Outlaws Have Plenty of Motivation to Repeat as MLL Champions

Wed Oct 2 2019 | Phil Shore | Pro

PHOTO BY RON CHENOY/PRETTY INSTANT

Dillon Ward has made Denver his home, playing for MLL's Outlaws and the NLL's Mammoth. He was also the MVP of the 2014 world championship at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, site of Sunday's MLL championship game.



As Major League Lacrosse front office, players, coaches and fans descend on Denver for MLL championship weekend, the home team — the Denver Outlaws — considers it business as usual. For a team that earned a trip to the postseason for the 13th time in 14 season, for a franchise that won last year’s MLL championship and three of the last five titles, the players know what to expect because it’s what is expected of them week in and week out. “Every year, it’s expected we win championships,” Denver faceoff specialist Max Adler said. “It starts with [Outlaws president] Mac Freeman. Anything short of that, there’s no consolation prize.” That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of motivation, because there is. One reason for Denver’s success has been roster stability. The Outlaws, who will play the Boston Cannons in the second semifinal Friday at the University of Denver’s Peter Barton Stadium (10 p.m. Eastern on ESPN News) have six players on the active roster with championship rings from last year, including finalists for MLL MVP (Zach Currier), Defensive player of the Year (Finn Sullivan) and Goalie of the Year (Dillon Ward) awards. They have their sights set on becoming the league’s first repeat champions since the Chesapeake Bayhawks in 2012 and 2013. “We chose to all come back to the Outlaws,” Adler said, referring to those players who stuck with MLL rather than leave for the new Premier Lacrosse League this year. “We’re the team that got the most guys back. We all had other options, but we made the choice to come back to Denver to win another championship, and because we were treated so well in Denver. We wanted an opportunity to repeat and defend our championship.” “It’s very hard to [repeat] in this league,” Sullivan added. “The talent is so deep. Even with the two leagues this year, it’s a deep league. You saw that with Dallas and the [six-game] surge they went on. We understand how difficult it is, but we understand the opportunity is amazing to win in front of our home fans, who are amazing.”











Outlaws attackman John Grant Jr., who was the championship game MVP in 2013, came out of retirement to compete as a player/coach this season. He has won five MLL championships, including three years in which his team defeated Denver for the title.

Denver is an important place in Grant’s lacrosse career, as it is for many of the players on the Outlaws. Getting an opportunity to win the championship in front of their home fans means a lot to Ward and Adler, as well. Not only would they get to celebrate with the supporters that have backed them all season, but also the Outlaws would be only the second team to win the MLL championship in their home market, following only the 2010 Chesapeake Bayhawks.

“To compete for a championship in front of them, that’s the dream,” Adler said. “To win a championship in front of your home crowd, that’s what everyone dreams of that plays sports. It’s why it’s so great to play for a home team. It’s a fan base that doesn’t just care about the individual players but for the team. You represent their city. It’s a really cool opportunity.”

The championship game will be played at Dick’s Sporting Good Park, where the 2014 world lacrosse championship was held. Ward, the MVP of the tournament, helped Canada win the gold medal with 10 saves in the championship game.

“Denver has become my home,” said Ward, who also plays for the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth. “I live here full time. I just bought a house with my girlfriend here. We have the best fans in lacrosse. Denver loves lacrosse. To play for a championship here in front of our home crowd, at the University of Denver and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, which I have history at, I’m excited to have an opportunity to win a championship here in front of our home crowd.”

Although Denver is once again in the playoffs, and there is a lot of excitement from the players for the games in front of their home crowd, it doesn’t mean there haven’t been obstacles to overcome.

The Outlaws lost defenseman Eli Gobrecht and midfielder Mikie Schlosser, each for multiple games due to injuries. When Schlosser, in particular, went down, it also coincided with a four-game losing streak.

Denver rebounded from that losing streak, however, with three straight wins to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Ward said that adversity will help the Outlaws moving forward.

“When we came out of this slump, I looked at myself and the guys in the room and said, ‘This is a team that can get back to where we want to be,’” he said. “It’s easy to mail it in. It’s hard to get back to what made you successful. Us going through that slump has helped us get back together.”

The team also had to cope with the death of its owner, Pat Bowlen, who passed away June 13 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Bowlen, who owned both the Outlaws and the NFL’s Denver Broncos, is given a lot of credit not just for helping to bring professional field lacrosse to Denver, but also for offering unwavering financial and emotional support.

Winning another championship would be a great posthumous honor.

“If he’s not the one to say we’re going to have a professional lacrosse team in Denver, none of this happens,” Adler said. “There’s no alternative. [Bowlen’s death] had a huge impact on us, and we’d love to win this for Pat Bowlen and in his memory.”

Last year, the Outlaws won the championship on the backs of unheralded players whom they acquired through unconventional means. Ward, Sullivan and Gobrecht all were supplemental draft picks. Schlosser was a sixth-round college draft selection, while Adler was a seventh-round pick out of Division II.

This year, however, those same players comprised Denver’s backbone. Their experience not only helped the Outlaws win games, but also they steered the team out of a losing streak and helped bring along key first-year contributors like Chris Aslanian (a finalist for the MLL Rookie of the Year award) and Brendan Kavanagh (a 2018 supplemental draft pick that made his debut in 2019).

“At the end of the day, we want to win week in and week out. We’re building for the championship weekend,” Ward said. “The guys who have been underdogs are taking more of a leadership role and pulling us toward that goal.”

Despite the potential to make history, to do something MLL teams have been unable to do for quite some time now, the Outlaws’ greatest motivation is, quite simply, each other.

“The biggest thing is how much we love playing with each other and hanging out with each other,” Adler said. “We’re working other jobs. We can’t go out partying; we have to wake up at 5 and work out. It’s not for our stats. It’s to win another championship. We’ve been doing everything we can to make sure we win again.”