Half-dozen Bayhawks starring in showdown
Players expecting intense challenge from Team USA
Matt Abbott will be looking to show the United States national team coaching staff they made a mistake by cutting him.
Myles Jones is trying to make one last significant impression in hopes of traveling with Team USA to the Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships in Israel.
Abbott and Jones are among six members of the Chesapeake Bayhawks playing in tonight’s exhibition game between the Major League Lacrosse AllStars and the U.S. national team.
Faceoff specialist Stephen Kelly and short stick defensive midfielder Isaiah Davis-Allen will join Abbott on the MLL All-Star squad while attackman Matt Danowski and defenseman Jesse Bernhardt are also playing for Team USA.
“We’re excited to have such a great presence in this year’s All-Star Game and wish them the best of luck for their respective teams,” said coach Dave Cottle, who coached the MLL All-Stars against Team USA in 2014.
Bernhardt and Danowski were named to the 23-player travel roster for the U.S. national team in January and are definitely headed to Netanya, Israel for the FIL World Championship, being held July 12-21.
Bernhardt was a member of Team USA in 2014 when it lost to Canada in the gold medal game. The former Maryland standout, who works as an assistant coach for his alma mater, is one of eight returning players on the U.S. squad.
This marks the first time since the roster was announced that Team USA will go against an opponent. Bernhardt believes tonight’s contest, being held at Harvard Stadium in Boston, will be intense.
“We all know that professional All-Star games can sometimes turn into a showcase and entertainment show,” Bernhardt said. “I think because of the setup and caliber of players involved, this game will be highly competitive. I’m sure some of the MLL All-Stars will be playing with a chip on their shoulder while those of us on Team USA are getting ready for the world games so we are definitely taking this game very seriously.”
Bernhardt, who was a two-time AllAmerican at Maryland, has been with Chesapeake since being selected fourth overall in the 2013 MLL draft. The 6-foot, 180-pounder is starting on close defense, but has played long-stick midfield for the Bayhawks.
Danowski was a member of the 2003 United States Under-19 national team that captured a gold medal, earning tournament Most Valuable Player after totaling 27 points. This will be the former Duke great’s first appearance with the senior national team and it will be special since his father is serving as U.S. coach.
Danowski, who works as an assistant to his father at Duke, has been part of the national program since his sophomore year in college. He was an alternate for the 2006 team and made the U.S. training rosters in 2010 and 2014, but missed the final cut.
Chesapeake acquired Danowski in January 2015 through a trade with the Charlotte Hounds. The former Tewaaraton Award winner has 398 career points over 11 seasons in the MLL.
Jones has been added to the U.S. roster for the exhibition and is an alternate for the championships. If one of five offensive midfielders gets hurt during training camp, Jones could travel to Israel with Team USA.
Jones was the No. 1 selection of the 2016 MLL draft by the Atlanta Blaze, but was traded to the Bayhawks just two games into his rookie season. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has piled up 93 points in 2½ seasons. The two-time MacLaughlin Award winner as Division I Midfielder of the Year leads Chesapeake in scoring this season with 26 points on 15 goals (one 2-pointer) and 10 assists.
Abbott was a member of the United States national team in 2014 as a two-way midfielder was hoping for an opportunity to help his country reclaim the world championship. The former Syracusestar did not make the final cut from 48 to 23 players.
“It was definitely disappointing to not make Team USA again, but I understand how difficult it is to do,” Abbott said. “I guess you could say I have a little added incentive for Thursday night’s game because I was left off Team USA.”
This will be the eighth All-Star appearance in 10 seasons of Major League Lacrosse for Abbott, who has spent his entire professional career with Chesapeake. There have been three previous matchups between Team USA and the MLL All-Stars with Abbott participating in the last two.
“There are always great players on both sides so it is very, very competitive,” said Abbott, who played for the MLL All-Stars in 2010 and Team USAin 2014. “Compared to other All-Star games I’ve been part of, the intensity is really ratcheted up. Winning is really important to both sides so this isn’t going to be a highlight-fest.”
In 2014, attackman Rob Pannell scored the game-winning goal in the final seconds as Team USA escaped with a 10-9 victory over the MLL All-Stars.
Davis-Allen and Kelly will be making their debuts as MLL All-Stars and looking forward to the experience. Davis-Allen, a second-round selection in the 2017 MLL draft, has already established himself as one of the league’s top short-stick defensive midfielders in just his second season as a pro.
Davis-Allen, who leads all Bayhawks field players with 39 ground balls this season, was not invited to try out for the national team despite being a two-time, first-team All-American at Maryland.
Kelly was drafted by the Bayhawks in the sixth round last year, but did not play in a single game in 2017. The former North Carolina star has suddenly blossomed into the best faceoff specialist in Major League Lacrosse as a rookie this season, winning 57 percent of his draws.
Team USA conducted a three-day training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough this week in advance of tonight’s showdown with the MLL AllStars. Bernhardt and Danowski will be available to the Bayhawks for next Tuesday night’s game against Boston at NavyMarine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Chesapeake also had three players named to the Canadian national team in attackman Josh Byrne along with midfielders Ian MacKay and Dhane Smith. Also, attackman Lyle Thompson, who has yet to play for the Bayhawks this season, is expected to be a member of the Iroquois national team while close defenseman Goran Murray is playing for Team Jamaica.
It has not been determined whether players participating in the Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships will play for the Bayhawks on July 7 versus the New York Lizards. Most of them will likely miss the July 21 home contest versus Charlotte.