COVID related forfeit ends CT Hammerheads’ season

The Connecticut Hammerheads won’t be taking part in the Major League Lacrosse playoffs after all.

Saturday’s scheduled semifinal between the Hammerheads and defending champion Chesapeake was canceled and a double forfeit was ruled after a player in the league approached a member of his team’s medical staff with potential symptoms of COVID-19.

According to a statement from the MLL, the player was immediately placed into a full quarantine and tested. Within a few hours it was determined that he had tested positive for the virus. Following the protocol, developed with a team of leading physicians before the start of the season, Major League Lacrosse immediately placed all players into quarantine. This morning, Major League Lacrosse tested all individuals who, through contact tracing, were determined to be at risk for COVID-19.

After receiving the results, each team made a decision independently regarding participation. The Bayhawks and the Hammerheads both forfeited, and the other semifinal between Boston and Denver will become the championship game and will be played on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“The most important priority is the health and wellness of our players,” said Commissioner Alexander (Sandy) Brown. “We have been prepared, thorough and measured in our response and have followed league protocol. It is thanks to our medical and COVID teams that we have had a rapid and exhaustive response. We look forward to taking the field tomorrow and rounding out our 20th anniversary season.”

The Hammerheads started their inaugural season with losses to Denver and Philadelphia and were quickly in danger of missing the playoffs. With veterans Bradley Voigt, Will Sands and Ryan McNamara getting help from rookies Michael Kraus and Ben Martin, Connecticut won three straight games to earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Sean Sconone had 76 saves in the five games, 22 coming in the win over Boston.

Voigt led the Hammerheads with 16 goals. Kraus and Martin, selected second and 20th overall in the 2020 MLL Draft, didn’t have a point in the first two games but combined for 14 goals and three assists in the three wins.

Hearst Connecticut Media reached out to the Hammerheads via voicemail and email for comment.