Good morning lacrosse fans. Thank you for taking time out of your day for the Utah Lax Report. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to shoot me a note: tim@timhaslam.com.
Interview w/ Goose It Lacrosse Founders Jackson & Boston Earl
I’m very excited about this podcast because it’s about local small business and giving back, both of which are things I love. Jackson and Boston Earl started Goose It Lacrosse after noticing the lack of lifestyle focused lacrosse apparel. I also love that they donate 10% of proceeds to JDRF which is a Type 1 diabetes research fund. You can find out why by listening to the podcast. Check out their website: gooseitlax.com
You can listen to the latest podcast above or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a rating!
While you’re out and about at games, stop by Vessel Kitchen. Vessel Kitchen has locations in Midvale, Sandy, 9th + 9th and Kimball Junction.
Before we dive in, I’d like to thank Patrick Carr from the Standard-Examiner for his article this week about lacrosse. We had a long chat about the history of the game and more. Go check it out here.
Also, Dusty Litster and Dane Stewart from Game Night Live on KSL did a great 18 minute recap of the lacrosse action so far. You can watch it here. If all goes well, I should be joining the GNL team in the booth this week and I’m really looking forward to it.
Week 6 Coaches Polls
No. 1 Corner Canyon - The Chargers beat Skyridge, 26-0, on Thursday and will face No. 5 American Fork on Tuesday. Corner Canyon has scored 20 or more goals in its last five games. I’m not certain that will change here but American Fork only gives up 5.7 goals per game on average. No matter the score, I suspect Corner Canyon will win by at least 8 as a conservative estimate.
No. 2 Olympus - The Titans beat Timpview, 13-8 (Highlights), on Wednesday and Alta, 10-5, on Friday, which is likely why they jumped to the No. 2 spot over Farmington. The Titans are still No. 3 in the RPI but have a much tougher schedule than Farmington, so I suspect if they continue to win, they’ll jump Farmington there too. Olympus takes on region foes East on Tuesday and Skyline on Friday, which could be a great chapter for the rivalry. When will we see a lacrosse traveling trophy for this rivalry like ‘The Rock’ for their football rivalry? I believe Waterford/Judge has an old bucket helmet that has been used as a traveling trophy in the past. I’d love to see more traveling trophies to be honest.
No. 3 Farmington - After a midweek contest with Bountiful was rescheduled due to weather, the Phoenix beat Bonneville, 18-4, on Friday. Only region games remain on the schedule, with games against Woods Cross and Box Elder this week.
No. 4 Mountain Ridge - One of the better games on the schedule for the week will take place on Tuesday when the Sentinels host Timpview on Tuesday. Mountain Ridge won the first game in the series, 13-11, on March 15.
No. 5 American Fork - The Cavemen beat Skyridge, 17-4, on Tuesday, then edged Westlake, 12-7, on Thursday. A tough week lies ahead with No. 1 Corner Canyon on Tuesday, then Lone Peak on Thursday.
No. 6 Park City - A 19-4 win over Spanish Fork and two region games this week (Maple Mountain & Salem Hills) set the stage for potentially the toughest remaining schedule of any team. After this week, the Miners host No. 9 Brighton (4/27), Wasatch (4/30) and No. 4 Mountain Ridge (5/8) then have a regular-season finale at No. 2 Olympus on May 11.
No. 7 Green Canyon - The Wolves bested Sky View, 17-3, on Wednesday and will take on Mountain Crest on Wednesday and Ridgeline on Friday.
No. 8 Davis - The Darts beat Layton, 18-0, on Tuesday then beat Highland, 16-1, on Thursday. The Darts have two great road games this week beginning with Northridge on Tuesday and Weber on Thursday.
No. 9 Brighton - The Bengals re-enter the poll after a 13-4 win over Bountiful on Tuesday and an 18-4 win over Copper Hills on Thursday. Brighton will play three home games this week: Monday against Maple Mountain, Wednesday versus Skyline and No. 4 Mountain Ridge on Friday. The Bengals finish the season with No. 6 Park City (4/27), East (4/28), Highland (5/5) and No. 2 Olympus on May 7 in a game that will likely determine the Region 6 champion.
No. 10 Juan Diego - It will be interesting how the RPI treats the Soaring Eagle moving forward. After a 12-4 win over Judge on Tuesday they stayed at No. 4 in the RPI but after a 20-0 win over UMA on Friday, they dropped to No. 6. If we look at the five remaining games for Juan Diego, the opponent’s RPI is as follows: Cedar Valley (48), Waterford (12), Judge (43), UMA (58), Cedar Valley (48). Obviously, these numbers change daily, but let’s just say that the Waterford game on 4/27 is a must-win for both Juan Diego and Waterford. My uneducated guess is that the winner will stay in the bottom of the Division A bracket while the loser will go to the Division B bracket.
Waterford remaining schedule: Judge (43), Juan Diego (6), Jordan (56), Cedar Valley (48), Judge (43), UMA (58). It will be interesting to see what these games will do the the Ravens RPI as well.
If the season ended today, here’s what the playoff brackets would look like:
We’re getting into the heart of region play so let’s see how those are shaking out.
Region 1 (In region record): Davis (7-0), Fremont (6-1), Weber (4-2), Northridge (4-3), Syracuse (3-4), Roy (2-5), Clearfield (1-5), Layton (0-7)
Region 3: Bingham (6-0), Riverton (4-1), Copper Hills (2-2), Herriman (2-3), West Jordan (2-3), Jordan (1-4), West (0-4)
Region 4: Corner Canyon (3-0), American Fork (4-0), Lone Peak (2-1), Westlake (2-2), Pleasant Grove (0-4), Skyridge (0-4)
Region 5: Farmington (3-0), Bountiful (2-0), Bonneville (3-1), Box Elder (1-3), Viewmont (1-3), Woods Cross (0-3)
Region 6: Skyline (1-0), East (0-1), Brighton (0-0), Highland (0-0), Olympus (0-0)
Region 7: Mountain Ridge (6-0), Timpview (5-1), Alta (4-2), Lehi (3-3), Timpanogos (2-4), Orem (1-5), Mountain View (0-6)
Region 8: Park City (3-0), Wasatch (4-0), Maple Mountain (3-2), Salem Hills (2-2), Springville (1-2), Spanish Fork (1-2), Payson (0-2), Provo (0-4)
Region 10: Juan Diego (3-0), Waterford (1-1), Judge (1-1), Cedar Valley (1-1), UMA (0-3)
Region 11: Green Canyon (3-0), Sky View (3-1), Bear River (2-1), Ridgeline (2-2), Logan (1-3), Mountain Crest (0-4)
No. 1 Park City - The Miners beat Spanish Fork, 24-0, on Friday. The Miners will take on Maple Mountain on Wednesday, No. 6 Alta on Thursday and Salem Hills on Friday.
No. 2 Mountain Ridge - The Sentinels moved up a spot in the poll after a 24-2 win over Mountain View on Tuesday. Mountain Ridge will take on Timpview this Tuesday and Orem on Thursday.
No. 3 Brighton - The Bengals will have to wait until May 11 to see who really is the No. 2 team in the state as they take on Mountain Ridge that day. In the meantime, the Bengals will build off its 16-2 win over Highland on Wednesday and a 23-4 win over Copper Hills on Friday. Like the Brighton boys, the girls team may have the toughest remaining schedule with Skyline (4/21), Bingham (4/23), East (4/28), Lone Peak (4/30), Olympus (5/7 - potential Region 6 championship), Davis (5/10), Mountain Ridge (5/11).
No. 4 Olympus - The Titans are riding high after beating Pleasant Grove, 27-5, on Wednesday and Timpview, 23-4, on Friday. They also sit at No. 1 in the RPI. May should be an interesting month for the Titans who take on Skyline (5/5), Brighton (5/7) and Park City on May 11.
No. 5 Skyridge - Three games this week for the Falcons will be a challenge beginning on Tuesday against Pleasant Grove. On Thursday, Skyridge hosts Westlake then hosts No. 4 Olympus on Friday.
No. 6 Alta - Last week was a dominant one for the Hawks who beat Orem, 25-1, and Timpanogos, 14-1. A Tuesday showdown against Mountain View on Tuesday should prepare the Hawks for a Thursday home game against No. 1 Park City.
No. 7 Waterford - The Ravens should cruise to victory this week with games against Judge on Tuesday and Juan Diego on Friday.
No. 8 Davis - The Darts won’t be tested again until May 10th when it faces No. 3 Brighton.
No. 9 Wasatch - As votes were coming in I thought this was a typo, but the Wasps are 6-1 and are doing it in style. Only region games remain but that means a showdown with No. 1 Park City on April 30.
No. 10 Herriman - This Tuesday will be telling for the Mustangs who take on 7-1 West Jordan who they’ll also face on May 6. In the RPI, Herriman is No. 12 and West Jordan is No. 13.
If the season ended today, here’s what the playoff brackets would look like.
Girls region rankings:
Region 1: Davis (7-0), Syracuse (6-1), Fremont (5-2), Weber (3-4), Roy (3-4), Layton (3-4), Northridge (1-6), Clearfield (0-7)
Region 3: Herriman (5-0), Riverton (4-1), West Jordan (4-10), Jordan (2-3), Bingham (2-4), Copper Hills (1-4), West (0-5)
Region 4: Skyridge (4-0), Corner Canyon (3-1), American Fork (3-1), Lone Peak (1-3), Pleasant Grove (1-3), Westlake (0-4)
Region 5: Farmington (4-0), Box Elder (3-1), Woods Cross (2-1), Viewmont (1-2), Bountiful (1-3), Bonneville (0-4)
Region 6: Brighton (1-0), East (1-0), Skyline (0-1), Highland (0-1), Olympus (0-0)
Region 7: Mountain Ridge (6-0), Alta (5-1), Timpview (4-2), Timpanogos (3-3), Lehi (2-4), Orem (1-5), Mountain View (0-6)
Region 8: Park City (2-0), Wasatch (2-0), Springville (2-1), Maple Mountain (1-1), Payson (1-1), Provo (1-1), Salem Hills (0-2), Spanish Fork (0-3)
Region 10: Waterford (2-0), Juan Diego (1-1), Judge (0-1), Cedar Valley (0-1)
Region 11: Bear River (4-0), Ridgeline (4-0), Mountain Crest (2-2), Green Canyon (1-3), Sky View (0-3), Logan (0-3)
College Update
Utah lost to No. 3 Virginia, 18-11 (Recap | Box Score), on Saturday. The game was tied after the first quarter, 4-4, then Utah took a 6-5 lead in the second before Virginia scored 8 unanswered goals. Utah scored the last three goals of the game, making the score 18-11. If you ever get the chance to see a game at Klöckner Stadium, I’d highly recommend it, it’s a great venue. The Utes face Cleveland State on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Goalie Assist of the Game
My second favorite goal of the game goes to MJ:
Westminster beat UVU on Thursday, 13-7, and had its game with Colorado College canceled. The Griffins will take on Adams State on Friday and CSU-Pueblo on Sunday. Both games will be at Dumke Field.
BYU beat Arizona on Saturday, 12-3, and will take on the Air Force Academy on Saturday at 1:00 p.m in Provo.
UVU lost to Westminster, 13-7, on Thursday and will host Air Force Academy on Friday then travel to Utah State on Saturday.
Womens
Westminster fell to Regis on Tuesday, 19-2, and CSU-Pueblo on Sunday, 15-11. The Griffins will host Adams State on Sunday at 11:00 a.m at Dumke Field.
Utah State beat UVU on Saturday, 11-9.
Q&A With Syracuse Attack/Mid Brooklyn Suttlemyre
Courtesy of Kevin D Hansen Photography
My Q&A today is with Brooklyn Suttlemyre who is a Junior at Syracuse High School. Suttlemyre is currently second in the state in goals (58) and points (71) and is winning 0.578 of draw controls. She has two, 12 point games this season where she scored 10 goals and had 2 assists. Suttlemyre hopes to play lacrosse at the next level and wants to be an elementary school teacher and lacrosse coach.
“Brooklyn just loves everything about lacrosse, practice, games, teammates, and shooting in the backyard,” said Syracuse head coach Adam Suttlemyre, who is also Brooklyn’s dad. “As her coach I love that she likes working on the little things, staying after practice to shoot, and trying to help the newer girls on the team no matter their skill level. She is a very positive player and is an extension of myself on the field. She is very coachable and wants to learn and improve no matter the coach. She has the ability to separate coach and dad which is amazing. Before practice and after I'm like any other dad trying to coach my daughter, and the relationship is just that. But during practice its coach and I can't say enough about that because it can be hard for parents to coach their kid. As a dad I'm Just grateful for the time we get to spend together. Not too many coaches get the opportunity to spend time with their daughter for hours a day, playing a game I have grown to love because of her.”
5 Questions w/ Brooklyn Suttlemyre
TH: When/why did you start playing lacrosse?
BS: I started playing lacrosse in the 5th grade. My elementary teacher coached for a local high school team and it really got me interested in the game. She encouraged me to start playing and I haven't stopped since!TH: What is your favorite part about lacrosse?
BS: I love how fast paced the game is! And of course, I love the friendships and my amazing teammates who I wouldn't know without lacrosse.TH: What is your stick of choice?
BS: I currently have an STX Exult 600 with a mesh pocket and I love it!TH: What is your favorite field on?
BS: Kaysville Jr High field, this was where I played Davis Club lacrosse and Jr. lacrosse. This was the field where I really grew to love the game. I have so many memories there and made friendships that I will never forget. That field became a second home and I will always love playing there.TH: How/why did you pick your jersey number?
BS: My dad was number 13 in high school. He is one of my biggest role models, so I thought it would be fitting if I could carry on the tradition and wear his number as well.
Utah Lacrosse History
In 1940, Donald C. McMillan, a Salt Lake City native, joined the Army lacrosse team while enrolled at West Point. McMillan is listed as a member of the team in the 1941 and 1942 Howitzer, the West Point yearbook. The yearbooks back then were what seemed like a year behind as the 1940 team was published in the 1941 Howitzer. Although the yearbooks' recaps don't mention McMillan, his bio states he had 'devoted himself to lacrosse, bridge, barbershop harmony, and tall stories.' McMillan was praised at home in an April 18, 1941 clipping called "Utahn Makes Team" from the Salt Lake Telegram in which the author states that McMillan 'qualified' for the Army lacrosse team. The news came from the public relations officer, Lieutenant Colonel Meade Wildrick. It's unclear whether Wildrick reached out to local papers or if the Salt Lake Telegram was actively searching for stories at West Point and happened upon McMillan. The 1940 Black Knights went 7-3 with a season finale win against Navy, 13-2. The 1941 team finished with an 8-2 record and once again bested Navy, 7-5. Army went on to win a National Championship just two years later but McMillan had graduated in 1941.
1940 & 1941 Army Lacrosse Teams in the Howitzer yearbook
Goalie Goals & The PLL
If you know me, I love a good long pole goal and a goalie goal even more. Here’s a gem from Maryland goalie Logan McNaney on Sunday.
Also this week, the PLL announced it would be making a stop in Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium on August 20-21. I personally think this is a fantastic time for the PLL to come here. It will be a little toasty, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been warm at a lacrosse game. I also like that it’s only two days. Sure, we get less games, but I’ll be honest, three days of games is a lot. We’ll also get the Quarterfinals of the playoffs which means the games should be great. Tickets aren’t on sale yet for SLC, but you can sign up to be notified on their site when they do become available. I’m also really excited about this:
The caption says, “We're honored to share this Land Acknowledgment, and together we recognize that our games will be played on lands that have been inhabited, cared for and respected by Indigenous people for centuries. They are the originators of lacrosse.” Pretty cool if you ask me.
That’s it for this week. Be kind out there and be sure to follow ULR on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
— Tim Haslam
Interview w/ Goose It Lacrosse Founders, New No. 2 Teams, Q&A w/ Syracuse A/M Brooklyn Suttlemyre