Baltimore may no longer have a Major League Lacrosse team, but there will definitely be a significant Charm City flavor in the professional outdoor league.
Ten of the 50 picks in the five-round MLL Draft this week came from Maryland schools, capped by Johns Hopkins midfielder Paul Rabil, who went to the Boston Cannons with the top overall pick. The MLL has not had a team in Baltimore since the Bayhawks moved to Washington prior to the 2007 season.
As for Rabil, he joins the Cannons less than a week after he scored a careeer-high six goals in Hopkins’ loss to Syracuse in the NCAA championship game Monday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Rabil finished his collegiate career with 111 goals and 67 assists and ranks as the Blue Jays’ all-time career leader in goals and points (178) among midfielders. He also holds school records for goals (28), assists (23) and points (51) in the NCAA Tournament and was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, given annually to the top college player in the country. That award went to Syracuse attackman Mike Leveille, who went to the New Jersey Pride with the third pick.
“I’m sad with how my career ended, especially losing in my last game with the other 10 seniors on our team,” Rabil said. “It’s been a roller coaster of a week, but I’m looking forward to continuing my lacrosse career in the MLL.”
Rabil was one of four Hopkins players selected among the top 20 picks, the most of any school. Other Hopkins players drafted were midfielder Stephen Peyser, defender Mike Bocklet and attackman Kevin Huntley.
The Chicago Machine selected Peyser with the fourth pick , but traded him to New Jersey in exchange for Leveille in a deal that also included three draft picks.
The Bayhawks then selected Bocklet with the 15th pick before Huntley went two picks later to the San Francisco Dragons. But, the Dragons He was then traded, along with the Dragons 2009 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Riptide in exchange for midfielder Sean Lindsey and Riptide’s 25th pick in this year’s draft. The Dragons used that pick on Syracuse midfielder Brendan Loftus.
Among the more interesting picks in the draft is Navy attackman Nick Mirabito, who went to New Jersey in the fifth round with the 43rd pick overall. Mirabito likely would have gone higher in the draft after finishing the season with 23 goals and 23 assists. However, his five-year military commitment leaves him with an uncertain future after this summer.
“It’s been such a whirlwind couple of weeks with the NCAA Tournament and graduating from the academy, that I haven’t thought much about playing professionally. Hopefully I can work something out so I can do both, at least this season.”
MLL NOTES
- The following players from Maryland schools were selected in this week’s Major League LacrosseDraft
- Johns Hopkins M Paul Rabil: Boston Cannons (No. 1, first round)
- Johns Hopkins M Stephen Peyser: Chicago Machine (No. 4, first round)*
- UMBC M Terry Kimener: Chicago Machine (No. 8, first round)
- Maryland D Joe Cinosky: New Jersey Pride (No. 9, first round)
- Johns Hopkins D Matt Bocklet: Washington Bayhawks (No. 15, second round)
- Johns Hopkins A Kevin Huntley: San Francisco Dragons (No. 17, second round)**
- Salisbury A Matthew Hickman: New Jersey Pride (No. 33, fourth round)
- Loyola M Paul Richards: Washington Bayhawks (No. 37, fourth round)
- Towson A Jonathan Engelke: Long Island Lizards (No. 40, fourth round)
- Navy A Nick Mirabito: New Jersey Pride (No. 43, fifth round)
*Traded to New Jersey Pride
**Traded to Los Angeles Riptide
