Now bringing its second successful season to an end, the Greater Philadelphia Collegiate Box Lacrosse League (GPCBLL) has crowned a new League Champion – the 2024 runner-up, Brett Manney’s Spring Garden Stealth.
In its inaugural 2024 season, Anthony Joaquim’s FDR Park Rangers suited up against Manny and his Stealth, which featured a hat-trick performance by Ranger-turned-River-Monster Matt Sutty and a combined four points (3G, 1A) from the Stealth’s Brothers Irish. However, the Rangers’ own Ian McKinley sealed the deal for FDR Park, scoring an empty-netter in the final five seconds of play to take home the Champions Cup with an 8-7 win.
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With last season’s bitter end still echoing through the Steelyard Sports Complex, the 6-0 Stealth were eager to punch their ticket early, securing their spot in the second-annual Championship bout as the only remaining undefeated team in the GPCBLL. The defending champs, however, have not had as easy a road to the Big Show. After a disheartening 17-12 loss to the 3-3 River Monsters in the final game of the regular season, the 0-6 Rangers entered Tuesday’s playoff rematch against Schuylkill with one final chance to get a win and punch their return trip to the finals. The River Monsters, however, were not so eager to be left out, securing their first appearance in the GPCBLL Championship with a 17-14 win.
With the matchup set, the River Monsters took on the undefeated Stealth Thursday, July 31st at the Steelyard, with coinciding coverage streamed on NLL+. Despite a valiant effort, the Spring Garden Stealth emerged as League Champions with a 13-8 win over the River Monsters to etch their names into the GPCBLL history books.
But it wasn’t just the prestigious GPCBLL League Title that had these future stars working so hard. The League playoffs also offered the coaches the opportunity to size up their players for inclusion on their National Collegiate Box Series (NCBS) All-Star Team, the Philadelphia Kings.
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With the chance to appear on the national stage looming over their heads this summer, talents of all sizes popped up across all three of the GPCBLL’s teams over the course of the season. As this season’s Kings lineup readies themselves to take the national stage August 6-8, here are a few names to watch in the blue and gold at the NCBS, hosted at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Frank Ritter Arena.
Another inaugural season holdover, Hemberger has once again shown out for the Stealth, entering his second championship appearance with nine goals and four assists under his belt, adding an additional point in both columns during the title match. A deceptive shooter and a shifty dodger, Hemberger is unafraid to take it to the rack, and eager to take the Kings to the top after a tough first appearance in 2024.
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A physical one-on-one dodger with 22 goals and nine assists, Marusa stands atop the leaderboard as the GPCBLL’s top scorer and point leader, making his Offensive Player of the Year award and addition to the GPCBLL All-League Team no surprise. But he’s not just an effective shooter; Marusa’s offensive IQ and aggressive play in the two-man game paved the way for his fellow River Monsters to shine, and cemented his role as an integral wheel on the o-line vehicle.
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Though he entered the title match with an unassuming two goals and two assists, Quinn’s impact on the River Monsters’ success this summer lies in the unrecorded details. Quinn is an immovable wall on the defensive end, quick to establish contact on his mark and take advantage of every opportunity to cause a turnover. Similarly, his off-ball movement proved equally physical and opportunistic, taking advantage of the split-second his defender turned their heads to set screens and open up the dodging lanes for his teammates. Quinn’s defensive efforts also earned him a coinciding slot on the All-League Team alongside fellow River Monsters, Marusa.
Alystair Hemberger, Spring Garden Stealth, Merrimack College
Taner Marusa, Schuylkill River Monsters, Dickinson College
Kyle Gann, Schuylkill River Monsters, Moravian University
Aaron Goldstein, FDR Park Rangers, Drexel University (commit)
Jackson Smith, Schuylkill River Monsters, West Virginia University
Stephen Pitts, FDR Park Rangers, St. Joseph’s University
Liam Quinn, Schuylkill River Monsters, St. Joseph’s University
Christian Marchini, Spring Garden Stealth, St. Joseph’s University
Quinn Carson, Schuylkill River Monsters, Richmond University
Cole Pedroso, Schuylkill River Monsters, Grove City College
Eric Hrabal, Spring Garden Stealth, Norwich University
Luke Fiorillo, Spring Garden Stealth, Washington College
VS Red Hawks (Colorado Collegiate Box Lacrosse League), 8:30PM ET, August 6
VS Hawkeyes (Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League), 1:00PM ET, August 7
VS Selects, 8:30PM ET, August 7
For the full weekend/playoff schedule, team scores and individual stats, be sure to check the NCBS website for more details. All games will air live on NLL+.
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