USA Defends Title in Wild Championship Game
1. Gold Medal - USA (8th straight gold)
2. Silver Medal - Canada
3. Bronze Medal - Iroquois
COQUITLAM, B.C. - After dominating the round robin portion of the 2016 U-19 World Games, the stacked USA team looked like a lock to repeat as world champions. No other team had shown any sign of an answer to USA's plethora of dodgers and shooters, as the Iroquois and Canadian teams had fallen way short earlier in the week. So when Canada went into the locker room at halftime of the championship game up 8-2, the lacrosse world was stunned (besides our Box Director Coach Hopper). This was especially shocking given the fact USA beat up on Canada 12-5 in their opener. Canada's All Tournament goalie Kyle Hebert (Stony Brook) stood on his head while their offensive duo of Tre LeClaire (Ohio State) and Jeff Teat (Cornell) continued to play at the high level that they are known for.
For the United States, down at halftime, it would be a long road back to make the game interesting, and one that needed its fair share of highlight-reel plays. Luckily, attackman Alex Roesner (UPenn) was up to the task as he put in this beautiful behind-the-back goal to bring USA within four goals. Going into the fourth Quarter, Team USA Trailed Canada 8-11 but had all the momentum.
In the fourth quarter, Team USA dominated and took over the game, outscoring Canada 5-1. With just over two minutes left in the game, USA found itself still down one goal until Jared Bernhardt (Maryland) found the back of the net on a beautiful outside rip, notching the game-tying goal. Holding for the last shot, USA's Jared Bernhardt again dodged down the lefty alley and moved the ball behind to Michael Sowers (Princeton), who quickly dumped it in to Virginia's Ryan Conrad for the go-ahead goal. USA would hold on for the final 8 seconds, securing their World Championship in one of the most epic comebacks in recent memory!
Tournament Results
1. Gold Medal - USA (8th straight gold)
2. Silver Medal - Canada
3. Bronze Medal - Iroquois
4. Australia
5. England
6. Israel
7. Ireland
8. Germany
9. China
10. Scotland
11. Hong Kong
12. Korea
Nanticoke Headlines Young Talent
The world games were a celebration of some of the lacrosse world's best young talent, as well as a showcase for emerging lacrosse communities around the world. Participants included USA, Canada, Iroquois, Australia, England, Israel, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, Ireland, China, Scotland, and Korea. For some it was their first ever world games, which is just a sign of the growth of lacrosse world wide. While the All-Tournament team was comprised of USA, Canada, and Iroquois players, there were highlight-reel plays being made all over the place over the course of the tournament.
Of these plays, some of the most jaw dropping were made by the Iroquois's Tehoka Nanticoke (IMG Academy/Albany). Nanticoke has made a name for himself over the years with his insane highlight tapes on Youtube, showing some extremely creative and difficult moves that give Lyle Thompson a run for his money. He has a huge amount of flair in his game, as well as a knack for making plays on the biggest stages. Here are some of his plays that had the internet going crazy during the tournament:
Looking Forward to Next Spring
While this tournament is first and foremost a celebration of the sport of lacrosse and its growth internationally, it is also a chance for many to get a first glimpse at some of the NCAA's future stars. The Iroquois, USA, and Canada teams were absolutely stacked with players that have potential to make an impact as early as next year at the college level. No doubt that college teams were watching their young guns closely, trying to figure out where they would fit in to the system or continuing to monitor their development. For some college teams, these games were a breath of relief that their programs are headed in the right direction. Here are the college teams who stood to gain the most from the results of this tournament.
Ohio State
Nick Myers has to like what he sees coming in the near future for his team, as it seemed like Ohio State players and commits were making plays all over the tournament. Obviously it helps that he had a hand in picking the USA team, which could explain the four (!) players that made it, but there were also some big commits making plays for Team Canada as well. For a Buckeye team that struggled this past year, seeing recruits at multiple positions must be reassuring for the future.
- A Tre Leclaire - Canada: Leclaire and Jeff Teat were the two known forces for Canada, and widely believed to be two of the best players in their class. Leclaire flew a little more under the radar, only putting up 14 points, but his stick skills and finishing ability should earn him a spot on attack early on at OSU.
- FO Justin Inacio - Canada: The go-to faceoff guy for Team Canada, Inacio finished the tournament 81/130, good for 62.3%. He did an admirable job battling USA's Henningsen (Maryland), proving he is capable going toe to toe with the best of the best.
- FO Christian Feliziani - USA: Two top face off guys in one class? Feliziani sat behind Henningsen for the most part, but did well in his relief. Expect these two to battle it out in practice every day and potentially split time when the spring season begins.
- Also: D Matt Borges - USA, M Jack Jasinski - USA
Maryland
Maryland had a dominating run to the championship game this past season, just falling short to North Carolina in overtime. Despite some significant graduation losses, expect Tillman's squad to once again reload, with these two guys playing a major part.
- M Jared Bernhardt - USA: Bernhardt was the do-everything middie for USA, eventually taking home MVP honors for the tournament. He wasn't the leading scorer, but his plays all over the field were hugely important in bringing home the title for USA. With heavy graduation losses at midfield, Bernhardt has a very good chance of getting on the first line midfield from day 1.
- FO Austin Henningsen - USA: Henningsen was without a doubt the best faceoff man in the tournament, no doubt aided by his one year experience playing at the NCAA level. His athleticism allows him to scrum for loose balls, and he is more than comfortable carrying in transition. Expect Henningsen to emerge as one of the top faceoff men next season for the Terps.
Albany
When the all-everything Thompson trio graduated, many speculated that Albany's status as a top-tier program would be gone as well. However, they proved the haters wrong, using the remnants of that squad to give Syracuse a scare in the first round of the NCAA tourney. The flair that the Thompsons brought to the game became Albany's identity, so no surprise that Coach Scott Marr is looking to return that same style of play.
- A Tehoka Nanticoke - Iroquois: Nanticoke broke the internet over the course of a week, dropping highlight reel plays like they were nothing at least once a game. His creative style of play combined with a large frame allows him to slice through defenses with ease. No doubt Marr will find a way to get him on the field.
- A Austin Staats - Iroquois: Younger brother of Syracuse's Randy Staats, Austin showcased alot of the same skills as his brother while throwing in some jaw dropping plays of his own. This duo could prove to be a nightmare for America East defenses, similar to the Lyle/Miles duo of years past.
Stony Brook
Another America East team looking to reload after graduation losses, Stony Brook had some surprise players make a name for themselves at the FIL tournament. A team known for their high flying offense and porous defense, it appears the recruiting scheme has changed to address that weakness.
- G Kyle Hebert - Canada: Hebert was outstanding all week, eventually being named as the All-Tournament goalie. He made a number of frustrating stops against USA in the championship, holding them to two goals in the first half. While he couldn't quite finish the job, expect this tournament to be a learning experience for Hebert.
- D Ryland Rees - Canada: Likely to end up playing at the LSM position for the Sea Wolves, Rees was a loose ball machine, leading the team in non-faceoff players. His stick skills with the longer pole make him an asset all over the field, especially on faceoff wings.
