A surprising treat for the boys was news that the entire Haudenosaunee Iroquois Nationals team was also staying at the hotel. Many members of that team—including international superstars Lyle Thompson, Miles Thompson, and Jeremy Thompson—graciously and enthusiastically strolled the lobby posing for pictures, signing autographs, and getting to know their youth fans from Massachusetts.
After a long day of collecting credentials, stocking up on sideline supplies, and checking every last Colonial into their room, the coaches gathered the group of players and parents in the Vail Room off the Atrium at 6:00 pm for one last team meeting.
Instructions were simple: "Eat well. Get plenty of sleep. Be in the lobby ready to leave at 5:30 am. Show the world what you can do.” There wasn't a person in the room who wasn't fully aware of why they were there and what they needed to do. MBYLL put a lot of time, effort, and resources to bringing the elite group of players across the country and it was time to put themselves on the map.
The U13 and U15 Pool Play began at 7:00 am on Sunday, July 13th. Spread across 11 fields to the east of Dick's Sporting Goods Stadium, teams from all over the country and Canada began populating the perfectly manicured grass hub around 6:00.
Four unmarked vans pulled into Lot BB in a caravan of excited, hungry New Englanders clad in their never-before-worn red, white, and blue uniforms. They strolled to the farthest field in the complex, slightly abuzz and eager to finally drop their bags. First up for the U15 team was True Lacrosse Kansas from Kansas City. Two weeks prior, at the Resolute Shoot-Out at Ohio State University, this team wearing neon green and black took first place, going an undefeated 7-0.
"I knew this was going to be a tremendous challenge," said Picard. "Our first test of the tournament was going to be against a fairly impressive opponent. This team was tried and true, no pun intended."
At 7:00 am sharp, at the sound of a universal bullhorn, an official dressed in a tan short-sleeved shirt signaled for the face-off middies to take their place. The great experiment began, and what happened next was totally unexpected.
Jack Geiger of Reading, wearing his preferred number 21, raked the ball cleanly away from his opponent, scooped it up on the run just right of the center line, embarrassed the first close defender with a split step dodge, and found the fabric behind the goalie's ear with a vicious over-the-shoulder shot. Thirty seconds in and the Mass Bay Colonials had a lead they would not relinquish.
"That Kansas team was stunned," said Picard. "I remember looking over at their head coach and he was speechless. But believe it or not, it ended up being our sidelines that spent the majority of the afternoon in bewilderment."
The Colonials dismantled the Resolute Shoot-Out Champions 14-0. Later in the day, they faced-off against the High Plains Outlaws of Northglenn, Colorado and Team North Texas (TNT) from Dallas, Plano, and Frisco. Both teams were quite accomplished in their respective youth leagues as well as on the Midwestern circuit. Mass Bay won 14-1 and 14-2, respectively.
"Fortunately, we came out firing on all cylinders and really made a strong impression that first day," said Atkins.
Ben Dacey-Render of Dudley-Charlton and Joe Franklin of Franklin split time in net and had a remarkable Pool Play day, letting in three goals in three games, by far the lowest amount in the U15 bracket.
They were guarded by six monster defensemen—each tall in stature and character: John Doherty of Leominster, Will Dixon of Weston, Timothy Roberts of Melrose whose father was the team's defensive coordinator, David Nagle of Whitman-Hanson, Wesley Bishop of King Philip whose younger brother Kip filled water bottles and kept everyone loose, and Cameron Martin of Westwood, whose doctors told him he wouldn't be able to play in the tournament on account of a broken kneecap. Even a dire
Mass Bay Colonials' General Manager Joey Picard addressed the players and families in Denver the night before the World Lacrosse Championships Youth Festival began
10 The Scoop / Winter '15