Overview:
Daniel May is a Toronto native and current lacrosse player at Jacksonville University. May’s Grinders is a weekly series which highlights the contributions of players around the league, particularly those that don’t appear on the box score. Check back here every week for another edition of May’s Grinders!
Apologies for the delay this week, but I wanted to get another edition of May’s Grinders up before the weekend. Let’s get right into it.
Graydon Bradley, San Diego Seals
Graydon Bradley, one of only four players left from the original expansion roster, played an integral role in San Diego’s 12-11 overtime win against the Georgia Swarm Friday night.
He leads the Seals in blocked shots this season and made his mark, once again, in that facet of the game. Georgia set a down pick where Bradley was the off-ball defender, and he shot up and around his man to get in front of the shot. He picked up the ensuing loose ball and ran down the floor for a bar down breakaway goal.
As Nick Ossello—a former teammate of Bradley’s— exclaimed on the broadcast, “When Bradley scores for San Diego, it’s one of my favourite things because of the bench reaction. They go nuts… [Bradley] leads the team in smiles caused per game… tough to be in a bad mood around Graydon Bradley.”
When players like Bradley score they provide juice for the bench which lead to positive swings in momentum.
Although Bradley was only credited with a single blocked shot on the night, his size and ability to use his frame throw off opposing shooters. There were numerous occasions that night where he didn’t stop the ball but forced their players to shoot around his frame and miss the cage.
Brad Kri, Toronto Rock
With Challen Rogers and Mitch De Snoo both out of the lineup Saturday, the Rock’s defence would be without two of their best defenders. It provided the perfect opportunity for guys to step up with the added responsibility and prove the depth of the Rock’s defensive unit. And they did, holding the Vancouver Warriors to five goals— the Rock’s lowest goals allowed all year.
Brad Kri was a force to be reckoned with. He makes a case every week for why he could be considered the team’s best defender, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Kri doesn’t get moved on picks because of the strength of his base, which made it difficult for the Vancouver Warriors to get anything going with him involved in the two-man game. He’s always in great position when on the backside, staying along the far post, and batting down cross floor passes. On top of that, he’s a nightmare of a cover, rarely—if ever— getting scored on.
He finished the game with 6 loose balls and 3 caused turnovers, which are miniscule to the number of possessions he thwarted with his presence.
Mike Byrne, Albany Firewolves
Mike Byrne played the definition of a grinder’s game in Albany’s 13-10 victory over the Buffalo Bandits, which was their second win against them this season in as many games.
Byrne continued to make tough plays all night, putting himself in dirty areas by fighting in the corners for loose balls by either boxing out opponents or scuffing it up enough to allow one of his teammates to pick up the ball. He was only credited with picking up two loose balls on the night, but his impact on the turf was immensely more than the stat sheet showed.
He simply did all the little things that add up in a 60-minute game. Getting his hands on his matchup after shots to prevent them from picking up loose balls, running through pressure to get the ball up the floor, closing out possessions by doubling the ball and making sure Buffalo didn’t get second chances.
Everything Byrne did contributed to the Firewolves holding the Bandits to their second lowest scoring clip of the season.
Zach Belter, Buffalo Bandits
Zach Belter, the newcomer to the lineup, met and exceeded the standard of physicality that defines the Buffalo Bandits defence.
The rookie out of St. Bonaventure, who holds the school’s career record in caused turnovers, played with an edge that stood out.
It would not be fun having to run through the middle of the Buffalo defence, and even worse to see Belter waiting for you. He leaves with solid checks, cross-checking players low and on the hips, and put his body into everyone he covered. It’s a physical and mental battle going against Belter that wears over the course of a game.
He blocked an Alex Simmons shot from the middle of the floor that looked out of a movie. Simmons drove overtop a down-pick and got to the middle of the floor with his hands free. Belter, covering the off-ball player, got caught in the middle covering neither. Although a few steps behind, Belter jumped out and used his 6”5 frame to get his stick in front to block the shot.
He finished the game with a blocked shot, two caused turnovers, and I’d set the over/under on bruises given at a dozen.
Check back next week for more!