Griz Black Wins 1st Annual Lacrosse Shootout
MISSOULA - Fall lacrosse came to Missoula last weekend with both the championship and consolation games of the 1st Annual University of Montana Lacrosse Shootout ending in one-goal nail-biters
The tournament featured a strong fan turnout and competitive lacrosse all weekend, with seven teams playing up to four games each in pursuit of the championship. The University of Montana split its roster for the event, fielding two Griz squads to compete against each other in addition to the other five teams making the trek to Missoula.
Griz White and Griz Black met in the championship game Sunday, each going undefeated in their previous contests. Four goals from attackman Jake Bagley paced the Griz White offense, which had created a 7-3 lead by the end of the first half. Griz Black came out strong in the second half, however, netting five unanswered goals while shutting out Bagley and the rest of Griz White for the rest of the game to claim the Shootout’s coveted gold helmet trophy.
In Sunday’s consolation game, Montana State and the University of Idaho fought their way into overtime, locking the score with five goals each at the end of regulation. MSU struck first in sudden-death, sneaking a quick-stick finish past Idaho’s physical defense for the win.
Montana State goalie Jeremy Barnekow took home the award for the Shootout’s Defensive MVP; the Griz’s Bagley received the nod for Offensive MVP. “I really wasn’t happy with the way my season ended last year… I’m really looking forward to my senior year,” said Bagley, the 2006 MCLA 1st Team All American who ended the Griz’s 2007 championship season with a brace on his injured shoulder.
On the adjacent field to the championship and award ceremony, a less formal but similarly fast paced pick-up lacrosse game lasted late into the afternoon. Over 40 youth players from eight different cities in Western Montana converged in Missoula for the Shootout’s second day - the largest such gathering of young players in the state’s young history with the sport.
“Overall, this is probably the biggest lacrosse event ever held in Montana,” said University of Montana Head Coach Kevin Flynn.
Missoula stands to significantly surpass itself in that regard this spring, having recently won its bid to host the 2008 Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League Championship Tournament on May 3rd and 4th. The Griz hope to repeat their strong performance from last season, when they won the PNCLL Division II playoffs to earn a trip to Texas for the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association’s National Tournament. The Griz won top honors last year with a 15-5 defeat of #1 seed Saintt Johns University in the championship game. The reigning National Champions now have their sights set on the 2008 season, when they will be competing in Division I of the MCLA, facing larger conference opponents including University of Oregon, University of Washington, University of Idaho, Boise State and Gonzaga among others.
“This is the most talented and experienced our team has ever been - hopefully we’ll make it down to Texas again and make another run,” said Flynn.
The Griz will complete their fall tournament schedule this weekend (Oct. 20 - 21)with a trip to Idaho to compete in the 9th Annual Gem State Invitational at Boise State University. Coverage will be available at www.GrizLAX.com. The Grizzlies 2008 schedule will be available upon release within the next few weeks.
PHOTO GALLERIES
Washington State vs. Griz Black
