MCLA’s Cream of the Crop: Simon Fraser 2015 season preview

(Photo: Jodi Vosika/ASU Lacrosse)

Simon Fraser featured one of the nation’s most dynamic balances in the MCLA last season, and with the talents of Sam Clare and a solid well-coached defensive unit, the Clan could very well be a threat to teams around the league. This is part of an ongoing series during which we will focus on one of the MCLA’s top teams each day, counting down till Christmas to the true “cream of the crop.”

Last year

Record: 12-3

Postseason finish: MCLA Tournament First Round

Quick season recap: Despite playing a light schedule in 2014, Simon Fraser’s stars showed up on a lot of stat sheets in a successful campaign for the program. There was only one bad loss on the radar (Texas), but there was also only one significant win, on the road against Arizona. It was undoubtedly a quality year for the team, though, featuring a seven-game win streak that spanned over a month. It was the Clan’s record in conference play that really pops off the page, though, as they were 10-0 (including PNCLL Tournament games) against conference opponents throughout the season. After blazing through the conference tournament and into the MCLA Tournament, 12th-seeded SFU fell short against defensive power Colorado State, 5-3.

Roster losses: You have to scroll down to the No. 10 spot on this Simon Fraser team’s points to find the first graduating player. However, there are a few unexpected absences, such as the early departure of Ward Spencer, a dynamic attackman who dropped 71 points last season. The true loss that this team is dealing with, though, is that of junior attackman Tyler Kirkby, whose season will likely be over due to an ACL injury. Kirkby led the entire MCLA in goals in 2014 with 65. While midfielder Brendan Farrell was a contributor with a 40-point career, his absence will not deter this dynamic offense from continuing its success. That’s not to say that the team isn’t losing some big names elsewhere, though, as the defense will take a hit. Star goalie Darren Zwack, who was named an honorable mention All-American last season, is gone after four years of consistent playing time. One of the country’s best long-stick midfielders in Riley Wanzer has also used up his four years of playing time, wrapping up his career with an incredible 2014 as he compiled First Team All-American honors as well as winning the PNCLL Defensive Player of the Year award. Perhaps among the most important losses, though, is that of defenseman Mark Hilker. The honorable mention All-American would be a big factor on a team whose defense could use his presence as both a leader and a shutdown defender. Instead, other players will need to step up to fill his shoes.

This year

Who to watch for: Sam Clare, senior midfielder

Kirkby was the obvious pick before his ACL injury, no doubt, as a potential Player of the Year candidate. However, don’t forget about Clare. A First Team All-American midfielder in 2014, the senior has a chance to make a big impact in the PNCLL coming off of a year in which he won the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year award. His 44 goals is significant enough to demonstrate his value, but Clare’s true importance lies in his versatility. He has taken over 450 career draws in the face-off X, he’s totaled 193 ground balls, and has notched 138 career points while securing a spot on the All-American roster during each of his three years at Simon Fraser. That may be the most balance of any active player’s career currently in the MCLA. If this offense wants to return to its performances from last year, it will need to come on the heels of Sam Clare. The junior captain will be a year older and will need to adopt a bigger offensive role than ever before with a team hampered by the losses of Spencer and Kirkby.

They’re dangerous if the defense doesn’t let games get out of hand. Offensively this team has some weapons, and the Clan finished 2014 with the No. 6 scoring offense in the nation. Although the defense wasn’t far behind production-wise (finishing No. 8 in points allowed per game), the loss of its starting goalie and an impactful long-stick midfielder, not to mention the departure of its star defenseman, will hit hard. Head coach Brent Hoskins is a defensive mind, as a former defensive stand-out and then defensive coordinator at Simon Fraser. It is worth noting that this unit stood tall against some of its top opponents last season, allowing single-digit goal totals to Colorado State (5), Arizona (7), and BYU (8). The only real disappointment from this defensive structure last year was the 11 goals it allowed to Texas late in the season. Returning All-PNCLL defensemen Bayne Bosquet (First Team) and Alex Thomson (honorable mention) will be charged with continuing the trend of great defensive play, and contributions from the well-rounded face-off specialist and long-stick midfielder James Irwin would be a big help as well. If the defense stays in games next year, there’s a very good chance this team could climb high enough in the polls to have national championship aspirations.

Achilles’ heel: Scoring against top-tier defenses. We know this is an offense that can score in droves, as proven by its stellar 14.4 goals-per-game average. However, the schedule’s hardest defenses featured totals far below that average, and it was the reason SFU struggled to win those games. In the first round of the MCLA Tournament, it wasn’t the defense that couldn’t perform; it was the offense that fell short, totaling only three goals, its lowest outing of the season. Consider that this was the same team which, less than two months prior, had pulled off two of the MCLA’s biggest blowouts of 2014, with a 30-2 rout of Washington State that was directly followed by a 29-2 destruction of Portland State. Obviously WSU and PSU are not the likes of Arizona State and CSU, but there is something to be said for the Clan’s drastic inability to score in games where it was imperative for them to do so. If that turns around this season, there’s no doubt that Simon Fraser can hang with any team in the country and contend for a title.

Trey Lanthier is a lacrosse reporter and editor at WCSN, as well as a contributor for Inside Lacrosse. You can reach him at treylanthier@gmail.com or on Twitter, @TreyLanthier.

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