs out.
“We have to play our game,” Joe O’Neill said of his team’s next matchup. “We’re going to live by the sword or die by the sword — that’s what we do.”
Painting Buick LaCrosse (Buick Lacrosse) – prices for painting the bumper, hood, fenders
If your car needs painting, then our car service will be happy to help you with this. We fully adhere to the technological process when performing full or local painting of a Buick LaCrosse car. We have been painting cars for over 10 years, only real professionals work. All equipment and consumables are modern and of high quality. In addition, we carry out the work on time and at a reasonable price.
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WhatsApp or Viber +7 (916) 66-53-66
Buick LaCrosse Paint Prices
| Buick LaCrosse Front Fender Paint | from 4.500 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Rear Fender Paint | from 4.500 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Front Bumper Paint | from 4.500 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Rear Bumper Paint | from 4.RUB 500 * |
| Buick LaCrosse Front Door Paint | from 4.500 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Rear Door Paint (Right or Left) | from 4.500 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Bonnet Paint | from 6.000 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Trunk Lid Paint | from 6.000 rub * |
| Paint Buick LaCrosse Roof | from 6.000 rub * |
| Full body paint Buick LaCrosse | from 50.000 rubles * |
Buick Lacrosse Car Reinforcement Works
| Buick LaCrosse Front Fender Replacement (Removing and Installing Left or Right Fender) | from 2.000 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Door Replacement (Left or Right Door Removal and Installation) | from 2.300 rub * |
| Buick LaCrosse Hood Replacement (Removal and Installation) | from 2.RUB 300 * |
| Buick LaCrosse Trunk Lid Replacement (Removal and Installation) | from 2.300 rub * |
* For more information on prices for body repair Buick LaCrosse, you can call: +7 (916) 66-53-66
MGM-18 “Lacrosse” short-range guided missile (USA. 1957)
The first tactical guided missile of the US Army was the MGM-18 “Lacrosse” (M4E2) radio-controlled missile.Rocket design began in 1948. The main developers and suppliers are the Cornell Aeronautical Lab. and Applied Physics Laboratory. Tests of the Lacrosse rocket took place at the White Sands test site. In August 1957, its serial production began. The firms also developed a control system that made it possible to direct missiles at small targets from a helicopter or an airplane …
The MGM-18 Lacrosse missile divisions were going to be attached to army corps, and sometimes divisions, to provide fire support.The division consisted of one fire battery with four launchers. Since the MGM-18 “Lacrosse” missiles had a relatively high hitting accuracy, they were intended to engage small targets. The rocket was launched from special combat vehicles. The missile was controlled by a special tele-guidance station, which was based on a car. In 1958, the developer prepared a new launcher for the MGM-18 Lacrosse cruise missiles. The launcher had one guide, a hydraulic lifting mechanism, a rotary mechanism and a sighting device.The installation could be transported by road as a trailer or airlifted by helicopters. When the rocket was launched from the ground, the launcher was hung out on two jacks and a sliding frame. It was assumed that such launchers would be armed with the airmobile units and formations formed at that time.
Launch weight 1040-1070 kg, length 5840 mm, diameter 520 mm, wingspan 2.75 m, wingspan 1.45 m. The MGM-18 “Lacrosse” missile was an intermediate stage between ballistic and cruise missiles.Warhead weight from 181 kg to 244 kg. The missile was equipped with a 10 kt W-40 nuclear warhead, produced from September 1959 to May 1962. A total of 400 nuclear warheads for the MGM-18 Lacrosse missile were manufactured. Rocket MGM-18 “Lacrosse” is equipped with a solid-propellant dual-mode engine M-10E1 firm “Tiokol”. The engine thrust in the starting mode is 11.3 tons, in the cruising mode -2.09 tons. The operating time in the starting mode is 3.4 s. The firing range is from 8 to 32-34 km. The maximum height of the trajectory is 4-5 km.Probable circular deviation of 440 m. The maximum flight speed according to various sources is from 360 to 450 m / s. The rocket was transported and launched from a combat vehicle built on the chassis of a three-axle army truck.
In addition to the United States, the MGM-18 Lacrosse guided missile was in service with the Canadian Army. The MGM-18 “Lacrosse” missile had a very weak anti-jamming capability, and in 1967 it was removed from service by the US Army and replaced by the “Lance” missiles.
Performance characteristics MGM-18 “Lacrosse”
Starting weight: 1040 kg
Length: 5.85 m
Diameter: 0.52 m
Wingspan: 2.74 m
Tail span : 1.43 m
Engine: single-stage solid fuel Thiokol XM10 / XM10E1
Range: 8-30 km
Warhead:
T-34 high-explosive, 245 kg
W-40 nuclear, 10 kt
Flight speed: 0.8 M
Control system: Radio command
“GO!” – Platonov Festival of Arts, 2012
Soundtrack – David Clavaud
Co-production with Odradek / Cie Pupella Nogues (Creative Center for the Development of Puppet Art)
Solo performance in one act.
For adults from 8 years old.
“… When I finally get to where it is so warm and calm, where I was in such a hurry, I drop my suitcases, fall into the soft bed and close my eyes. But before falling asleep, I go over and over again in my memory snatches of my journey. Then I suddenly feel a little sad that this long day has come to an end so quickly. ”
One-man show “GO!” ( “Go!”) invites us to immerse ourselves in the world of an old woman’s memories.Inspired by the simplicity with which wonderful people, be it a great artist or a neighbor’s old lady, can walk away, and based on numerous road sketches, “Go!” narrates about the loneliness of the traveler in these memories and touches the theme of death with trepidation and tenderness.
Using ordinary objects and paper sticky tape, a touching character tells us his story, creating fragile and ephemeral images.
Kommersant newspaper:
Our young compatriot Polina Borisova living in France makes the story of parting with the life of an old woman nagging and accurate.
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