March 28, 2024
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Bayhawks load up on midfielders in the collegiate draft

bayhawkslogoThe Chesapeake Bayhawks loaded up on midfield talent during the 2015 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft. President and head coach Dave Cottle selected midfielders with five of the team’s nine picks on Friday night when the draft was held in Baltimore.

Chesapeake used its top pick on Denver midfielder Erik Adamson, one of the finest shooters in Division I. Adamson, whom the Bayhawks took in the second round with the 14th overall pick, has amassed 102 points on 76 goals and 26 assists during his three seasons with the Pioneers.

Adamson, a left-hander with a cannon crank shot, had a phenomenal 73.5 shooting percentage last season while scoring 44 goals. The California native has shown the ability to take over a game, scoring six goals against Drexel in the quarterfinals of the 2014 NCAA Tournament and also netting six goals versus Notre Dame during the regular season.

“Erik is one of the most accurate shooters in college lacrosse. He can shoot with both hands and has proven he can put the ball in the back of the net with the best of them,” Cottle said. “Erik is a great catch-and-shoot guy, but can also dodge and shoot on the run.”

Adamson, a product of Foothills-Santa Ana High in Anaheim, was an honorable mention All-American and first team All-Big East Conference selection as a junior.

Chesapeake traded back in the second round and received two picks for the price of one from Charlotte. The Bayhawks went for another midfielder with its first selection in the third round, taking Henry Schoonmaker of Syracuse with the 16th pick.

Schoonmaker scored 15 goals last season, including a hat trick against Maryland. The Oregon native was an honorable mention All-American as a sophomore when he totaled 23 points and 18 goals.

“Henry is a big, strong, athletic middie. I think he can do very well in this league because he is somewhat of a two-way middie at the college level,” Cottle said.

Cottle was thrilled to see Cornell attackman and offensive quarterback Matt Donovan still available two slots later and did not hesitate to grab him. “We thought Matt was a first-round pick,” he said.

Donovan was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2012 after leading Cornell with 32 points. The New Jersey resident scored 27 goals in 2013 and led the Big Red in scoring with 58 points (35 goals, 23 assists) in 2014. The Seton Hall Prep product was named first team All-Ivy League and honorable mention All-American as a junior.

“Matt is tough and a great competitor. He is going to make us better on attack,” Cottle said.

Chosen by Chesapeake in the fourth round with the 24th overall pick was Maryland faceoff specialist Charlie Raffa, a dominant force on the Division I level. Raffa is arguably the nation’s best faceoff man, having been named a second team All-American after winning almost 68 percent of draws in 2014. A graduate of St. Anthony’s and resident of Syosset, N.Y., Raffa was also an All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection.

“Charlie is an elite faceoff guy and that was a position of need for us,” Cottle said. “I love Charlie’s competitiveness.”

Another trade netted the Bayhawks another pick in the fourth round and Cottle tabbed defenseman Callum Robinson of Division III powerhouse Stevenson. The Perth, Australia native was a second team All-American in 2014 after earning honorable mention in 2013. A two-time first team All-Commonwealth Conference pick, Robinson is an intimidating presence at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds.

“Callum played for Australia at the world championships and really stood out. All the U.S. coaches were raving about how well he played,” Cottle said. “Callum is a very physically imposing defenseman.”

Cottle said the first round did not go as he projected with a pair of defensive midfielders being selected. That caused some top talent to fall into the second round, which is why the Bayhawks elected to trade down and get two picks.

“I thought it was the most difficult draft since I’ve been with the Bayhawks,” said Cottle, who is beginning his third year as team president. “Beginning with the third overall pick, things went a little different than I envisioned. The good news is that I felt the Bayhawks got three players that were first-round talents.”

Chesapeake, which traded its first-round pick to Charlotte for attackman Matt Danowski, entered the Collegiate Draft with three picks in the Top 25, but wound up with five picks in the Top 25.

Chesapeake Bayhawks 2014 MLL Collegiate Draft Selections

  • Erik Adamson, midfield, 6-1, 175, Denver (2nd round, 14th overall pick)
  • Henry Schoonmaker, midfield, 6-1, 187, Syracuse (3rd round, 16th pick
  • Matt Donovan, attack, 6-0, 170, Cornell (3rd round, 19th pick)
  • Charlie Raffa, faceoff, 6-1, 195, Maryland (4th round, 24th pick)
  • Callum Robinson, defense, 6-5, 248, Stevenson (4th round, 25th pick)
  • Alex Love, attack, 6-0, 175, Hobart (5th round, 33rd pick)
  • Tim Edwards, midfield, 6-2, 194, Canisius (6th round, 41st pick)
  • Conor Doyle, attack, 5-11, 161, Notre Dame (6th round, 43rd pick)
  • Tony Rossi, midfield, 5-10, 180, Stevenson (8th round, 55th pick)

Bayhawks 2015 season tickets are on sale and can be purchased over the phone by calling the Bayhawks Front Office at 866-99-HAWKS (42957). This season the Chesapeake Bayhawks announced an upgraded 2015 Club season ticket package, Take It To The Field, which offers fans just that – a seat on the field.  Reserve your seat today and see the Chesapeake Bayhawks at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this summer.

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