Prior to 2018, the last time the Rattlers franchise was in the Major League Lacrosse championship game was 2015, when they took on the New York Lizards. That was the same season Lizards faceoff specialist Greg Gurenlian took home the league MVP honors, and he showed why in the championship game against the Rattlers.

Gurenlian dominated, winning 25 of 30 faceoffs, picking up 11 groundballs and scoring one goal, helping the Lizards to a 15-12 victory.

The Rattlers, who have since relocated to Dallas, again took on the Lizards last Saturday, this time in the MLL semifinals. And this time, it was the Rattlers who controlled the faceoffs. Drew Simoneau, who made his MLL debut in 2016, won 24 of 31 faceoffs, picked up 10 ground balls and scored a goal, helping propel Dallas into the championship game with a 15-12 victory of their own.

“One of the things we look back on the 2015 game, when they beat us down in Atlanta, Greg Gurenlian … he won [25 of 30] faceoffs and we lost that game by two or three,” Dallas head coach Bill Warder said in a post-game interview on Lax Sports Network. “That’s basically the same team we played tonight. We felt if we could win over 50 percent, that’s eight, nine extra possessions for us. We’re probably going to win this game, and we did, 15-12, so there’s the reverse score over there.”

Along with the play of his wings, including Joel White and Jack Near, Simoneau helped Dallas lead the league in faceoff winning percentage (55.3). Second in the league in winning percentage was Denver (54.4). Second-year pro Max Adler led the Outlaws faceoff unit, finishing third in the league with a .57.7 winning percentage.

Adler also had an impressive semifinal game; he won 21 of 29 faceoffs and picked up nine ground balls in a 13-12 win over the Chesapeake Bayhawks.

Simoneau and Adler share a bond beyond just strong individual performances in the semifinals.

Neither played Division I lacrosse.

“It just shows how much lacrosse is growing and how much talent there is,” Adler said. “It comes down to how hard you worked. At a position like faceoffs, if you can get good coaching, I don’t think the talent drop-off from Division I to Division II to Division III is that big. It really depends on how hard you’re willing to work.”

Simoneau, a native of Manchester, N.H., described himself as “realistic, maybe more pessimistic” when choosing where he would attend college. While he wanted to play Division I lacrosse, he recalled not receiving any offers in his junior year and decided to focus on his academic path.

Initially, Simoneau decided to go pre-med, but the awaiting debt and lack of social life made him reconsider. He received a call from one of the assistant coaches at Nazareth, a Division III school in Rochester, N.Y. Not only did it have a lacrosse program, but it also had a physical therapy program. Simoneau was sold.

Over four years, he won 65.1 percent of his faceoffs, setting program records in ground balls in a game (20), a season (240) and a career (779), as well as setting the record for faceoffs won in a career (1,038) and tying the record for faceoffs won in a single game (24).

Despite his success, Simoneau did not think a career in professional lacrosse was in his future.

“I thought it was way beyond my skill level, especially freshman, sophomore and junior year,” he said. “It wasn’t until one of my teammates said, ‘Why not throw your name in the player pool and see what happens?’”

PHOTO BY JOHN STROHSACKER

The Rattlers brought in Simoneau for a tryout in 2016 while he was in graduate school; he earned a spot on the practice squad. He dressed as a backup goalie in the second game of the year against Charlotte and made his debut the following week against the Boston Cannons, winning only four of 15 faceoffs against Joe Nardella.

The coaching staff didn’t give up on him, however. Simoneau played in 13 games in 2016, winning 53.8 percent of his faceoffs and becoming the team’s top option at the position.

“[Assistant] Coach [Jacques] Monte made it clear short stick d-middies, goalies and faceoff guys have the biggest learning curve coming into the MLL, and I’d agree with that,” he said. “I still consider myself a small dot. I’m sure people were like, ‘Who is this kid?’ It worked in my favor, sneaking under the radar. It’s how I work best anyways, out of the spotlight. Having an upfront obstacle to overcome in the league, I wasn’t given any of those. There wasn’t an expectation on me to fail. I knew it would be hard because it was professional lacrosse, but just getting ready and doing my best to prepare was all I could do at the time.”

While Simoneau wasn’t optimistic of his chances at playing Division I lacrosse, Adler felt he had even less of a chance to play at that level.

“Lacrosse was my secondary sport to wrestling,” said Adler, who is from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “I never went to any recruiting camps. I played three years of lacrosse and didn’t actually play until my senior year. I went to Bentley because of its academic reputation, and I talked to Coach [Jim] Murphy, and he let me on the team.”

In four years at Division II Bentley, Adler won 69.2 percent of his faceoffs, He was a second-team All-American as a senior, a three-time All-New England selection and two-time all-conference performer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BENTLEY ATHLETICS

Murphy, an assistant coach with the Boston Cannons, helped train Adler and put him in touch with Nardella, who would routinely workout with Adler. Murphy also made calls around the league on Adler’s behalf, and the Denver Outlaws selected Adler in the seventh round of the 2017 MLL collegiate draft.

“I feel like a lot of people paint a picture of me having a chip on my shoulder, but I was fortunate,” he said. “[Outlaws general manager] Tony Seaman drafted me. I didn’t have to go to any tryouts. Him, [head coach] B.J. O’Hahra, [assistant coach] Jon Cohen, [assistant coach] John Grant Jr. — they gave me a chance. And it wasn’t, ‘Here’s a chance, and if you don’t do well, it’s over.’ They said, ‘Here’s a chance. Let’s see what you can do.’”

Adler played in three games as a rookie, making his debut against the eventual champion Ohio Machine, winning 15 of 27 faceoffs.

He opened his second season as the backup to Thomas Kelly. After Kelly went 43 for 67 in two games against the Charlotte Hounds, however, Denver traded him to the Lizards, making Adler the starter.

“I had a great relationship with Thomas Kelly,” said Adler, who also starred for the Israeli national team in the recent FIL World Championship in Netanya, Israel. “We still talk frequently. [The trade] was tough in that regard to see him go, but I was excited to be the guy and contribute to help our team win.”

Just like both players followed unconventional paths to become professional lacrosse players, Simoneau and Adler both credit the play of their wings for their successes.

“Last week I was 24 of 31 … and I only had [10] ground balls. There were [14] ground balls I didn’t have,” Simoneau said. “It’s having phenomenal teammates like Joel White, Jack Near, even John Galloway getting on me when I’m not doing the right thing gives me motivation. I’ve had a good core of guys helping me.”

“Zach Currier, Matt Gilray, Josh Hawkins, Chase Young, you sometimes don’t see it, but they give you room to operate,” Adler added. “That’s the difference for us. Our wing play is the best.”

Simoneau and Adler have gone against each other once before. Adler, splitting faceoffs with Nick Osello in just the second game of his MLL career last year, won just six of the 17 faceoffs he took against Simoneau, and the Rattlers won 18-12.

Simoneau expects a tougher outing in the MLL championship game Saturday in Charleston, S.C. Opening faceoff at MUSC Health Stadium is at 7 p.m. Eastern (ESPN News).

Dallas defeated Denver twice this season, both one-goal games. Kelly was still the Outlaws’ faceoff specialist in a 15-14 overtime loss April 29 in Dallas and Adler was still overseas during a 13-12 loss July 22 in Denver.

“I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. It was his second game in the MLL, and he was thrown into it, my guess, somewhat unexpectedly,” Simoneau said of his lone encounter with Adler. “He didn’t have as much time to prepare as I did my first game. There’s a huge learning curve. He’s done his homework and done what he needs to improve. He’s shown he can be successful against the tougher guys. I’m excited and I know it’ll be a battle at the X for sure.”

Denver and Dallas have some similarities. They both finished top three in the league in goals for and goals against. Their faceoff specialists also have a lot of similarities. Both Adler and Simoneau will be playing in their first MLL championship game. While Denver played in the championship game in 2017, and Adler was flown out for the game, he was not on the active roster.

Additionally, both Adler and Simoneau are proof that Division I isn’t the only path that leads to a professional career, and they are both proud of their accomplishments.

“Sometimes, it’s about having a little luck,” Simoneau said. “But it goes to show you put in a lot of hard work, you too can be successful.”

“Late bloomers like myself, I got to play my freshman year, and I wouldn’t have made a Division I team,” Adler said. “I got to play four years of lacrosse. Division II and Division III shouldn’t be overlooked, especially the way the sport is growing and multi-sport players who don’t go to all the camps and don’t commit until their senior year. I hope more teams give Division II and Division III players a look.”