Missoula Elite Lacrosse is proud to announce that registration for our 2010 Fall Ball season is now open! The Fall program will feature more of a clinic or camp structure (as opposed to our regular practice schedule in the spring) and will look to really prepare players for the upcoming season. In addition to the MEL coaching staff, several current and former University of Montana Griz lacrosse players will be assisting with the sessions. So register now to join in on the action!

DATES: 9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3*

LOCATION: Meadow Hill Middle School Fields, near Brooks & Reserve

TIMES: 9 AM – 11 AM   Middle School Girls

11 AM – 1 PM     Middle School Boys

1 PM – 3 PM     High School Girls

3 PM – 6 PM    High School Boys**

* On 10/3, all programs will be playing at Dornblaser Fields as part of The University of Montana Men’s Lacrosse 4th Annual Fall Shootout. More details will follow shortly.

** High School Boys players will also be meeting several times on weekdays during the program for various activities. Players will receive that information upon registering. For more information email Coach Flynn at Kevin@missoulaelite.com.

Register by clicking our link on the main page and filling out a registration packet. Packets and payments should be returned to Mauler’s Hockey Central in the Southgate Mall, or mailed to

MEL
c/o Shauna Anderson
18670 Sorrel Springs Lane
Frenchtown, MT 59834

If you have any questions, please email us at info@missoulaelite.com

MIDDLETON, WI – This summer, Missoula Elite Lacrosse continues to raise the bar for lacrosse in Montana. After a long 20 hours in the car and braving through a truly fierce midwest thunderstorm, a group of MEL Men’s Varsity and Junior Varsity players arrived in Wisconsin as the first representatives of their state for the sport of lacrosse in this region. Middleton High School Men’s Varsity Head Coach David Malcolm was excited to be able to host the MEL team, being a University of Montana graduate and former Griz Lacrosse player.

The MEL boys took the field on a hot and humid afternoon, playing in a very nice stadium at Middleton High School. Middleton opened the scoring early in the first, but MEL would answer quickly on a goal by Coty Becker (SR, Valley Christian). The teams played a very even and physical first half, with Middleton leading and Missoula answering. Logan Kuhn (SO, Hellgate) chipped in a goal on a pass from Blue Hayler (SO, Big Sky) and Tanner Pace (JR, Big Sky) scored in the second quarter to bring MEL to within one at the half, trailing only 4 – 3. Brandon Roose (SR, Sentinel) registered 6 saves in the half.

In the 2nd half, the humidity seemed to take a leading role as both teams really slowed down the game. MEL generated some good looks on offense in the 3rd quarter and outshot Middleton, but the Middleton shots were falling on the other end. At the end of the 3rd, Missoula trailed 9 – 3. In the 4th quarter the defense showed their desire to play a full game and really stepped up to jam up the Middleton offense. Ryan Fowler (JR, Big Sky), Lee Raunig (SO, Hellgate), and Jake Smith (SO, Sentinel) each shut down their man for the quarter. Hunter Brandt (JR, Big Sky) chipped in a 4th quarter goal, but Middleton would take the game by a 9 – 4 final. Colton Birdeau (JR, Sentinel) finished with 3 saves in the half.

We would like to thank the Middleton Lacrosse players, parents, and coaches for hosting us today. This was a tremendous step forward for our program and for the sport of lacrosse in Montana and we couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you also to our amazing parent drivers who made sure the boys arrived safely and on time, your support is greatly appreciated!

Photos from the Middleton game can be found by clicking here. Thanks to Gordy Pace for the photos!

Video from the Middleton game can be found by clicking here. Thanks to Gene Fowler for the videos!

On Monday, May 24th, there will be an informational meeting to discuss trip details for the MEL High School boys summer trip from June 22nd-28th. The meeting will be held at the Lundin’s home, located at 7855 Parkwood Drive, at 7 PM. Parents and players who plan on attending are welcome. For more information call Coach Flynn at 544-4551.

Well fans, the season is winding down so it’s time for us to be gearing up for our annual Spring Jamboree. This year’s event will be held this Saturday, May 22nd, at Dornblaser Fields. The event will feature live games starting every hour, beginning at 10 AM, and will have middle school and high school boys and girls action. The grill will be fired up, we’ll be selling concessions all day, and the good people at Mauler’s Hockey Central will have the trailer out selling MEL and other lacrosse merchandise, with proceeds benefiting the players.

Following each team’s final game, there will be team awards presentations. Families are encouraged to join us as we celebrate our player’s accomplishments.

In addition to the games, there will also be a men’s scrimmage to cap off the day. Adult players from the Missoula Men’s Lacrosse League, UM Griz Men’s Team, and other old Montana laxers are invited to come throw in sticks for a fun pick up game. In the spirit of the game and to help promote growth in our region, we are asking that participants make a donation to the program, but any amount will do.

There will also be some contests and games for our younger players out there and kids of all ages are invited to come to the games, learn a bit about lacrosse, and have some fun playing the sport.

The schedule is as follows:

10 AM   FIELD 2    MEL Middle School Boys v. Whitefish

11 AM    FIELD 1    MEL JV Boys v. Bozeman

12 PM    FIELD 2    MEL HS Women v. Gonzaga Prep

1 PM     FIELD 1     MEL Varsity Boys v. Bozeman

2 PM     FIELD 2    MEL Middle School Boys v. Whitefish

3 PM     FIELD 1    MEL Varsity v. MEL JV (Black/White Game)

4 PM     FIELD 2    MEL HS Women v. Gonzaga Prep

5:30PM, FIELD 1, Men’s Scrimmage/Fundraiser

A map of Dornblaser Field can be found by clicking here.

We hope to see you all out on the field to help celebrate the season!

On Thursday, May 13th, the MEL Men’s Varsity and Junior Varsity teams will be joining forces to put on a Black vs. White Scrimmage. The teams would like to invite their friends and family, along with the rest of the community, to come over to Playfair Park at 4 PM to check out the action.

Both teams have had long stretches of travel recently and are looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd. Fans also be sure to mark your calendars for our annual Spring Jamboree on May 22nd!! See you at the field!

SCRIMMAGE ROSTERS

WHITE TEAM

Rian Tuttle (G), Joel Colbert (D), Conor Cahalan (D), Billy Haniszewski (D), Dane Kuhn (D), Zane Nicholson (D), Earl Jensen (A), Jack Lundin (A), Blue Haylar (A), Logan Kuhn (A/M), Kyle Peters (A/G), Matt Gosselin (M), Lance Altmaier (M), Colter Lear (M), Dillon Linhart (M/D), Felipe Perez III (M), Blake Dufner (M), Dalton Mielke (M)

BLACK TEAM

Brandon Roose (G), Colton Birdeau (G/D), Cody Garrymore (D), Ryan Fowler (D), Lee Raunig (D), Jake Smith (D), Trevor Johnson (A), Hunter Brandt (A), Connor Skiftun (A), Wes Rigler (A), Coty Becker (A/M), Tanner Pace (M), Spencer Schultz (M), Al Plant III (M), Griffen Williams (M), Mike Miewald (M), Dave Anderson (M/D)

The Middle School Boys will be traveling to Sandpoint, ID this Saturday, 5/15.  Below is the schedule and directions to the field:

11 am:  Missoula v. SYL

2 pm:  Missoula v. Sandpoint 2

We will be playing at the Centennial Fields in Sandpoint.  The guy running the tournament recommended we travel on HWY 200 to avoid the classic car show in Sandpoint that day.  You can link to the directions HERE and email info@missoulaelite.com with any questions

Missoula Elite’s first middle school games were a success this week as we walked away with two wins and a whole lot of fun.

Thanks to all the parents who came down and helped out this weekend, it was a blast.  We hope to keep this win streak alive with two more games in Sandpoint next week!

-Mac Kelly

COEUR D’ALENE, ID – On Saturday, May 8th, the MEL Men’s Varsity team traveled to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, to take on the Vikings JV Team. The game was a beneficial addition to the schedule for both teams and the weather was perfect for lacrosse. The Vikings opened the scoring and the teams traded goals in a first half battle. Missoula brought a new element to their game, with the attack initiating a tough ride all game long and really limiting the Vikings chances on offense. Missoula would rack up 23 shots in the first half, however only two would find the back of the net and the teams went into halftime with Missoula leading 3 – 2.

In the 3rd quarter the midfielders really started to pitch into the ride and cause turnovers. These turnovers led to a solid transition effort by the Missoula team, especially attackman Trevor Johnson (JR, Sentinel) who netted 3 goals in the quarter. With the offense clicking and the defense clamping down, Missoula extended its lead to 8 – 2 heading into the final quarter.

The Vikings started off the 4th quarter with a frenzy of activity, winning the face off and then charging down the field to attack the cage. They fired off 4 shots early in the quarter, but goaltender Brandon Roose (JR, Sentinel) played tough and made 2 saves to start the quarter. Missoula got the ball up to the offense again and continued to show discipline in their attack, working the ball around and running through their sets. The offense would chip in one more goal in the final quarter and the defense kept up the second half shutout to earn the 9 -2 victory.

The Vikings JV team showed a lot of heart and toughness throughout the game, highlighted by their spirited starts in the 1st and 4th quarters. The Missoula team showed great improvements to their discipline to team systems and passion for the game, both of which the coaches were extremely proud of. Offensively, 6 different players registered points and 5 of the team’s goals were assisted, both are season highs. Defensively, the team forced 15 turnovers and won 52 groundballs, which are also both season highs. It was a great overall team effort.

Thank you to the Vikings program for hosting us on a great day for lacrosse and thank you to all the parents and fans who made the trip to Coeur D’Alene. Thank you also to Julie Gosselin for her photos and also to Gordy Pace, who’s photos can be found here. Also a Happy Mother’s Day for all our team mom’s out there, we couldn’t do this without you!

GAME NOTES:

GOALS: Trevor Johnson (3), Matt Gosselin (2), Lance Altmaier, Coty Becker, Hunter Brandt, Jack Lundin

ASSISTS: Jack Lundin (2), Hunter Brandt, Matt Gosselin, Coty Becker

SAVES: Brandon Roose (4), Rian Tuttle (2)

This weekend Missoula Elite teams will be traveling in several different directions.  Look below for a run down of the weekend for your team and directions to the field.

Men’s Varsity

The Men’s Varsity team will play in Coeur d’Alene on Saturday, May 8th.  The game is scheduled for 11 am, and the coaches have requested that players be there by 10 am.  The game is at the Canfield Sports Complex (Click for Directions) .   We’re looking forward to a fun day and our shortest trip yet!

Men’s Junior Varsity & Middle School Boys

Both the Men’s JV team and the Middle School Boys team will be traveling to Whitefish on Saturday, May 8th. Middle School Boys play at 11 AM and 1:30 PM. Men’s JV plays at 3 PM. Coaches request that players arrive at the fields one hour prior to gametime. Games are played at the Armory Fields (Click for Directions). Games are part of the Flathead Lacrosse Invitational, which also includes events for youth players and adult men’s players. For more information check out the Flathead Lacrosse site.

Women’s Varsity

The Women’s Varsity team will be traveling to Spokane, WA, on Saturday, May 8th. The team will be participating in the Gonzaga Prep Women’s Lacrosse Jamboree, which offers a full day of competition. Directions to their field can be found here.

Drive safe everybody and good luck to all the teams!

SANDPOINT, ID – On Sunday, May 2nd, the MEL Men’s Varsity team travelled to Sandpoint, Idaho, for a double header. Wet conditions on the game field led to a pre-game field switch and lining, but after a brief delay the teams were lined up and ready to play. Sandpoint won the initial draw and set up their offense as the boys in black opened in a new-look zone defense. The patient Sandpoint attack was able to generate 10 shots in the initial period, but most were from the outside and they were only able to put 2 into the net. Matt Gosselin (SR, Big Sky) was able to beat his man and bury a goal in the first, and Missoula headed into the break down 2 – 1.

In the 2nd quarter, the Missoula boys really worked hard and things started to click. The defense switched over to an isolation attack and Joel Colbert (SR, Hellgate) forced 3 turnovers in the quarter. Those takeaways led to solid transition and Gosselin dished out 2 assists to Trevor Johnson (JR, Sentinel) and Jack Lundin (SO, Hellgate). Lundin’s goal was his first of the season, but came with a price as he would be injured during the play. Bodies were colliding, the ball was moving well, and both teams looked good in the first half.Gosselin also added a goal in the quarter and Missoula trailed by a single goal heading into the half, down 5- 4.

In the 2nd half the Missoula team really started to hurt from a lack of depth. With only 16 active players making the trip, and a few injuries in the game already, the tone really shifted as Sandpoint started to control the tempo. They out-shot Missoula 21 – 6 in the 2nd half, including a 12 – 2 advantage in the 4th quarter that would easily seal the deal. Sandpoint won the game 14 – 6.

Goaltender Rian Tuttle (SR, Hellgate) played well during the onslaught and finished with 12 saves in the game. Coty Becker (JR, Valley Chirstian), who moved up to attack for the first time in the season, played hard and registered 7 groundballs and a goal in the game. Midfielder Spencer Schultz (FR, Hellgate) had a very solid game between the lines and won a team high 8 groundballs in the contest. Defender Ryan Fowler (SO, Big Sky) also played well on the ground, he finished with a season high 7 groundballs. After a shaky start, face-off specialist Colter Lear really dug in, winning 4 of 6 draws in the second half.

In the 2nd game, the coaches elected for tournament-style 20 minute halves. Both teams invited a few JV players to stick around and play, and the game had a much more laid back feel. The offense was led again by Matt Gosselin and Coty Becker. Becker finished with a goal and also assisted Gosselin on both of his goals. Trevor Johnson, Spencer Schultz, and Colter Lear all had solid efforts in the contest. Schultz led the team again in groundballs with 7 in the game. Brandon Roose (JR, Sentinel) also saw his first action as a goalkeeper during the game, he finished with 2 saves and zero goals allowed. JV players Lee Raunig (SO, Hellgate) and Dave Anderson (FR, Frenchtown) each played hard, with Raunig causing a turnover and Anderson generating 3 shots during the game.

Sandpoint really worked the off ball cutters and took advantage of the tired MEL squad during the scrimmage to earn the 8 – 3 victory, but it was still a fun way to wrap up the day and good for both programs to start planning for the future.

Thanks to everybody who made the trip from Missoula and to Sandpoint for hosting a great day of lacrosse! Thanks to Julie Gosselin for the photos you see here, great work! Also thanks to Gordy Pace for sharing your photos again with us, check them out!