The 2025 PLL season is underway after four games this past weekend in Albany, NY.
Coaches and general managers finalized their rosters following the draft and a week of training camp in Albany. Philadelphia had the bye. First-round draft choice and Tewaaraton winner CJ Kirst is currently on the PUP list with an upper-body injury, and his status remains uncertain.
The Jared Bernhardt sweepstakes has emerged as a major storyline this week. Which team will land the former Tewaaraton winner, who’s been playing in the NFL and CFL since 2022?
Saturday’s games were played in unseasonably chilly, windy, and rainy conditions.
1) New Faces Make Their Debuts
The 2025 rookie class may have a lasting impact after an exceptional opening weekend. Rookie success in May and June isn’t shocking, often due to sharpness and the lack of scouting reports on these new faces. The influx of new blood was a primary theme in Week One.
Jackson Eicher, the Army rookie, fit in seamlessly on Friday, pumping in three goals and stamping himself as the top offensive threat on the Chaos. He’s more mobile than you’d expect, gigantic, and has a right-handed cannon.
Chris Kavanagh had a monster debut for California as they took down Denver. Kav, out of Notre Dame, scored three times and added an assist while running alongside his former college teammate and current ND assistant coach Ryder Garnsey.
Matt Traynor, the Penn State rookie, is going to be a matchup nightmare from the midfield against shorties. He can play multiple spots within the New York offensive system and is a dual threat to dodge to the goal or shoot from range.
Andrew McAdorey showcased rare speed and acceleration, upgrading California’s 32-second offense in transition. The Duke graduate is wicked off the wings during the abbreviated shot clock and remains a legitimate invert threat.
Josh Balcarcel, the Marist rookie, brings insane dodging ability. He’s an outlier at 5’7” with a change-of-direction move that could send defenders to the emergency room. His success story from a smaller D1 school is heartwarming.
Sam King (Harvard) tallied three assists for Utah and has the processing speed to contribute at the pro level. Bryce Ford (Maryland) was part of the Archers’ midfield rotation in Albany. Aidan Carroll (Georgetown) scored his first career goal for Maryland, while Christian Mazur (Army) ran SSDM for the Terps.
Brendan LaVelle (Penn) started at close defense for Utah. Ben Ramsey (Notre Dame) filled the SSDM role for Boston, and Carter Rice (Syracuse) was a mainstay for California’s rope unit. Ray Dearth (Harvard) looks like the prototypical shorty and earned a starting spot for Carolina.
Logan McNaney (Maryland) and Emmet Carroll (Penn) both picked up checks in Albany as backup goalies for the Outlaws and Whipsnakes, respectively. Training camp reports were stellar for both stoppers.
Among second-year pros, Aidan Danenza and JJ Sillstrop scored their first career goals on Friday night. Graydon Hogg played well for the Cannons, and Jack Posey (PSU 2024) saw all sorts of playing time on defense for the Chaos.
2) Chaos Defensive DNA
Carolina may struggle on offense in 2025, but the defense still has bite. Jack Rowlett was effective in blanketing Jeff Teat, while Jared Neumann bumped up top to shadow Bryan Costabile and Myles Jones. LSM Troy Reh slid down to the crease area and essentially put Xander Dickson into witness protection.
Meanwhile, for the Chaos, the biggest question marks lie in the midfield—specifically, finding dodgers who can separate and create. It’s a key challenge for first-year head coach Roy Colsey. On the other end, the defensive nucleus remains stable under DC Kyle Sweeney, whose no-slide mentality frustrated New York on Friday.
Blaze Riorden continues to be the standard in the PLL, although New York’s Liam Entenmann (16 saves) is closing the gap. Two-point shots were in short supply during Week One, adding to the defensive edge that shaped early-season play.
3) The 32-Second Game
Short-clock offensive efficiency remains a key storyline in 2025. After winning a faceoff, teams have a 32-second shot clock, which shifts the offensive mentality. Rather than working the ball for the best possible look, teams often hunt the first available shot. That urgency makes quick substitutions critical and increases the value of faceoff wingers who can play both ways.
Here’s a look at 32-second offensive efficiency from the 2024 season:
- Atlas – 32.4%
- Outlaws – 26.0%
- Archers – 25.5%
- Chaos – 20.6%
- Whipsnakes – 19.8%
- Waterdogs – 19.8%
- Cannons – 19.3%
- Redwoods – 16.1%
League average: 22.9%
4) Redwoods Reboot
The California Redwoods remodel is officially underway. Coach Anthony “A-Train” Kelly picked up his first win and broke it down in the locker room, while GM Joe Spallina’s offseason moves brought in a wave of fresh faces that made an early impact.
Key additions included Andrew McAdorey, Sam English, Chris Kavanagh, Carter Rice, Brendan Nichtern, Cole Kastner, and Ryan Aughavin. Some made their debut in Week One, while others were unavailable or did not dress.
Departures from the roster included Rob Pannell, who signed with the Whipsnakes, Garrett Degnon, who was traded to the Chaos, and Ricky Miezan, who was released. Isaiah Davis-Allen and Chris Gray both retired.
5) Boston’s Defensive Backbone
Boston LSM Owen Grant (Delaware 2023) looks like he’s going to be a force in the middle of the field for head coach Brian Holman. With Jack Kielty returning from an Achilles injury, the Cannons appear poised to be strong on the defensive end.
Goalie Colin Kirst played well on Saturday night in horrendous conditions, helping Boston pull away from their eastern rival, New York.
The PLL heads to Charlotte, NC this week with games on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. Saturday’s Utah vs Boston matchup at 1 PM will air on ABC, while Saturday Night Lacrosse features California taking on Carolina. All PLL games are also available for streaming on ESPN+. For tickets, visit PLL.com.
Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. You can listen to his podcast in our media section—his latest guest was Brendan Staub, a defender from Cornell.
