Bob Chavez

Tuesday January 14th, 2020

Zach Manns, left, scored a career-best 5 points for the Rock in Saturday’s win against Rochester. (Photo: Ryan McCullough)

It’s one thing to get production from your National Lacrosse League rookies. But how about some clutch production?

That’s what the Toronto Rock got from Zach Manns when the second-round pick out of Victoria scored 3 goals in a win over Rochester. All 3 of Mann’s goals came in the second half and all 3 gave the Rock a lead as they held off a pesky Rochester team for the win.

In Halifax, Clarke Petterson scored during a run that helped the Thunderbirds rally from a deficit, then he produced an assist on the goal that gave Halifax the lead for good in a key win over Colorado.

Performances like these are why we say NLL rookies aren’t really rookies, because most already have plenty of experience against top players through summer lacrosse. But, by the book, they’re still rookies and NLL teams will take the points from wherever they come.

Let’s check in with all the NLL rookies from Week 7 action.

Andrew Kew (LF, New England): Kew and the Black Wolves had the weekend off and are back on the floor Saturday when they host Philadelphia in a big East Division showdown. Kew comes into the game with 19 points on 6 goals and 13 assists as the leading rookie scorer in the NLL.

Clarke Petterson (RF, Halifax): The No. 5 overall draft pick had a goal and an assist along with 5 loose balls in Saturday’s home win over Colorado. Petterson’s goal game during a 4-0 run that bridged the second and third quarters and helped the Thunderbirds tie the score at 7-7. His helper came on a Ryan Benesch goal late in the third that gave Halifax the lead for good.

Marshal King (RF, Calgary): The Riggers were off this weekend. Their next game is Saturday in Rochester.

Haiden Dickson (RF, Calgary): Dickson and the Riggers didn’t play last weekend and are back on the floor Saturday in Rochester.

Tyson Gibson (RF, New York): The top overall draft pick and the Riptide had the weekend off. New York hosts Georgia on Saturday.

Zach Manns (LF, Toronto): The second-round draft pick out of Victoria scored at least a goal in his third straight game, finishing with 3 goals and 2 assists in Saturday’s home win over Rochester. All 3 of his goals came in the second half with the score tied and his third goal gave the Rock the lead for good at 11-10 early in the fourth quarter. His 6 goals for the season ties him with New England’s Kew as tops among all rookies in the league.

Will Malcom (LF, Colorado): The second-round draft pick out of New Westminster was scoreless on 6 shots but had an assist and 2 loose balls in Saturday’s road loss to Halifax.

Holden Garlent (LD, Saskatchewan): The No. 4 overall draft pick had an assist, 3 loose balls and a caused turnover in Sunday’s road win over San Diego.

Elsewhere …

Derek Lloyd (RT, Vancouver) won 2 of 16 faceoffs in Friday’s road loss to Philadelphia and also had 5 loose balls and 2 caused turnovers…Patrick O’Meara (LD, Vancouver) had 3 loose balls and a caused turnover in Friday’s road loss to Philadelphia…Alex Pace (RD, Philadelphia) had 4 loose balls and a caused turnover in Friday’s home win over Vancouver…Warren Jeffrey (LD, Colorado) had an assist, 6 loose balls and a caused turnover in Saturday’s road loss to Halifax…Nonkon Thompson (LD, Halifax) played his first game since Dec. 21 and had 1 caused turnover in Saturday’s home win over Colorado…Trevor Smyth (LD, Halifax) had 4 loose balls in Saturday’s home win over Colorado…Ryland Rees (RT, Rochester) had 8 loose balls and a caused turnover in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Dan Michel (LF, Rochester) was back in the lineup for the first time since the Nov. 30 season opener and had 1 goal, 1 assist and 3 loose balls in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Thomas Witty (LT, Rochester) had 8 loose balls in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Doug Utting (LD, Rochester) had 5 loose balls and a caused turnover in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Chris Willman (RT, Rochester) had 3 loose balls and won a faceoff in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Cory Highfield (LT, Rochester) had 2 loose balls in Saturday’s road loss to Toronto…Josh Jubenville (RD, Toronto) had 2 assists, 5 loose balls and a caused turnover in Saturday’s home win over Rochester…Austin Murphy (LF, Saskatchewan) made his NLL debut as a fourth-round draft pick and had an assist in Sunday’s road win over San Diego…Matthew Sykes (LD, San Diego) had 5 loose balls and 2 caused turnovers in Sunday’s home loss to Saskatchewan…Eli Golbrecht (RD, San Diego) had 5 loose balls in Sunday’s home loss to Saskatchewan…Nick Damude (G, San Diego) saw his first action since Dec. 14 and made 13 saves on 15 shots in 24-plus minutes of Sunday’s home loss to Saskatchewan.