Are you ready for the PLL season to start?
The Champion logos are huge! The athletes had to spend way too long living in Albany, New York. The entire Chaos offense is in Buffalo for the NLL title game. Let’s get this season underway.
Week 1 Game Picks
We’re going to super deep dive into all of these games this weekend during a hybrid live PLL Narrative episode. Make sure you’re subscribed to the show. We have a very special ESPN guest coming on for Episode 4.
Redwoods vs. Atlas
The Atlas have committed so much to Eric Law over Jake Carraway that Carraway posted an image on a golf course on Instagram yesterday. He’s not on the gameday roster today. Still, the Atlas have far more offensive firepower than the Redwoods who enter the season with question marks surrounding their attack in terms of creators beyond Pannell. Pick: Atlas
Whipsnakes vs. Chaos
Due to the Bandits, the PLL flexed this game out of the ESPN broadcast. The Whips will be without Zed Williams but are otherwise full strength and need to win this game comfortably. Defensive cohesion plus an advantage at the faceoff X have to carry the day against the patchwork Chaos offense. Pick: Whipsnakes
Waterdogs vs. Cannons
Not a lot of interest in this game as the most recent expansion squads take the field. The Cannons were doubled up by the replacement Chaos roster. It may take some time to find their new identity now that Rabil is gone. The Waterdogs will be without goalie Dillon Ward, but Michael Sowers appears to be charged up. Pick: Waterdogs
Chrome vs. Archers
The Archers suddenly have to figure out how to play without Grant Ament who was injured at training camp. They moved Tom Schreiber down to attack with Matt Moore and Marcus Holman opting to run Will Manny out of the box. The Chrome +2.5 felt really good until the gameday roster was announced and they put John Ranagan on the reserve list. However, the Archers aren’t dressing three pure close defensemen. Pick: Chrome
Jamie Ortega Should Have Won the Tewaaraton Award
Jamie Ortega was the best player on the best team in the country. That’s not enough to be named the best player in the country but it is a great place to start.
She didn’t lose to Charlotte North’s Boston College team and yet North was named the Tewaarton winner for the second year in a row.
If one team beats another team three times in one season, what are the chances the winning team’s best player is better than the losing team’s best player?
Head to head Jamie Ortega outscored Charlotte North 14 to 13 despite being shut off and taking 24 less shots.
Regular season match up in Boston – 16-15 UNC win
North 4 G – 10 shots – 1 A
Ortega 1 G – 2 shots – 2 A
ACC title game – 16-9 UNC win
North 3 G – 12 shots – 1 A
Ortega 4 G – 4 shots – 5 A
Championship game – 12-11 UNC win
North 4 G – 10 shots
Ortega 2 G – 2 shots
Totals:
Ortega 7 G – 8 shots – 7 A
North 11 G – 32 shots – 2 A
Ortega’s efficiency while being shut off is otherworldly. How do you score every time you shoot in the biggest games of the season?
The Best High School Team in Minnesota: Benilde St. Margaret’s
The defending state champs dropped Hopkins 23-1 the other night to improve to 14-0 on the season.
The Red Knights are back in action on Monday.
