Welcome to the first edition of the Premier Perspective. Each week we will be looking at one thing that defined the previous weekend of the PLL. This could be an individual player, a game trend, or in this week’s case, a game-changing sequence. This week, the focus is Brennan O’Neill.
Over the course of 38 real-time minutes on Friday, O’Neill changed the game for his team, and may have changed the fortunes of the Denver Outlaws franchise as well.
Through three quarters on Friday, it looked like the Outlaws were headed for a 0-2 start to the season. They trailed the reigning champion Utah Archers 14-7, having trailed by at least two goals for the entire game. Then, things changed.
After a faceoff win and goal from Denver FO Luke Wierman to make the score 14-8, O’Neill scored six goals in the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Outlaws come back and upset the Archers.
Let’s break down each one of those goals, and see how O’Neill put on such a memorable performance.
9:45 4th Quarter: Archers 14 – Outlaws 9
Approximately 10:15 EST
With Jack Myers initiating from X, O’Neill found open space at the top of the arc. As Archers SSDM Piper Bond was ball-watching, O’Neill took a step to the side, caught the ball, and hammered an overhead shot past Utah goalie Brett Dobson. The goal came from O’Neill’s great awareness and recognition of the defense not paying attention to him. A slight miscommunication from the Utah defence was all O’Neill needed to get his scoring streak started.
Notice how the tone of the broadcast changes as these goals go on.
9:32 4th Quarter: Archers 14 – Outlaws 11
Approximately 10:16 EST
After a faceoff win from Wierman and a ground ball from SSDM Mike Messenger, O’Neill caught the ball on the left wing and squared off with defender Cam Wyers. Wierman came down and set a pick, which the Archers did not communicate well. Wyers went under the pick, allowing O’Neill to step back to open space behind the two-point arc and hit another shot.
8:42 4th Quarter: Archers 14 – Outlaws 12
Approximately 10:19 EST
Strong groundball play from Outlaws LSM Nick Grill and SSDM Ryan Terefenko got the ball to A Josh Zawada. Zawada threw a skip pass toward O’Neill who got on one knee to pick the ball up. After a one-handed cradle with his right hand, O’Neill brought the stick to his strong side and beautifully placed a bouncer to the far post past Dobson.
Anish Shroff executes a great play call. Goliath is online.
So was the rest of the lacrosse world.
This tweet from Outlaws beat writer Topher Adams was at 10:17 EST.
6:06 4th Quarter: Archers 15 – Outlaws 14
Approximately 10:26 EST
After goals from Myers and Connor Fields, O’Neill got involved again. After another faceoff win from Wierman got the ball to O’Neill at the top of the arc, he once again matched up with Wyers. Like the previous goal, O’Neill put his head down and made a hard dodge down the alley with his right hand. He then put the ball back in his left hand and shot across his body into the top right corner. This may be his most impressive goal of this sequence. The degree of difficulty in shooting to the far side of the goal while moving away from it is immense, and is a great example of O’Neill’s unique skillset as a player.
As the quarter progresses, the broadcast becomes more and more excitable. Ryan Boyle says, “don’t give up the ball,” as O’Neill makes his move.
2:27 4th Quarter: Archers 17 – Outlaws 17
Approximately 10:36 EST
After a terrific play off the faceoff wing from Justin Anderson, O’Neill caught the ball on the low left wing and isolated against Wyers. O’Neill began to run toward the middle of the field and got a step on the defense after a pick from Anderson. One step of space was all O’Neill needed and he was able to blow another overhand shot past Dobson to tie the game. In a game where Denver looked down and out many times, great faceoff play from Wierman and the explosion from O’Neill had brought the Outlaws back.
After four minutes of back-and-forth play in overtime, a two-many men on the field penalty gave the Outlaws a power play. Everyone in the stadium and watching at home knew where the ball was going.
7:29 Overtime: Archers 17 – Outlaws 18
Approximately 10:53 EST
After throwing the ball around for the first 20 seconds of the power play, Cross Ferrera threw a perfect skip pass to O’Neill who found an opening in the Archers man down defense. He caught the ball, took two steps back, and rifled a shot into the top left corner to win the game.
After the game, Boyle’s excitement from the performance was a good microcosm of how every lacrosse fan felt.
As the fourth quarter went on, O’Neill seemed to get more and more comfortable initiating the offense on his own. Wierman kept winning possession for the Outlaws, which gave O’Neill more opportunities to touch the ball and see how the Archers’ defense was playing him. It was impressive to see how dominant he can be as the centerpiece on offense.
The Outlaws win on Friday night against the Archers is one of the biggest upsets in PLL history. But when you have players like O’Neill, anything is possible on the lacrosse field.
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