The Boston Cannons, formerly known as Cannons Lacrosse Club, is a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) . Formerly based in Boston, Massachusetts, they played in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) from their inaugural 2001 season to 2020. The team's home field was Veterans Memorial Stadium in nearby Quincy.[1] In the MLL, the team won two Steinfeld Cup championship games in 2011 and 2020, the latter being the MLL's final championship. The Cannons joined the PLL in 2020 following the MLL–PLL merger and were rebranded as the Cannons Lacrosse Club before later being rebranded as Boston Cannons once again when the PLL assigned home cities after the 2023 season.
 | |
| Sport | Field Lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| League | Major League Lacrosse (2001–2019) Premier Lacrosse League (2020–present) |
| Team history | Boston Cannons 2001–2020 (MLL) Cannons Lacrosse Club 2023–present |
| Based in | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Stadium | Harvard Stadium |
| Colors | Navy blue, red, silver, white |
| Head coach | Brian Holman |
| Championships | 2 MLL: 2 (2011, 2020) |
| Division titles | 2 MLL: 2 (2004, 2005) |
| Championship Series Titles | 1 (2024) |
| Website | Boston Cannons |
| Uniforms | |
 | |
Franchise history
The Boston Cannons were one of the original six teams of Major League Lacrosse (MLL), and the only team from the pole inaugural 2001 season to stay in the same market, without folding or moving elsewhere. They were the only MLL team identity to continue into the 2021 PLL season following the MLL-PLL merger and in doing so adopted the Cannons Lacrosse identity. The team would once again become the Boston Cannons when the PLL assigned home cities after the 2023 season. MLL was founded by Jake Steinfeld, Dave Morrow, and Tim Robertson. The Cannons founder and president is Matt Dwyer. From their inaugural season of 2001 through 2003, the Cannons played their home games at Cawley Memorial Stadium in Lowell, Massachusetts. In their inaugural 2001 season, the Cannons finished with a record of 3–11 but still qualified for the playoffs finishing in second place in the division. In 2004, they moved to Nickerson Field at Boston University where they played through the 2006 season. In 2007, they moved to Harvard Stadium in Allston, a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts,[2] which is less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from Nickerson Field and also within that distance from the Cannons' main office in Boston. The team qualified for the MLL playoffs 2001–2006, 2009-2011 and 2015. The Cannons won the 2004 and 2005 MLL American Division championships.
Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
2011 championship season
The Cannons won the Steinfeld Cup for the first time in 2011, defeating the Hamilton Nationals 10–9. Boston went 9–3 in the regular season, their best record since going 10–2 in 2005. After losing to Chesapeake 13–9 in the 2010 semifinal, the Cannons avenged the Bayhawks by defeating them 14–13 in the 2011 semifinal with a goal from Max Quinzani. Boston became the fifth charter franchise to win a championship. By 2011, the Cannons were one of four charter franchises still in the league that started with six teams in 2001. The other three remaining charter franchises (Lizards, Bayhawks, and Rattlers had all previously won at least one Steinfeld Cup (the defunct Barrage had won three). Head coach Bill Daye stepped down a month after winning the Steinfeld Cup, citing he wanted to spend more time with his family.[3] Entering the 2021 season, Daye remains the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season games coached (72), regular-season games won (43), and playoff games coached (6).
2013–2018
The Cannons in 2013 and 2014 finished 5–9 and 6–8. This included a 1–5 start in 2013 leading to Steve Duffy's firing on June 10.[4] John Tucker took his place and played .500 for the rest of the season. After the Cannons missed the playoffs for the fourth time in franchise history in 2014, Tucker led the team back to the postseason in 2015 as the 8–6 fourth seed. They played the New York Lizards and lost 16–15 in overtime. The Lizards went on to win the Steinfeld Cup.
John Tucker left the Cannons after the 2015 season to become the first head coach and general manager of the expansion team Atlanta Blaze. On October 8, 2015, Sean Quirk was announced as the sixth head coach in franchise history.[5] In an odd 2016 year in which seven of the league's nine teams, including the Cannons, finished with identical 8-6 records, Quirk's team was not rewarded with one of the four playoff spots after tie-breaking procedures. On December 20, 2016, it was announced that John Tucker would be returning to the Cannons as the team's offensive coordinator in 2017.[6] Tucker was fired mid-season by the Blaze after a 3–7 start.
Despite a Week 1 win in 2017, the Cannons season turned around. At 3–6, the Cannons traded away captain Will Manny and Joe LoCascio to the New York Lizards for Dave Lawson and Chris LaPierre on June 27.[7] On July 14, the Cannons announced that neither Lawson nor LaPierre would suit up for the team that season. Dave Lawson informed team officials that he would be retiring from the league while Chris LaPierre decided not to report to the team.[8] The Cannons finished the season on a six-game losing streak. At 3-11, the Cannons posted the worst record in the league and tied their franchise-worst record from 2001, their inaugural season.
2019–2020: new pro lacrosse landscape and second title
Following the 2018 season, Paul Rabil launched the Premier Lacrosse League, baiting over 140 MLL players to migrate over. However, the Cannons maintained more of their roster than other teams like the Dallas Rattlers or Rabil's New York Lizards.[9] Two months prior to the start of the 2019 season, the league cut the team roster from nine to six when the Ohio Machine and Florida Launch folded and Charlotte Hounds suspended operations for two seasons.[10] Taking this to their advantage, the Cannons posted a 9–7 record in 2019, good enough for the third of four postseason seeds and gave Boston its first playoff berth since 2015. Boston faced the Denver Outlaws in the semifinal, who were also hosting Championship Weekend. The Cannons got off to a hot start and led by as many as six goals, but ultimately fell, 17–15, ending their season.[11]
2019 was the Cannons' first season in Quincy. During the offseason they announced a move to and $1.5 million renovation of Veterans Memorial Stadium.[12] The Cannons announced two sellouts in their first season in the updated venue.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was shortened to five regular season games in seven days, all to be played in front of no fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. The Cannons finished fourth place out of six teams with a 3–2 record, and were the only team to defeat the Denver Outlaws in the regular season. Heading into the postseason, the Cannons were scheduled to play the Outlaws in the semifinal. However, after a player from the Chesapeake Bayhawks experience symptoms of COVID-19 and eventually tested positive, the two other postseason competitors, Chesapeake and Connecticut, withdrew from the tournament. The Cannons' semifinal game with the Outlaws was pushed back a day and would be played as the championship. Boston defeated Denver for the second time in two days, the latter in 13-10 fashion for the franchise's second title, first in nine years.[13] Newcomer attackman Bryce Wasserman, who played for the Dallas Rattlers the season before, was named league MVP for 2020.
Premier Lacrosse League
2021–2023: Cannons Lacrosse Club
On December 16, 2020, in a statement from Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Boston Cannons officially became the eighth team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). It was announced that the team would be dropping "Boston" from their name and become "Cannons Lacrosse Club" to fit league nomenclature, the roster would be set via an expansion draft, and the team would begin play in the PLL in the 2021 season. Small tweaks to the former Boston Cannons branding resulted in a PLL crest and logo reveal on January 12, 2021.[14] One week later, the league announced that Sean Quirk would continue coaching the team.[15]
The Cannons played their first game of the 2021 season on June 4 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, falling to the Redwoods Lacrosse Club, 12–11.[16] They would finish the season 7th in the league, falling in the first round of the playoffs.
Post-2023 season-present: Boston Cannons
After the 2023 season the PLL assigned home cities to each of the eight teams. The Cannons were rebranded from Cannons Lacrosse Club to become the Boston Cannons.[17]
General managers
- David Gross (2001–2005)
- Jason Chandler (2006–2007)
- Mark Kastrud (2008–2011)
- Kevin Barney (2011–2017)
Current coaching staff
- Head coach - Brian Holman
- Assistant coaches - John Klepacki, Sean Kirwan
All-time head coaches
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | W% | GC | W | L | W% | |||
| Boston Cannons | ||||||||||
| 1 | Mitch Whiteley | 2002 | 14 | 3 | 11 | .214 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 2 | Scott Hiller | 2003–2005 | 50 | 32 | 18 | .640 | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 |
| 3 | Bill Daye | 2006–2011 | 72 | 43 | 29 | .597 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 |
| 4 | Steve Duffy | 2012–2013 | 20 | 10 | 10 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 5 | John Tucker | 2013–2015 | 36 | 18 | 18 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 6 | Sean Quirk | 2016–2020 | 68 | 31 | 37 | .456 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| Cannons Lacrosse Club | ||||||||||
| — | Sean Quirk | 2021–2022 | 19 | 4 | 15 | .211 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Brian Holman | 2023–present | 10 | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
Roster
| 2023 Cannons LC | ||||||||||
| # | Name | Nationality | Position | Height | Weight | College | Grad year | High school | Hometown | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marcus Holman (C) |  |
Attack | 5 ft 10 in | 180 lbs | North Carolina | 2013 | Gilman | Baltimore, Maryland | [18] |
| 2 | Bubba Fairman | |
SSDM | 6 ft 1 in | 195 lbs | Maryland | 2022 | Deerfield | Sandy, Utah | [19] |
| 3 | Chris Aslanian | |
Midfield | 6 ft 3 in | 200 lbs | Hobart | 2019 | Hun School | Westfield, New Jersey | [20] |
| 4 | Zac Tucci | |
Faceoff | 6 ft 1 in | 195 lbs | North Carolina | 2022 | Avon Old Farms | Bedford, New Hampshire | [21] |
| 5 | Colin Kirst | |
Goalie | 6 ft 2 in | 220 lbs | Rutgers | 2022 | Seton Hall Prep | Bernardsville, New Jersey | [22] |
| 8 | Adam Ghitelman (C) | |
Goalie | 5 ft 9 in | 180 lbs | Virginia | 2011 | Cold Spring Harbor | Cold Spring Harbor, New York | [23] |
| 9 | Pat Aslanian | |
SSDM | 6 ft 2 in | 205 lbs | Georgetown | 2019 | Westfield | Westfield, New Jersey | [24] |
| 12 | Jacob Pulver | |
Defense | 6 ft 0 in | 215 lbs | Cornell | 2018 | Fayetteville-Manlius | Manlius, New York | [25] |
| 13 | Craig Chick | |
LSM | 6 ft 0 in | 195 lbs | Lehigh | 2019 | South River | Edgewater, Maryland | [26] |
| 14 | Zach Goodrich (C) | |
SSDM | 6 ft 2 in | 200 lbs | Towson | 2019 | Kent Island | Stevensville, Maryland | [27] |
| 19 | Alexander Vardaro | |
Midfield | 5 ft 10 in | 185 lbs | Georgetown | 2024 | Hewlett | Woodmere, New York | [28] |
| 20 | Matt Campbell | |
Midfield | 6 ft 2 in | 210 lbs | Villanova | 2023 | Delbarton | Madison, New Jersey | |
| 21 | Carter Parlette | |
SSDM | 5 ft 11 in | 215 lbs | Notre Dame | 2024 | Ponte Vedra | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida | [29] |
| 22 | Ryan Drenner | |
Attack | 6 ft 0 in | 175 lbs | Towson | 2017 | Westminster | Finksburg, Maryland | [30] |
| 32 | Asher Nolting | |
Attack | 6 ft 2 in | 210 lbs | High Point | 2022 | Cherry Creek | Greenwood Village, Colorado | [31] |
| 33 | Jonathan Donville** |  |
Attack | 6 ft 0 in | 195 lbs | Maryland | 2022 | Deerfield Academy | Oakville, Ontario | [32] |
| 34 | Connor Kirst | |
Midfield | 6 ft 3 in | 230 lbs | Rutgers | 2021 | Delbarton | Bernardsville, New Jersey | [33] |
| 35 | Ethan Rall | |
LSM | 5 ft 9 in | 186 lbs | Rutgers | 2023 | Islip | Islip, New York | |
| 40 | Jack Kielty (C)** | |
Defense | 6 ft 2 in | 225 lbs | Notre Dame | 2021 | Delbarton | Morristown, New Jersey | [34] |
| 41 | Bryce Young | |
Defense | 6 ft 2 in | 205 lbs | Maryland | 2018 | St. Augustine | Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey | [35] |
| 43 | Jeff Trainor |  |
SSDM | 6 ft 0 in | 190 lbs | UMass | 2021 | Billerica Memorial | Billerica, Massachusetts | [36] |
| 45 | Adam Charlambides | |
Attack | 6 ft 2 in | 195 lbs | Rutgers | 2021 | The Hill Academy | Georgetown, Ontario | [37] |
| 50 | Matt Kavanagh | |
Attack | 5 ft 8 in | 180 lbs | Notre Dame | 2016 | Chaminade | Rockville Centre, New York | [38] |
| 51 | Pat Kavanagh | |
Attack | 5 ft 10 in | 175 lbs | Notre Dame | 2024 | Chaminade | Rockville Centre, New York | [39] |
| 52 | Garrett Epple | |
Defense | 6 ft 1 in | 215 lbs | Notre Dame | 2017 | Calvert Hall | Baltimore, Maryland | [40] |
| 66 | Max Wayne | |
Defense | 6 ft 4 in | 215 lbs | Christopher Newport | 2022 | Rock Ridge | Ashburn, Virginia | [41] |
| 77 | Cade van Raaphorst | |
Defense | 6 ft 1 in | 215 lbs | Duke | 2019 | Desert Vista | Phoenix, Arizona | [42] |
*Indicates player is on Holdout list[45]
**Indicates player is on PUP list
^Indicates player is on sabbatical[46]
Coaching staff
- Head coach – Brian Holman
- Assistant coach – Jim Mitchell
- Assistant coach – Kyle Hartzell
MLL award winners
- Conor Gill: 2004
- Paul Rabil: 2009, 2011
- Matt Poskay: 2010
- Bryce Wasserman: 2020
- Scott Hiller: 2002, 2005
- Bill Daye: 2011
- John Tucker: 2015
- Sean Quirk: 2020
- Paul Rabil: 2009, 2011, 2012
- Matt Poskay: 2010
- Chris Garrity: 2005
- Kip Turner: 2010
- Nick Marrocco: 2019
PLL award winners
Eamon McEneaney Attackman of the Year
Welles Crowther Humanitarian Award
Jimmy Regan Teammate Award
Season-by-season records
| Year | W | L | % | Regular season finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Cannons (MLL) | |||||
| 2001 | 3 | 11 | .214 | 2nd in American Division | Lost semifinal 12–11 to Bayhawks |
| 2002 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 2nd in American Division | Lost semifinal 15–10 to Bayhawks |
| 2003 | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2nd in American Division | Lost semifinal 20–14 to Lizards |
| 2004 | 8 | 4 | .667 | 1st in American Division | Won semifinal 24–16 over Bayhawks Lost championship 13–11 to Barrage |
| 2005 | 10 | 2 | .883 | 1st in American Division | Lost semifinal 19–14 to Lizards |
| 2006 | 8 | 4 | .667 | 2nd in Eastern Conference | Lost semifinal 17–12 to Barrage |
| 2007 | 5 | 7 | .417 | 3rd in Eastern Conference | – |
| 2008 | 7 | 5 | .583 | 3rd in Eastern Conference | – |
| 2009 | 6 | 6 | .500 | Tied for 3rd in MLL | Lost semifinal 11–10 to Outlaws |
| 2010 | 8 | 4 | .667 | Tied for 1st in MLL | Lost semifinal 13–9 to Bayhawks |
| 2011 | 9 | 3 | .750 | 1st in MLL | Won semifinal 14–13 over Bayhawks Won championship 10–9 over Hamilton Nationals |
| 2012 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 3rd in MLL | Lost semifinal 16–10 to Bayhawks |
| 2013 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6th in MLL | – |
| 2014 | 6 | 8 | .529 | 5th in MLL | – |
| 2015 | 8 | 6 | .571 | 4th in MLL | Lost semifinal 16–15 to Lizards |
| 2016 | 8 | 6 | .571 | 7th in MLL | – |
| 2017 | 3 | 11 | .214 | 9th in MLL | – |
| 2018 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 7th in MLL | – |
| 2019 | 9 | 7 | .563 | 3rd in MLL | Lost semifinal 17–15 to Denver |
| 2020 | 3 | 2 | .600 | 4th in MLL | Won championship 13–10 vs. Denver |
| Cannons Lacrosse Club (PLL) | |||||
| 2021 | 3 | 6 | .333 | 7th in PLL | Lost quarterfinals 13–9 to Atlas |
| 2022 | 1 | 9 | .100 | 8th in PLL | – |
| 2023 | 7 | 3 | .700 | 2nd in PLL | Lost semifinals 17-6 to Waterdogs |
| Boston Cannons (PLL) | |||||
| Totals | 145 | 139 | .517 | Total playoff record 5–13 (.278 win pct.) | |
Draft history
First round selections (MLL Collegiate Draft)
- 2001: None
- 2002: Steve Dusseau, Georgetown (2nd overall); Conor Gill, Virginia (3rd overall)
- 2003: Chris Fiore, UMass (3rd overall)
- 2004: Chris Passavia, Maryland (6th overall)
- 2005: Johnny Christmas, Virginia (5th overall)
- 2006: None
- 2007: Kip Turner, Virginia (2nd overall)[49]
- 2008: Paul Rabil, Johns Hopkins (1st overall)[50]
- 2009: Brandon Corp, Colgate (4th overall)[51]
- 2010: Max Quinzani, Duke (3rd overall)[52]
- 2011: Shamel Bratton, Virginia (6th overall)[53]
- 2012: None
- 2013: Cam Flint, Denver (6th overall)[54]
- 2014: Scott McWilliams, Virginia (8th overall)[55]
- 2015: Ryan Tucker, Virginia (4th overall); John Glesener, Army[56]
- 2016: Greg Coholan, Virginia (6th overall), Brandon Mullins, Syracuse (9th overall)[57]
- 2017: Sergio Perkovic, Notre Dame (2nd overall)
- 2018: Trevor Baptiste, Denver (1st overall)
- 2019: Zach Goodrich, Towson (3rd overall)
- 2020: Nick Mellen, Syracuse (4th overall)
First round delections (PLL Collegiate Draft)
- 2021: None
- 2022: None
- 2023: None
First round selections (PLL Entry Draft)
- 2020: Lyle Thompson (1st overall); Zach Goodrich (6th overall)[58]
Community involvement
The Cannons often reach out to the local community, hosting a variety of lacrosse camps and events for local youth.[59] In addition, the Cannons support MetroLacrosse, by arranging scholarships for MetroLacrosse players and donating tickets for each home game to MetroLacrosse players and families. MetroLacrosse also maintains a booth in the Fan Zone for each home game.
References
External links
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