Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/1/10

Jason Klunder (Conestoga) scored the game-winner in overtime as Mesa Fresh 2010 defeated Krunch (N.Y.), 9-8, today to finish 3-0 in pool play and earn the sixth seed entering the playoff round Saturday at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions at Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Mesa Fresh receives a bye into the round of 16 today in the 26-team tournament featuring many of the top boys’ club teams in the nation and Canada. Mesa Fresh will play the winner of the play-in game between Atlanta Elite and the Tampa Tribe at 11:45 a.m.

Mesa Fresh also whipped Milwaukee Select, 15-3, in its opener and then defeated True Lacrosse College Prep (Il.), 11-2.

Two other Philly teams, Team HEADstrong and Rebel Elite dropped their third games and finished the day at 2-1.

Team HEADstrong routed the Tampa Tribe, 18-6, and then Burnaby Mountain (B.C.), 13-5, before bowing to the Connecticut Seminoles, 9-6.

Rebel Elite opened with a 13-7 conquest of Team Velocity (Ohio) and then toppled Top Tier (N.C.), 11-3, before losing to Norcal, 7-6.

Rebel Elite is the 10th seed heading into playback action tomorrow and Team HEADstrong is the 12th seed. Rebel Elite plays 23red-seeded Top Tier tomorrow in the play-in round while HEADstrong will meet No. 21 True Lacrosse. Both games start at 9:15 a.m.

Meanwhile in Rising Stars action, Mesa Fresh 2012 won all three of its games and earned the bye into the Round of 8. Mesa Fresh opened with a 9-6 triumph over Leading Edge and then earned an 11-2 laugher over True Lax before routing the Chicago All-Stars, 10-2.

Elite Division

Edge Jr 12, PB Storm 5

Team HEADstrong 18, Tribe 6

Rough Riders 15, Copperheads 4

Rebel Elite 13, Team Velocity 7

Edge Sr. 12 True Lax 7

Mesa Fresh 2010 15, Milwaukee Select 3

FCA 8, Blue Grass Bats 2

Krunch 11, Steel City 3

Norcal 13, Burnaby 2

Ct. Cardinals Green 9, Top Tier 2

Rebel Elite 11, Top Tier 3

Mesa Fresh 2010 11, The Lacrosse College Prep 2

Team HEADstrong 13, Burnaby Mountain (B.C.) 5

CT Seminoles 9, Team HEADstrong 6

Norcal 7, Rebel Elite 6

Mesa Fresh 2010 9, Krunch (NY) 8, OT

Rising Stars Division

Mesa Fresh 2012 9, Leading Edge 6

Mesa Fresh 2012 11, True Lax 2

Mesa Fresh 2012 10, Chicago All-Stars 2

Tags: Dick's Tourney, Mesa Fresh