Recap: Brogden Cup 2014, Brogden Cup Returns to Canadian Soil

Oshawa, Ontario, January 7, 2014 - - Team Ontario has captured the Brogden Cup by defeating the USA team in the best of three-game series returning the Brogden Cup to Canadian soil. The competition was played at the Oshawa Civic Field House in Ontario, Canada January 2-5, 2014.

The annual, best of three-game series is named for H. McCullough Brogden, who was a member of the 1932 and 1933 Johns Hopkins University teams and the 1932 Olympic team.
Stan Cockerton, President of the Federation of International Lacrosse and Executive Director of the Ontario Lacrosse Association presided over the ceremonial face-off. “This is an historic and meaningful event for everyone associated with the game of lacrosse, especially here in Canada and in the United States" said Cockerton in his opening remarks. “It not only brings together the finest athletes to compete in international field lacrosse competition, but promotes international fellowship between the players, parents, coaches and our countries.”

The US team was comprised of high school players that qualified for the Brine National Lacrosse Classic by attending Brine regional tryouts throughout the country, and those that participated in the ’13 Brine National Championship game between New Jersey and Long Island, NY last summer in Maryland.

Canada was represented by Team Ontario, a provincial team featuring the top 23 players selected from more than 100 area athletes over a two-weekend tryout. Team Ontario won the First Nations U19 Canadian Championships on Labour Day weekend in Montreal.

Both the US and Canadian teams feature players headed to the NCAA next year. “Any time the US and Canada play lacrosse, the games are competitive,” said Terry Lloyd, a Canadian Hall of Fame inductee and one the finest athletes and builders of both box and field lacrosse in Oshawa.

Team Ontario swept the series by winning the first two games by scores of 12-6 and 13-3 respectively. Connor Kearnan from Clarington, Ontario led Team Ontario with a total 5 goals. Scoring for Team Ontario was diverse with goals coming from 60 percent of the team roster. Holden McDonald was in the goal for Team Ontario. “The goalie played “lights-out” for Canada. He was exceptional”, said Andrew Whipple (Pittsford High School, Rochester, NY), Head Coach for Team USA.

The pace and length of an international field lacrosse game is fast and long. There are four, 20-minute quarters. The USA team had 15 field players and two goalies on the roster. Five players were unable to attend due to weather-related travel cancellations caused by the snow storms in the northeast or injury, including Head Coach, Tony Calandra (Chatham High School, New Jersey State Champions, ’13 Brine National Champion).

“Our light roster may have been a factor in the series outcome. The US players gave us everything they had. Certainly, more legs would have been helpful, especially in the fourth quarter”, commented Troy Kemp (McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN), Ambassador Coach for Team USA.

Game one had the two teams locked at 5 goals each after the first half of play. Canada was up by only one goal headed into the fourth quarter by the score 7-6. Troy Hanlon, Delbarton ’15, led the USA with two goals. Alex Concannon, Syosett ’15 (Johns Hopkins University), Corey LaPenna, Kinnelon ’15, Steven Landspurg, Kinnelon ’14 and Justin Zelen, Hauppauge ’14 (Albany) each shipped in goals for the USA team.

The turning point in the game came early in the fourth quarter on transition and extra man goals giving Canada a three-goal lead. Canada then stretched out the USA defense and scored several one-on-one goals late in the fourth.

Connor Kearnan, Clarington, Andrian Torok-Orban, Toronto, and Ze Bryant (Oshawa) had two goals each. Patrick DeHueck, Burlington, Aaron Foster, Nepean, Kyle Killen, Peterborough, Matthew Lee, Mimico, Eddie Renaud, Burlington and Ky Cook, Oshawa contributed 12 goals to win game one.

Team Ontario outpaced the USA in game two with 13 goals led by Kearnan (3), Lee (2), Torok-Orban (2), Forster (1), Tyler Gaulton, Peterborough (1), Killen (1), Renaud (1,1), Mitchell Wales, Burlington (1) and Bryant (1).

USA found the back of the net three times with goals from Griffin Konen, Massapeaqua ’15 (Binghamton, 1,1), LaPenna (1) and Concannon (1).

US goalies Sam Bebout, Summit ’14 (Union) and Lance Gibson, Bergen Catholic ’15 (Muhlenberg) had impressive games leading the defensive efforts of Declan Borcich, Bronxville ’14 (Tufts University), Paul Renzetti, St. Peters Prep ’14 (Franklin & Marshall), Timothy Mattiace, Huntington ’14 (Binghamton University), Michael Ruane, St. Anthony’s ’14 (Quinnipiac) and James Tully, Summit ’14.

Chris Glancy, Morristown-Beard ’15 (St. Johns University), Nick Labanca, Kinnelon ’15, Kyle Waldron, Summit ’15 (Manhattan) and Brian Hadley, Summit ‘ 14 (Wagner) logged plenty of playing time for the USA.

Missing from the USA roster – Brady O’Donnell, Taft ’15, Will Atier, Madison ’15, James Roberts, Chaminade ’14 (Lafayette), Gabe Greenberg, Millburn ’12 (Ithaca) and Kyle Nawrocki, Hauppauge ’15 (Binghamton University) and Head Coach, Tony Calandra, Chatham High School.

Returning the Brogden Cup to Canada. (L-R), Coaches Craig and Andrew Whipple, (USA), Terry Lloyd, Clem D’Orazio and Mike Bentivegni (Canada).

Following game two, an Awards Ceremony presented every player with a commemorative Brogden Cup medal and the Brogden Cup was presented to Terry Lloyd, Manager Canadian National Team and Team Ontario Head coach, Clem D’Orazio, Assistant Coach, Mike Bentivegni, team captains, Mitch Wales, Chris Young and Aaron Forster.

Players, coaches and parents from both teams joined together for dinner and bowling after the game. “Having everyone experience international fellowship through the sport of lacrosse is a key component of the Brogden Cup. I hope to see lacrosse become an Olympic sport."

Level 2 Sports is the organizer of this event. Having demonstrated a high level of potential and love for the game, the USA roster features college-bound players that have participated in the Brine National Lacrosse Classic.
For more information about the Brogden Cup and Brine National Lacrosse Classic, visit: http://www.nationallacrosseclassic.com

About the Brine National Lacrosse Classic
 
A benchmark for youth and high school lacrosse in the United States, the Brine National Lacrosse Classic is an annual showcase event featuring premier players and coaches from across the country that were selected to participate based on skills and sportsmanship demonstrated in regional tryouts. The three-day event offers players the unique opportunity to represent their regions in an extremely competitive arena, demonstrate their talents in front of NCAA collegiate lacrosse coaches from every division, and enjoy a socially and athletically rewarding experience that will help them meet the challenges of high school and college academics and athletics. The Brine National Lacrosse Classic has three distinct divisions for high school and middle school boys and girls based on their graduation year, and is designed to help players maximize their potential.