The MLL Draft happened last night… yea I’m sure none of you watched it, myself included, but it’s what happened after the drew me into the MLL. I realized the Philadelphia Barrage are back, and are packing heat with Philly guys.

I don’t care if you like lacrosse or not, this is another Philly sports team, and I’ll be damned if they aren’t a competitor in the MLL. The Barrage had to cease operations after the financial crisis in ’08, but according to their Wikipedia page, they are not back, they are resurrected.

barrage

Like Jesus, the Barrage have resurrected for the greater good of us all.

More importantly, the Barrage drafted a bunch of Philly kids, including Adam Goldner, a Malvern Prep alum at UPenn, and Justin Schwenk, a Spring-Ford High native who recently graduated from the University of Virginia. Both of whom were gracious enough to talk to me after they were drafted, and lets just say the city of Philadelphia is about to become the mecca of lacrosse, or at least the coolest team in the MLL.

Unfortunately for the Barrage, Goldner is staying another year at Penn. The midfielder is one of the all-time Penn lacrosse greats, and returning to an Ivy League school for more education and winning lacrosse certainly is never a bad option. Goldner will be a key leader the Quakers will need if they look to win a national title next season (need futures odds on that). Penn campus super close to the Barrage, which is good cause the Barrage will be able to keep a close eye on him at Penn, and hopefully they get him in the 2021-22 season. Luckily for the Barrage, they drafted a player with deep ties to the organization. In 3rd grade, Goldner’s youth team played during halftime of a Barrage game, talk about lacrosse coming full circle.

Schwenk however will be leaving the college ranks, and entering the real world and the world of professional sports. Schwenk set the face off world ablaze after a dominant college career at Monmouth, and then at Virginia, where he set face-off records left and right. The Royersford native was stoked to be drafted by the Barrage, not only cause it’s his hometown, but he accepted a sales job in the city, and his office shares a parking lot with the Barrage facilities. That certainly makes an easy commute from work to practice.

The Barrage are back, and the fact that they’ve given a lot of local guys an opportunity is something I’m 100% behind. Especially talented, hard working locals like Goldner and Schwenk. Bet the overs and money line on the Barrage, the official MLL team of The Bookies Basement.

 

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