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Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. It’s decision time for the U.S. men’s national team.

The team was in Orlando over the weekend for its final training camp before coach John Danowski and his staff trim the roster from 52 players to 23. They held a pair of closed practice sessions sandwiched between public Blue-White exhibition games Friday and Saturday night at Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Fla., in conjunction with the IMLCA Players Summit.

Matt Hamilton of our staff was with the team in Florida, where he caught up with U.S. players and coaches as the tryout window closed and difficult choices loomed.

2. The San Diego Seals won another thriller Friday.

The Seals, who nearly coughed up a six-goal lead in New York last week, this time did the rallying. Trailing by seven late in the third quarter, San Diego went on a wild nine-goal run, relinquished a two-goal lead at the end of regulation and then defeated the Saskatchewan Rush 13-12 in overtime. Curtis Dickson scored the game-winning goal, finishing with four goals and four assists.

In other NLL Week 2 action:

  • Connor Fields and Thomas Hoggarth scored four goals apiece and Rylan Hartley made 49 saves to lead the Rochester Knighthawks to an 11-7 win over the Toronto Rock. 

  • Phil Caputo (three goals, four assists) and Will Malcolm (four goals, three assists) had seven points apiece to lead the Panther City Lacrosse Club to a 13-11 season-opening win over the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. Jonathan Donville, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, had three assists in his NLL debut.

  • Jesse King had three goals and three assists to lead the Calgary Roughnecks to an 11-9 season-opening win over the Vancouver Warriors. Calgary led from start to finish, but never by more than three goals in a back-and-forth game.

3. Cannons coach Sean Quirk announced Friday he’s stepping down, citing recent heart surgery.

Quirk coached the Cannons for seven years, leading them to the 2020 Major League Lacrosse championship and staying with the club as part of the ensuing Premier Lacrosse League merger.

Quirk’s departure leaves the PLL with two coaching vacancies. Atlas coach Ben Rubeor resigned earlier this fall.

WHAT WE’RE READING

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Scenes from Florida, where the U.S. men’s training team ratcheted up the intensity in a pair of Blue-White exhibitions before the final roster cutdown.

Which is not to say it was all business. Leave it up to Mike Sisselberger and his faceoff friends to add levity.

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • Best of Lax 2022 continues with a look at the year’s major change agents.

  • Shooting tips from U.S. U21 team standout and senior team hopeful Brennan O’Neill.

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