Unsung hero of the U13 squad was Drew Litner of Sharon. One of the youngest and smallest members of the team, Drew required duct tape to keep his uniform from interfering with his mind-boggling stick skills. Litner's intellect and fearlessness put a huge target on his tape-fastened back and he delivered some of the most pungent stings to the opponents with a relentless barrage of unsaveable shots on net.
"From a sideline perspective, each tournament game had excellent progression," said Zaccardo. "As players got to know each other better, respect and support for each other grew from day to day. It was a great sense of accomplishment to see these youth 5th and 6th graders bond as teammates and become friends for life."
By day, the Colonials fought bravely against foes in both sport and nature. By night, they crammed into the hotel's hot tub and created lasting memories of merriment and buffoonery. Though the next day would bring "do-or-die" playoff games, nothing in the world would hinder their moment to bask in the jocosities of adolescence.
On Monday, July 14th, elimination bracket-play commenced. With their 3-0 record and the least amount of goals against in the U15 field, the Colonials earned the number one overall seed and a first-round bye. They dismantled Sawtooth Idaho in the Round of 16 by a score of 14-2.
The following morning, they met their demise at the hands of eventual champion 3D Select 2017. Strong from beginning to end, this compilation of terrific individual players from all corners of the league came together swiftly and efficiently and demonstrated to the world that there is extraordinary lacrosse being played in the Northeast.
"They never quit and represented Massachusetts as well as I could have imagined," said Atkins. "I remain extremely proud of those boys."
Day two for the U13 Colonials was nothing short of thrilling. Their 1-1-1 record in pool play granted them bracket seed #23. Favorites in their opening match against Boulder, the team won handedly 13-6. Three teammates who could not fly out in time for Pool Play arrived late Sunday evening. Aiden Chitkara of Wayland and Nicholas and Noah Larsen of Northborough-Southborough joined their team as attackmen. Not only did they add depth to the team, these phenomenal athletes truly became difference-makers.
In addition to the Larsen twin brothers, who were formidable face-off takers as well as goal-scoring and assist-giving machines, the team also had its offensive coordinator, coach Peter Larsen.
"For my boys, the games were always local," said the elder Larsen. "This was an airfare away with a great group of players who came together at the last minute. Playing teams from Colorado, Utah, and all over the country was the real experience."
Only weeks following their MBYLL Select League championship run with Northborough-Southborough, the Larsens were prepared to take on bigger and more bumptious opponents.
The Utah Lightning came into the Round of 32 match as heavy favorites and they weren't afraid to let anyone know. The silence was deafening after a 9-6 upset which propelled the rejuvenated Colonials into the Round of 16 and left the Lightning less thunderous and more closely resembling that of a faint flicker of mildly annoying glare.
Ultimately, the tournament came to an end for the U13 team late in the early evening when the 7th-seeded Colorado Wild proved too much, too soon for a weary and emotionally drained group of warriors.
Aside from an all-too impressive Tied 5th and Tied 9th finish for the U15 and U13 Colonials respectively, the glorious week was capped off with scintillating international play, picturesque views of the Colorado Rockies, and formed friendships that, to this day, surface in the form of pictures, posts, and stories on the multiple platforms of social media MBYLL is delving into.
"It was a great opportunity to see the sport of lacrosse unite people across ages, cultures, and even nations," said Atkins. "I hope to be able to coach at the next World Festival Games in 2018."
The Future of MBC
Though this was originally intended to be a one-time project to coincide with a decidedly rare event, there have been many requests to keep the Colonials brand alive. Between the orchestration, commitment, and passion to grow the sport in Massachusetts, MBYLL has proven that it can undertake adventurous projects.
For 2015, a subcommittee of board members, coaches, and parents from the 2014 Colonials experiment will come together to explore some options for future competition. Whether they attend one or two special events or even dip their proverbial toe in the waters of tournament hosting, something exciting may surface and many more MBYLL athletes will be involved.
"This was a unique experience, and an unforgettable one," said Picard, "but there's very little reason why we can't explore our capabilities as a league."
MBYLL has always been and will always be a Classic League in which youth lacrosse players enjoy their spring by learning lacrosse and playing the game with their town peers. But what the organization is discovering is that the 20,000 athletes that make up the league at-large are all peers. And there appears to be a desire and appreciation for the chance to play for something "bigger."
Perhaps there is irony in the fact that this league needed to travel 1,800 miles to the single largest gathering of lacrosse in the world to discover just how small the world of sports can be. Though there were a record number of nations at the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championship—including first-time participants Belgium, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Israel, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and Uganda—the sport still remains one of the most fraternal and tight-knit communities revolving around a single passion.
"Even though Uganda, for example, didn't win any of their games, the elation they shared and the pride they took in playing for their country and continent was contagious. And I can't help but think the Colonials shared in that sense of regional pride and the prestige that comes with representing your league," Picard said. "And... we won a few games."
-SG
12 The Scoop / Winter '15