Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="OrangeXtreme, post: 5425423, member: 41"] [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/2025-tewaaraton-watch-cj-kirst-s-award-but-who-will-be-a-finalist-with-him-/65265[/URL] [HEADING=3]The Heaviest Favorite Ever?[/HEADING] [B]CJ Kirst, Cornell[/B] What a season for Kirst, the NCAA goals king. The favorite wire-to-wire has only strengthened his case. The way he’s led the Cornell offense and made the entire team around him even better is frightening for other teams. A whopping 4.53 goals per game leads the nation, and he has shockingly few turnovers. The PLL No. 1 pick is a superstar, and the Kirst family has become royalty. It’s hard to think of a player who was so clearly the front-runner. [HEADING=3]Best Odds To Be a Finalist[/HEADING] [B]Chris Kavanagh, Notre Dame[/B] There was a time preseason when it felt like Kavanagh and Kirst were going to be the 1-2 battle for the award. It fit a great narrative, too, with both being younger brothers in lacrosse-famous families. Kavanagh took the reins as the No. 1 option for Notre Dame's No. 2-ranked offense, and he is 10th in the nation in points per game. But the Irish haven’t quite been the dominant force many would have expected. But if he is a finalist, would it shock you to see Kavanagh, with his clutch bloodline, lead an epic run? [B]Jackson Eicher, Army[/B] The only player besides Kirst with more than six points per game, Eicher had a Tewaaraton moment with his hat trick and overtime game-winner against Navy. His production speaks for itself, but the Black Knights aren’t part of the NCAA Tournament field; he will likely be a first- or second-team All-American, and though the Tewaaraton Award itself has a postseason lean, getting invited to the dinner is all about your regular season. [B]Sam King, Harvard[/B] King’s offensive numbers only partially tell the story. A deeper look shows how he saves possessions on the ride and makes hustle plays to preserve valuable possessions for the Crimson. King is the only player in the nation with 60 points, 35 goals, 25 assists, 35 groundballs and 15 caused turnovers. He’s four points shy of tying the Harvard's career points record with 243. [B]Coulter Mackesy, Princeton[/B] The lefty sniper has 40 goals and a shot that any player would kill for. His role as the leader in an offense with three guys who could be reliable No. 1 options can’t be understated. [B]Caleb Fyock, Ohio State[/B] Big Tasty has become the star for a team that prides itself on defense and a group-over-individual dynamic. His performance in the Big Ten Tournament propelled him from the All-America conversation into the Tewaaraton conversation. He has 11.50 saves per game and a 7.71 goals-against average, second-best in the nation and tops of any player left in the NCAA Tournament. [B]Joey Spallina, Syracuse[/B] Spallina has 4.88 points per game, the most of any ACC player. He also plays under the brightest spotlights in The Dome, where every loss comes with intense scrutiny. Has he shed the criticism of big game play? He's posted 22 points in five games vs. Notre Dame, Duke and North Carolina this season. The Orange are riding high after the ACC Tournament championship and earning a Tournament a home game. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?