The Redwoods enter the 2020 PLL Championship Series looking to enact some revenge. Since losing a heart breaker to the Whipsnakes in overtime of the inaugural PLL championship, the Redwoods roster has undergone some changes, losing some key players, but also adding some pivotal pieces.
Can Coach Nat St. Laurent’s crew finish the job this season?
Jones brings to the Redwoods the sort of downhill midfielder the team could have used at times last year. Jones joins a veteran midfield line with Brent Adams, Kyle Harrison and Joe Walters among others. The Woods hope Jones’ passing and dodging skills add an element to the offense that was at times overly reliant on their talented attack line.
The defense, featuring Garrett Epple, Eddy Glazener and Tim Troutner, is also one of the best in the league and their hard-nosed, yet calculated style make them one of the most toughest matchups in the PLL. Couple that with defensive middies Jack Near and Pat Harbeson and it’s hard to find a weakness.
The attack also returns Matt Kavanagh, Ryder Garnsey and Clarke Petterson, who showed flashes of brilliance early in the season. If this offense can pick up where it left off, despite missing Jules Heningburg on attack, they should have a great shot at appearing in another title game.
Weaknesses
Replacing Key Players
In addition to losing Heningburg at the last minute, the Redwoods also lost a lot of key players during the offseason.
Brian Karalunas, a pivotal piece of the Redwoods’ vaunted defensive unit, was scooped up by the Waterdogs in the expansion draft. Another key piece of the Redwoods’ unit from a year ago, Matt Landis, won’t be joining the team in Utah due to serving in the military.
The team also comes into this season without the presence of Greg Gurenlian. Beast took his last faceoff in the championship game, leaving the Redwoods and St. Laurent to try and replace one of the greatest faceoff presences in the game. Not an easy task.
St. Laurent hopes Hugh Crance can pick up where Karalunas left off. He also added Finn Sullivan, a savvy replacement for Matt Landis who is also coming of a heartbreaking loss in a title game, and Greg Puskuldjian from the entry draft. He also added rookie faceoff specialist Peyton Smith in the college draft. All four are talented players, but the real question will be whether they are able to fill the large shoes of the star players that departed this offseason.
Most Intriguing Matchup
Redwoods vs Whipsnakes, July 25
It’s hard to pick any other matchup than the rematch with the defending champion Whipsnakes. These teams both overwent some offseason overhauls since they last met, but their defensive core is still very much intact. Expect this game to be a physical, low scoring affair with a tight finish. The amount that Epple, Glazener and Co are able to contain MVP Matt Rambo will be a key to a Redwoods victory at the end of the day.
Player to Watch
Clarke Petterson
With Wes Berg departed for the Waterdogs via the expansion draft and Jules Heningburg out due to complications with COVID-19, Clarke Petterson will be expected to step up in a big way. The second year attackman played well in his limited playing time last season and is coming off a stellar rookie year in the NLL as a member of the Halifax Thunderbirds. If he, Garnsey and Kavanagh can stay on the same page and put up points, this Redwoods team could be very scary.
Hutton Jackson is a professional video editor, co-founder/host of Pro Lacrosse Talk and editor-in-chief of Lacrosse Playground. He is also an Emmy-winning associate producer with two major sports networks and oversees Lacrosse Playground's video content as the head coordinating producer. Hutton played four years of college lacrosse at DeSales University where his highest lacrosse accolade was being named to Inside Lacrosse's 2014 All-Name Team with current pros Challen Rogers, Deemer Class and Larken Kemp, an honor that didn't require stepping on the field. When he's not writing on lacrosse, he can usually be found diving around the crease in your local men's league and ranting about Baltimore and D.C. professional sports.
Oliver Marti: Starting an NLL Team in Albany and Investing in the PLL and Epoch Lacrosse (Pro Lacrosse Talk Podcast #130)
byPro Lacrosse Talk
On this episode of the Pro Lacrosse Talk Podcast, Hutton Jackson and Adam Moore are joined by three-time All-American at Brown University, investor in the PLL, and the newest NLL owner Oliver Marti. He discusses moving the New England Black Wolves franchise to Albany, New York, why the city of Albany was chosen and share his thoughts on the team’s potential new identity. He also discusses his time playing for Dom Starsia at Brown University, playing for the New York Saints in the MILL, starting the Connecticut Box Lacrosse League, investing in the Premier Lacrosse League and equipment manufacturer Epoch Lacrosse, and his opinion on the current state of pro lacrosse.
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Pro Lacrosse Talk is the flagship lacrosse podcast of the Lacrosse Playground network covering all three professional lacrosse leagues (NLL, PLL, Athletes Unlimited). Each week throughout the season we’ll recap the games, provide analysis on the teams and feature exclusive postgame and off-the-field interviews with professional lacrosse players, coaches and executives. If you’re a fan of lacrosse podcasts like the Unbuckled Chinstrap, The Inside Feed, Lacrosse Classified or The Crease Dive, then give us a listen.