Di Miller, Beat Writer Regional Box Lacrosse League
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Regional Box Lacrosse League began its inaugural season on October 15, 2016 at The Event Center in Ft. Collins, Colorado. The league consists of two teams, the Ft. Collins Mile High Stars and the Parker Rangers in a Best of Five Game Series. The founder of the league Brandon Scharaga is one of the net-minders for the Mile High Stars. Each game consists of three 20 minute periods.
The Parker Rangers have been together for several years now playing box lacrosse, and the Mile High Stars have numerous rookies who, although play field lacrosse are getting their first taste of box lacrosse. The difference in playing field lax on turf or grass and indoor where they are playing on a tile floor has been somewhat troublesome for the Mile High Stars and their rookies. All the players on both teams have years of experience playing lacrosse and having seen many of them play field, it has been very interesting seeing these same players now attempting to take their talent onto the tile.
In speaking with Team Captain and forward for the Rangers Tyler Snyder
prior to the season, they had some concerns about the Mile High Stars because they were a younger team. However, this hasn’t played a role in the outcome of either of the first two games.
In game one, the Mile High Stars playing on their home turf would notch the first two goals of the game coming from forwards Bradey Hall and Drew Lazar. In net the Mile High Stars would see Brandon Scharaga and the Rangers would have Chris Lyons. The Rangers would fire back with a bullet from forward Tyler Snyder. But the Stars would answer back with a goal from forward Josh Davis who also plays for Metropolitan State University. Parker would come back with two of their own from forwards Clark Woodard and Dan Finck. The period would end up tied at 3-3.
To start off the second period, Stars defenseman Rowan Sloss would hit net putting them ahead by one. For the remainder of the second, the score would go back and forth between the teams with each answering the other hitting net. Goals for the Stars in the second would also come from forwards Tyler Burgasser and Leif Hovda. The Rangers would see Snyder and Finck each put their second of the night in goal. Again, the teams would head to the locker rooms tied at 5-5.
With the final 20 minutes left, the Rangers would make a change in net bringing in Monte Montgomery. They would also strike first with Dylan Burke
newcomer to the team putting them up by one. Sloss would notch his second of the game to yet again even it up. Finck would get the hat-trick on the night for the Rangers, with Woodard notching his second and the Rangers going up 8-7. With only seconds left on the clock the Rangers would be nabbed with an illegal cross-checking penalty giving the Stars the opportunity of a penalty shot with 1.4 seconds left on the clock. The Stars needed to make a decision as to who would attempt the shot and with “Rock, Paper, Scissors”, forwards Drew Lazar and Tyler Burgasser would battle for the glory. Burgasser would win the match and stood at mid-field with the ball in his stick. Tensions mounted as Burgasser headed down the floor, Montgomery stood steady in goal and made a spectacular save and the Rangers bench went wild. The Stars had one last chance to tie the game with a win at “X” and a Hail Mary shot. However, it wasn’t meant to be and the Rangers would win the first game of the season. Final Score: Rangers 8—Stars 7.
Brandon Scharaga,
net-minder for the Stars would play the full 60 minutes in net with 23 saves. The Rangers would see Chris Lyons between the pipes for the first 40 minutes and 10 saves. Monte Montgomery would close out the last 20 minutes with yet another 10 saves for the Rangers.
The teams headed into week two October 22, 2016 on Rangers home turf, the Parker Field House. The fans were excited to see game two and the Mile High Stars wanted the win and be able to head to week three with the series tied.
The Rangers were pumped and ready to fire. The Stars unfortunately were missing several of their key players, Khalid Alshami and Drew Lazar who play for UCD; and Josh Davis who suffered an injury in his game with Metro State when they faced the Colorado School of Mines on October 19, 2016. The Rangers would start Chris Lyons in net and the Stars went with Kevin Willey. Parker would notch the first two points of the game and the adrenaline rush began. Snyder and Timmy Cusick transition for the Rangers would put them up by two. Mitch Larson forward for the Stars who also plays for Metropolitan State University would hit net; followed by Snyder for the Rangers putting them up by two. Stars forwards Max Abbott and Chris Cunningham would tie the game 3-3 at the end of the first. Lyons would have eight saves in the period; and Willey would notch six.
Stars defenseman Christian Wilson would start off the second period putting them up by one; however forward Preston Plume would tie it back up for the Rangers. The Stars would put up back-to-back goals from Wilson and Rowan Sloss. Rangers transition Clark Woodard 
would score back-to-back goals tying the game at 6-6. Sloss would come back with his own back-to-back shots giving him the hat-trick on the night, followed by Bradey Hall putting the Stars up 9-7. The Rangers would put two more up on the board before the buzzer. Score at the end of two Stars 9—Rangers 9.
Heading into the third, the Rangers kicked it into high gear and scored six unanswered goals coming from Woodard; Dylan Burke; Travis Wrenn; and Bryant Boucher. Montgomery was in net again for the last 20 putting up 10 saves. The only goal the Stars would see came from Wilson giving him the hat-trick on the night. Final score: Rangers 15—Stars 10.
This Saturday October 29, 2016 the two teams will meet again in Ft. Collins on the Mile High Stars home field, The Event Center. It’s do or die for the Mile High Stars. They will have their full squad in bench and hopefully Josh Davis will be healed enough to play. The Rangers will be without Andrew “Moose” Villareal who broke his leg last Saturday night and is out for the season.
Will the Rangers bring home the Front Range Cup or will the Mile High Stars take it to game four? It will be an exciting night of lacrosse for both sides.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Regional Box Lacrosse League
Lacrosse is Awesome