Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/25/08
Philadelphia Wings veteran forward Jake Bergey was selected Thursday in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Expansion Draft by the Boston Blazers. The Blazers selected a total of 12 players in the Expansion Draft, one from each NLL franchise.
“We are a bit surprised at Boston’s decision to select Jake in the draft because he has yet to make any official decision on whether or not he will play in 2009,” said Wings GM Lindsay Sanderson.
Bergey has played all of his 11 NLL seasons in Philadelphia and was part of two championship teams (1998 and 2001). He is second all-time in Wings history with 555 total points (257 goals, 298 assists).
He had 29 goals and 31 assists in 2008. It was Bergey’s highest point total since he had 60 in 2002.
Bergey became only the second Wings player in history to record his 500th point with his six-point performance in the Wings 2008 home opener against Chicago. The Wings selected him in the fifth round of the 1998 NLL Entry Draft out of Salisbury State University.
Bergey is also the son of legendary Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey.
The Blazers are coached by former Philadelphia Wings forward (2000-03) Tom Ryan and will play their 2009 home games in the TD Banknorth Garden.
Barrage play Saturday at Riptide; Dragons come East
The streaking Philadelphia Barrage (6-3) travel to the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, Saturday (4 p.m.) to face the Los Angeles Riptide (5-4) in hopes of extending their three-game winning streak in Major League Lacrosse (MLL).
The Barrage have been off since a 16-11 victory over New Jersey July 10. Goalie Brian Dougherty (Episcopal Academy) has been brilliant in the nets for Philadelphia during the streak.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Dragons – featuring a host of Philadelphia products – come east to meet the Long island Lizards Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mitchel Field. Last week the Dragons (2-7) lost to the Denver Outlaws, 15-8, despite two goals from Bill McGlone (Ridley) and one from Xander Ritz (Radnor).
