By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/26/23
Ryan Ambler needed only one word to describe the euphoria Sunday when his Archers edged the Waterdogs, 15-14, at Subaru Park in Chester for the Premier Lacrosse League championship.
“Poetic,” he said. “In one word … poetic.”
For Ambler, and a strong group of Philly grads, the first crown featured everything they had asked for – a thrilling win before their families and hometown fans, key contributions from so many, and joy knowing the league MVP and popular Tom Schreiber (Princeton grad) scored the game-winner.
“All my family is here and to do it with these guys, building this for 5 years, seeing Tom get the game-winner, it caps off an amazing season,” said Ambler, an Abington and Princeton grad who played with Schreiber in college and along with him and Matt McMahon (Penn) are the only three original members of the Archers. “He (Schreiber) deserves that – it feels good to finally get over the hump. It’s a weight off my shoulders and off my mind.”
Schreiber (two goals) got the game-winner with 1:37 remaining and with only seconds left on the shot clock, firing a sidearm blazer into the net. Seven different players scored for the Archers – who were without star attackman Connor Fields (separated shoulder), led by Mac O’Keefe (3G, 1A, Penn State) and Tre Leclaire (3G, 1A).
Philly’s finest played key roles. Grant Ament (Haverford School, Penn State) had two goals and an assist, Matt Moore (Garnet Valley, Virginia) had a goal and three assists, Mike Sisselberger (Southern Lehigh, Lehigh) won 20 of 29 faceoffs and scored once and Ambler had two groundballs.
For the Waterdogs, Michael Sowers (Upper Dublin, Princeton/Duke) had two goals and two assists, and defenseman Chris Sabia (Haverford School, Penn State) had a strong game.
The Archers coaches also were Philly guys – head coach Chris Bates (former Drexel, Princeton and Episcopal Academy coach) and top assistant Tony Resch (current La Salle College assistant, former Wings, Barrage and Penn Charter coach, PC grad)
Archers goalie Brett Dobson was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. He had 19 saves, his biggest perhaps in the final seconds when Waterdogs ace Jake Carraway got free for a last-second 2-point attempt. Dobson also made a final stop on the restart with less than a second to play.
The game’s second-biggest biggest play, arguably, occurred after Schreiber’s goal. The Waterdogs had a chance to tie, but on a missed shot, Connor Maher hurled his body to gain possession for the Archers and they ran the clock down to 11.7 seconds.
Ament said Schreiber, Ambler and McMahon were ideal leaders.
“It all starts from that guy (Schreiber), the MVP, ” Ament said. “Him, Ryan and Matt. They are three of more selfless leaders you could ask for. When they are leading from the front, it’s easy to fall behind.
“Connor Maher had the best play of the game. I give those guys (Waterdogs) a lot of credit, they could have folded. They are a tough team to pay against – it’s been a one-goal game every time we’ve played them this year. But this makes it all worth it – all the ups and downs. And it was nice to have the support system in the stands.
Added Moore: “It was fun being out here, I had a bunch of tickets for family and friends. I think 50 all together, they are all up there. We have three guys that have been on the Archers since we started and when we’re down, and momentum us not on our side, we look to them and see their reaction. They know this game.”
The Waterdogs, down by as much as six (8-2, 9-3 and 10-4) in the first half, closed it to 12-11 with 4:19 to play in the third period when Carraway drilled a two-pointer.
Then early in the final quarter, Zach Currier knotted it at 12. But the Archers went up, 14-12, as Ament fed Mac O’Keefe and Trey LeClaire converted on a man-down situation.
But the defending champs refused to fold as The Waterdogs tied it at 14 on a Ryan Conrad man-up tally and Carraway’s power play goal.
The Archers used great ball movement early in the second period to seize the big first-half lead. In one sequence, Ament made it 6-2 on a dazzling backhanded goal from goal line extended and then Moore took a feed from Challen Rogers to make it 7-2. Schreiber made it 8-2 with a burner. Later, Drexel grad Reid Bowering, added to the active roster with Fields out, made it 10-4.
The Waterdogs responded by outscoring the Archers, 3-0, to end the half as Sowers converted with 7.1 seconds left.
Sisselberger, only a rookie, also spoke of the Archers’ leadership and culture.
“It’s surreal to win the championship here in Philadelphia where I played a lot of lacrosse,” he said. “It’s icing on the cake for me, but getting it for the guys and getting it done for Tom Schreiber – whose probably the most deserving player on this field – is something that is most important to me.
“Obviously, the history and culture of the Archers .. they deserve to be in the championship and this year we completed the job.”
Bates, who has been Archers coach from the start, was emotional after the win.
“You work long and hard and you never know if you get the payoff, but to do it here in front of the home crowd, with a bunch of friends and this community and this group of guys, it’s a bit surreal,” said Bates. “It will sink in, but now we just want to enjoy it.
“Connor (Maher) had the awesome play, and Dobber with the save. That’s a tough team to knock out. Until the final whistle, they were not out of it and we knew that. Early on it felt like we had pulled away but they are so resilient. But we did what we needed.”
