Find the Facts that Fit the Narrative
Bandits Training Camp ’25 continues with players battling for a spot on the 21-man roster or four slots on the practice squad.
“Yeah, there’s still an opportunity to make the team, whereas in years past, there might have been nothing open, but this year, let’s see what they’ve got,” said Steve Dietrich, GM and defensive coordinator.
Six players were released at the start of the week, including Jake Rosa, Matt Duncan, Liam Linden, David Burr, Jaden Kennedy, and Liam Keane.
Turn Up the Intensity
The Bandits had two sessions this past Saturday, including a high-intensity 95-minute morning practice that consisted of continuous lacrosse drills, spanning the entire length of the floor.
One of the full-speed drills, which I find fascinating, included stick handling, cross-passing, receiving, and shooting against one of the four goaltenders in camp. The players switch between four positions constantly along each restraining line, right next to the boards.
The second session consisted of a preseason game against Las Vegas, with everybody on the training camp roster playing a full game (with NLL Referees) or at least a half. This gave the hopefuls a chance to play with the varsity.
“We do have a few shoes to fill, but it’s hard to say if there will be any changes. The kids are hungry, but we are mostly a veteran team, so they have to learn quickly,” said Bandits captain Steve Priolo.
Live Action
For many veteran players, this was their first live ammo game action of camp, and their shooting and passing were in mid-season form as they held off the Desert Dogs 12-10.
“We picked up right where we left off, and the new guys are slotting in with nice energy,” noted the 15-year vet Priolo.
Ryan Benesch displayed his crafty shot, netting four, while Lucas Neilson and Ian MacKay scored two. Dhane Smith went 1+6=7. Goaltender Matt Vinc gave way for Steve Orleman, Evan Constantopoulos, and Waukiigan Shognosh.
How do you trim the List?
It was a good tune-up as camp reached the halfway mark, making it challenging for John Tavares and Steve Dietrich to narrow the roster further by November 23.
“You always want to keep things fresh with some changes, but every training camp, we are not thinking about last season or the years before. The goal is obviously to get back to where we have been, but it’s a long row, and we are going to be a different team doing it, that’s for sure,” Dietrich said.
Already making an impact are Mike Triolo, Benesch, and Clay Scanlan. Lucas Nielsen, who scored very high in the physical testing on October 25, showed some skill with his inside scoring work Saturday.
“I think I can play a couple of different roles, but I’m ready to do whatever they want,” said Nielsen, who made the roster last season.
New Faces in Camp
A few new faces in camp are making their presence felt, including Second-rounder Coltrane Tyson, who has caught the eye of Dietrich.
“I’ve been really impressed with Coltrane. He was good in the Calgary game, and now we envision him playing more defense as the sky is the limit for that kid.”
Taylor Dooley, who was placed on the PUP list at the end of last season, is back in full stride. Matt Spanger, too, back from injury last season, ran drill with the team Saturday. Connor Farrell had some off-season work done, but intends to be ready for the November 29 regular-season opener.
The Great Dhane
I asked Dietrich which player he was most impressed with so far in camp.
“It’s tough to say, Dhane, but I’m going to say Dhane. It’s scary. JT and I commented after the first practice a couple of weeks ago that he was by far the hardest-working guy on the floor.
“To a guy who has been the league MVP, all-time scorer, holds the records for most goals, most assists, and most points, I can go on and on.”
Cold water and a Towel
While every player has their own rigorous workout regimen throughout the calendar year, the 18-season veteran and MVP himself, Dietrich, got a firsthand view while working out on the treadmill last week of Josh Byrne and Smith’s time in the gym.
“Those guys are machines. For anyone who doesn’t get time to spend with them, there’s a reason why they’re so good.
I’m walking on the treadmill, and they’re sprinting on the treadmill and doing stuff on the Peloton systems, then back to sprinting on the treadmill.
It’s the stuff they (and every Bandits player) do throughout the week that keeps them at that level.”
Good Bunch
There is no question. The veterans who are here want to stay, and the young players want to take on one of their jobs, knowing how tough it will be.
“We all know what the goal is at the end of the year. We’ve been lucky enough to be on both sides of it for the last five years,” Dietrich said.
As my former broadcast partner with the Sabres, Jim Lorentz, would say: “You gotta be good to be lucky,” and many of the young guys are asking themselves in the mirror, “Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, kid?”
Last Week of Camp
The Bandits will end training camp Saturday night with a preseason game against Georgia at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on the Six Nations Reservation. The game is open to the public, with faceoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m.