Defending Champion SweetLax is set to defend their title at 12:30 today as they ran past FCA Colorado 18-3 in yesterday’s semi final.  That SweetLax team features four Floridians.  Jared Bernhardt, Connor Alexander, Jack Staab, and Zach Crotty.  SweetLax plays the Six Nation’s Royal Reds today after they knocked off the top seeded Everest Academy of Ontario in a thriller.  A very physical Royal Reds team was slow to start the game after facing a few ejections and suspensions after a “chippy” quarter finals game against Maryland’s Susquehanna Stripers LC.  But they stormed back and scored the game winner with 3 seconds left on the clock. We are set to see two very different styles of lacrosse today at 12:30 as those two face off for the national championship. West Florida and Florida Elite both went 2-2 in Pool play and had themselves in position to make a run but competition at T.O.C. is intense.  Alexandria, VA knocked off Florida Elite.  West Florida advanced past a strong Grand River Ironman (ON) but fell to SweetLax in the next round. Both teams have games today in the consolation round. In the Rising Stars division FCA SoFlo went 1-3 in pool play setting up a tough match up against Ontario’s Edge lacrosse club.  They dropped the game 11-7 and will play Michigan’s Heat Lacrosse in the 9th place bracket today. Also in the Rising Stars bracket is Brady’s Bunch featuring a couple of Floridians.  Preston Hopkins and Nate Gillan of Timber Creek HS have joined the California based team.  Brady’s Bunch went 3-1 in pool play setting themselves up nicely for the elimination bracket.  They started off day two with a dominant win over Dynasty Lacrosse Academy of Colorado 16-2 but then dropped a close 10-8 game to New Jersey Lacrosse Club.  They play Atlanta’s Copperhead Black this morning in the 5th place bracket. In the U15 division two Floridians played on the Madlax National’s and took home the championship.  Sean Mahoney is a freshman FOGO at Barron Collier and Luke Curran, a sophomore middie at Gulf Coast. West Florida made it all the way to the elite 8 of one of the tournaments deepest divisions.  A huge accomplishment.  They fell to Grand River Ironman (ON) and will play North Utah Thunder this morning as they compete for 5th place. Florida Elite went 1-3 in pool play giving them a tough draw in the elimination round where they faced a strong Mass Rising Stars team.  They were game but fell 11-7. Florida has four teams in the U13 group.  Palm Beach Revolution 2019’s and 2020’s as well as Team Florida and the host team, Pasco Lions.  PB 2019’s made it to the third round where they fell to the MadLax national team and the 2020’s went out in the second round to the Cannons of Maryland.  Team Florida was 1-3 in pool play and drew the 0-4 Pasco Lions in the first round of elimination.  Team Florida eliminated the Lions 14-1 and moved on to play the 3D NE All Stars in the next round.  3D was too much and won 10-5. The U11 Tampa Tarpons are Florida’s best chance for a national championship today.  They were undefeated in pool play scoring 21 goals and only giving up 6.  They took the fourth seed and eliminated a pair of Georgia teams, Cherokee Xtreme and the Blue Jays, to advance to the semi finals.  They face Ontario’s Edge Elite squad today at 11:00. Please check out Casey Vock’s write up today at 3D Rising.

DICK’S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS DAY 2 NOTES, MORE

By Casey Vock

The second day of the Dick’s Tournament of Champions was an intense one, filled with some memorable matchups and setting the stage for what should be an exciting day of lacrosse on New Year’s Eve in Central Florida. The event, put on by NDP Lacrosse and hosted by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Pasco County, came to a head Tuesday on a muggy and rainy day just north of Tampa at the Wesley Chapel District Park and High School. Semifinals were held in the Elite (2015 or younger) and the Rising Stars (2016 or younger) divisions, showcasing of some of the most talented teams at the tournament and staging competitive contests filled with emotion and physical play. Read the rest…