NLL labor issues cancel Black Wolves opener

Conshohocken, Pa. — Labor issues between the National Lacrosse League and the Professional Lacrosse Players Association has forced the NLL to cancel the first two weeks of the season.

Included is the season opener for the New England Black Wolves, a Dec. 8 game in New York against the Rochester Knighthawks.

The Black Wolves are idle on Dec. 1, the opening week. In all, seven games were canceled.

New England now opens the season on Dec. 15 at the Georgia Swarm. Its home opener at Mohegan Sun Arena will be on Dec. 28 against the Saskatchewan Rush at 7:30 p.m.

The league issued a statement on Thursday.

"The League suspended its 5 p.m. deadline yesterday to allow the PLPA to provide a new counterproposal.

After a thorough review of the PLPA's counterproposal, it is clear we cannot accept the terms the PLPA has put forward, and therefore, have made a decision to reject it. We believe those terms would have both short and long term negative consequences on our member clubs and the League which we are not willing to accept.

“Therefore, there is not yet an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.

"With respect to the upcoming season, the PLPA has instructed its players not to attend training camps or submit to physicals, making the formation of rosters and operation of the opening of the season impossible.

“Therefore, and regrettably, because of the PLPA's current position, the first two weekends of the 2018-19 season, which includes games on December 1 and December 8, 2018, are canceled.''

H.S. football

• East Lyme's game at Branford was postponed until today. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

College basketball

• Avery Point's doubleheader at the Community College of Rhode Island was postponed until Dec. 17. The women's game will begin at 6 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 8 p.m.

H.S. girls' swimming

• Gloria Ng of NFA set a school record in the 100-yard breaststroke at the CIAC Class LL championships on Wednesday night in New Haven. Ng finished 15th in a time of 1:10.34 and was also 21st in the 200 individual medley in 2:18.62. NFA's medley relay team of Ennalee Fritzche, Ng, Madison Pesty and Lane Perkins finished 18th.

Waterford signings

• Four players signed letters of intent on Wednesday to compete in college. From the girls' lacrosse team, Courtney DiShaw (Merrimack), Olivia Gianakos (Hartford) and Grace Briggs (Gardner-Webb) signed commitment letters and Julianna Bonilla from the girls' basketball team signed with Marist.