The U.S. indoor national team entered Saturday night’s Lax All Stars North American Invitational with two chances at reaching the final. USA White and Blue had passed every test pitted against them and progressed with each matchup.

Unfortunately for Regy Thorpe and his staff — but possibly welcomed by the crowd at Onondaga Nation Arena — only one team got a shot at winning the LASNAI. USA Blue came back to shock Goldstar Tel Aviv and advance to the championship game against Thompson Brothers Lacrosse, which had beaten USA White in the other semifinal matchup.

On that roster were names like Lyle, Miles and Ty Thompson, as well as Randy Staats and Dhane Smith, who sat the final game with an injury. Many of the members of Thompson Brothers Lacrosse could appear in an Iroquois uniform in next year’s World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.

Matching up with some of the best in the world in a championship game — just where the U.S. indoor team hoped to be Saturday, and hopefully next September. 

“You’re chasing Canada and the Iroquois and those guys have some unbelievable players,” Thorpe said. “We’re trying to build something here and [playing Thompson Brothers] was another step in the process of gauging where we are.”

The result didn’t go in either team’s favor on Saturday night, as the Lyle Thompson-led champions swept through USA White 7-4 and followed with an 11-6 win over USA Blue in the final. Repeat championships for Thompson Brothers Lacrosse, who were impressed by the U.S. teams.

“They are a fast team and a physical team,” Lyle Thompson said of USA Blue. “This is a tournament where you’re playing every day. That’s where they shine. I see US Lacrosse really growing. They are going to really compete in the world games next year.”

The U.S. indoor team certainly has Thompson’s attention, and it’s a testament to the progress of a program that continues on an upward trajectory. Thorpe brought his team — which included many with limited indoor experience — to the Onondaga reservation on Wednesday and left with a team full of optimism.

It was a tryout process in which Thorpe and his staff evaluated players for 2019, but it represented a greater growth the indoor game in the United States.

“As the week went on, it just got more intense and more intense,” Thorpe said. “It was a great environment for our team. We were up games and down games and facing adversity, and we saw guys under pressure in those situations. We asked a lot of them and there was a lot of lacrosse. It was a great building block.”

For players like NLL veteran and 2015 national team member Brett Manney, the strides taken this week at LASNAI could go a long way in preparing the program for future successes. It will help if more of his teammates can crack NLL rosters this coming winter.

“We’ve been here for four days and we didn’t want to lose,” he said. “We didn't get the outcome that we wanted. But it was great to see us take positive steps and be able to play for a championship. There’s work to be done and we know what’s ahead of us. The future is bright. Some of the little things cost us in the end, and that’s the advantage that Canada and the Iroquois have. We’re catching up. We’re going to make a run at it next year.”

Manney helped lead a USA Blue team defense through a comeback victory over Goldstar Tel Aviv. Then, he helped limit the damage made from Thompson Brothers Lacrosse.

On the other side of the floor, Kieran McArdle took the reins of the USA Blue offense. Marcus Holman, another 2015 team member, had headed back to Utah on Friday, and that left McArdle, the two-year Toronto Rock veteran to help feed opponents and let off a few explosive shots. 

McArdle and indoor-newbie Connor Kelly combined for five of their team’s six goals in the championship game loss. But the U.S. indoor team may have found another leader, in addition to the budding star in Kelly.

“I have two years of indoor under my belt, so I felt like it was my role to take a little bit of the leadership and to help some of these guys,” he said. “We had a training camp last year and you can see guys are improving. Guys are picking up on the small things in the box games, and it’s awesome to see the strides they made.”

And although USA White fell in the semifinal, the mood was a positive one for the third-place finishers. Without a leader in Joel White, who left with work commitments, USA White topped Goldstar Tel Aviv 6-2 behind multiple goals from Blaze Riorden and Nick Mariano, who took home the Stars of the Game honors. 

Fans may have been denied the Blue-White matchup, but they got to see a promising crop of American indoor players. That’s enough for Thorpe and his staff. 

“It’s just a foundation and we’re going brick-by-brick, event-by-event,” he said. “I'm thankful and grateful that US Lacrosse is so behind this.”

Making Their Voices Heard Off the Floor

While USA Blue and White battled on the floor for a LASNAI, Tom Schreiber and Kevin Buchanan stood in the stands and provided a running commentary and clinic in indoor lacrosse. They helped answer questions from other members of the U.S. indoor team sitting nearby. 

The duo was among the most notable emissions from the lineups over the weekend and make up some of the more experienced and talented American box players. Names like Schreiber (Toronto Rock), Buchanan (New England Black Wolves) Joe Resetarits (Rochester Knighthawks) and all sat out LASNAI due to injury.

But they still found a way to make an impact, speaking at team meetings and warming up goalies before games. It’s a new experience for Schreiber to be looked upon as a leader in the indoor game.

“It’s funny. I've become a vet all of a sudden,” he said. “That part is cool. I’m looking forward to embracing that role. I’m just trying to pass on the things that I’ve learned. The advantage is that it’s fresh. I'm still learning and I know, the new guys, that was me a year-and-a-half ago. If I can offer anything to help them, I will.”

As for Buchanan, a member of both the 2011 and 2015 U.S. national teams, he’s seen the growth of the game in American for almost a decade. He said he's proud to share what he’s learned with those just getting acquainted with the game, and offered a prediction.

“This time around, we have a lot more Americans with box experience,” he said. “We have a really nice, experienced core and we can help those younger box players adapt and get up to speed really quick. I just want to give back to these guys because the structure is here. We’re legit contenders going [into 2019]. The Iroquois and Canadians are going to have to prep hard for us. We might write some history in a year.”