Portland Lumberjax Pick Up Six in the Draft

“I strongly believe that Matt will bring a nice scoring touch to the roster,” said Keenan. “His athleticism and ability to dart through opposing defensemen will definitely be an asset.”

Portland acquired its first pick (20th overall selection) from Rochester in exchange for defenseman Luke Forget. The Vershayle, Ont. native was originally selected by the Jax in the 2005 NLL Expansion draft (from Toronto). In his two year NLL career, Forget has earned 16 points (3 goals, 16 assists) and 144 looseballs.

Keenan and Batinovich had the next pick (21st overall) as well and with it selected Ian Crashley. Crashley competed in the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) for the Whitby Warriors. This season with the Warriors, he led the team in penalty minutes with 67. In 19 games this summer, the Whitby, Ont. native scored three goals and 10 assists for 13 points.

In the third round with the 29th overall selection, the Jax chose Greg Peyser from Johns Hopkins University. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound transition player was named a 2006 NCAA Preseason Second Team All-American, part of the ‘05 NCAA All-Tournament Team and an Honorable Mention STX-United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American. Last season the Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. native ranked as the team’s top face-off specialist, winning 90-of-146 (.616) draws while leading the team with 68 groundballs. He was a crucial part of the Blue Jays’ 2005 NCAA Championship victory, scoring two goals for his squad. Peyser was also named Outstanding Midfielder at the 2003 Under-19 International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) Championships.

Notre Dame defenseman D.J. Driscoll became the fourth selection of the night for the LumberJax (third round, 36th overall). Last year, the Pennsylvanian earned USILA Second Team All-American status, and was an honorable mention in 2005. That year he was also honored as the Great Western Lacrosse League’s (GWLL) Defensive Player of the Year and listed as an Inside Lacrosse Preseason Third Team All-American. Driscoll received All-GWLL accolades every season he played with the Fighting Irish and led Notre Dame last season in ground balls with 67.

The Jax also selected Jake Deane from the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) in the fourth round (49th overall). The senior captain from Annapolis, Md. was the team’s primary face-off man, ranking fifth in the nation with a 61.5 percent (233-of-379) win percentage. In 2006 Deane contributed two points towards the Minutemen’s first-ever NCAA Championship appearance. As a defensive midfielder last year, he set a UMASS single-season groundball record and led the team with 143. In 2006, he was named a USILA Honorable Mention All-American, earned a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament Team as well as the All-New England First Team.

The final selection of the night for the LumberJax was Matt Savoie (fifth round, 62nd overall) from Whitby, Ont. He competed on the same Canadian Junior ‘A’ team as draftee Ian Crashley. Last season for the Whitby Warriors he netted eight goals and assisted in nine others for 17 points while racking up 30 penalty minutes.

These six lacrosse standouts will join the current LumberJax roster at the Vancouver, B.C. training camps which begin in mid-November.

NLL DRAFT RESULTS

FIRST ROUND
1. San Jose (from New York) - Ryan Benesch (Kitchener, ON)
2. San Jose (from Chicago) - Kyle Sorensen (Bellarmine University)
3. Buffalo (from Edmonton) - Brett Bucktooth (Syracuse University)
4. Philadelphia (from San Jose) - Geoff Snider (University of Denver)
5. Philadelphia - Ian Llord (St. Catharines, ON)
6. Arizona (from Min. via Arz. via Buf.) - Mike Grimes (Peterborough, ON)
7. San Jose (from Toronto via Calgary. via Arizona.) - Paul Dawson (Brampton, ON)
8. Philadelphia (from Arizona) - Athan Ianucci (Hofstra University)
9. Calgary - Kyle Wailes (Brown University)
10. Rochester - Jack Reid (University of Massachusetts)
11. New York (from Portland via Minnesota) - Brendan Mundorf (UMBC)
12. Chicago (from Buffalo via Edmonton) - Josh Wasson (University of Hartford)
13. Colorado - Gary Bining (Ohio State University)

SECOND ROUND
14. Calgary (from Chicago) - Luke Hinton (Victoria, BC)
15. Toronto (from Edmonton) - Mike MacLeod (Orangeville, ON)
16. San Jose - Wes Green (Adelphi University)
17. Chicago (from Phi. via Min. via Cgy.) - Jackson Gair (Orillia, ON)
18. Buffalo (from Min. via San Jose) - Joe Walters (University of Maryland)
19. Toronto (from Toronto via Minnesota) - Jeff Gilbert (Robert Morris)
20. Portland (from Arizona via Rochester) - Matt Holman (University of Hartford)
21. Portland (from Calgary via Philadelphia) - Ian Crashley (Whitby, ON)
22. Rochester - Ashton McLean (Elmira College)
23. Arizona - (from Portland via Calgary. via Minnesota.) - Brandon Atherton (Victoria, BC)
24. Buffalo - Jay Thorimbert (Niagara, ON)
25. Colorado - Jamie Shewchuk (Burnaby, BC)

THIRD ROUND
26. New York - Garret Kikot (Bellarmine University)
27. Chicago - Mike Kirk (Dickinson College)
28. Edmonton - Kurtis Wagar (St. Catharines, ON)
29. Portland (from San Jose via Calgary.) - Greg Peyser (Johns Hopkins University)
30. Minnesota (from Philadelphia via Buffalo) - Tyler Haas (Victoria, BC)
31. Minnesota - Kevin Crosswell (Port Coquitlam, BC)
32. New York (from Toronto via Minnesota) - Matt Zash (Duke University)
33. Arizona - Matt Ward (University of Virginia)
34. Colorado (from Calgary via Arizona) - Matt Poskay (University ofVirginia)
35. Toronto (from Rochester) - Matt Carroll (Whitby, ON)
36. Portland - D.J. Driscoll (University of Notre Dame)
37. Buffalo - Brendon Thenhaus (Oakville, ON)
38. Rochester (from Colorado) - Matt Currie (Peterborough, ON)

FOURTH ROUND
39. New York - John Orsen (Hofstra University)
40. Chicago - Shane Sargent (Whitby, ON)
41. Chicago (from Edmonton via Calgary) - Bill McGlone (University of Maryland)
42. San Jose - Brad Trottier (Barrie, ON)
43. Philadelphia - Kyle Dixon (University of Virginia)
44. Minnesota - Kevin Milkowski (Victoria, BC)
45. Toronto - Bryan Riddell (Barrie, ON)
46. Edmonton (from Arizona) - Cory Melville (Burnaby, BC)
47. Buffalo (from Calgary) - Brent Miller (Niagara, ON)
48. Rochester - Greg Gurenlian (Penn State University)
49. Portland - Jake Deane (University of Massachusetts)
50. Buffalo - Nolan Godfrey (Merrimack College)
51. Colorado - Curtis Morwick (Victoria, BC)

FIFTH ROUND
52. New York - Joe Boulukos (Cornell University)
53. Chicago - Cody Jacobs (Six Nations, ON)
54. Edmonton - Kris Hartzell (St. Andrew's College)
55. San Jose - Joe Vasold (New York Tech)
56. Philadelphia - Pat Walsh (University of Notre Dame)
57. Minnesota - Andrew Witt (New Westminster, BC)
58. Toronto - Joe Hall (Ottawa, ON)
59. Arizona - Ron Schbild (Burnaby, BC)
60. Calgary - Jordan Sealock (Calgary, AB)
61. Rochester - Cory Vitarelli (Peterborough, ON)
62. Portland - Matt Savoie (Whitby, ON)
63. Minnesota (from Buffalo) - Dave Ellis (Six Nations, ON)
64. Colorado - Casey Cittadino (Towson University)

SIXTH ROUND
65. New York - Chris Unterstein (Hofstra University)
66. Chicago - Eric Martin (Kitchener, ON)
67. Rochester (from Edmonton) - David Lomas (Six Nations, ON)
68. San Jose - Steve Holmes (University of Virginia)
69. Philadelphia - Mike Culver (University of Virginia)
70. Minnesota - Huey Johnson (Six Nations, ON)
71. Toronto (from Toronto via Philadelphia) - Brady Campbell (Orangeville, ON)
72. Arizona - Luke Pinder (Kitchener, ON)
73. Toronto (from Calgary) - Tim Chisolm (University of Hartford)
74. Rochester - Kyle Hagel (Oakville, ON)
75. Rochester (from Portland) - Dave Thering (Rochester Institute of Technology)
76. Buffalo - Daniel Sams (Peterborough, ON)
77. Colorado - Sean Morris (University of Massachusetts)

ADDITIONAL DRAFT NIGHT TRANSACTIONS

San Jose traded Derek Malawsky to Arizona, in exchange for Andrew Guindon and the sixth overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft.

Chicago traded the 14th overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Calgary in exchange for the 17th overall and 41st overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft.

Minnesota traded the 19th overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft, and their fourth round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft to Toronto in exchange for Nick Inch and Toronto's second round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft.

Rochester traded the 20th overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Portland in exchange for Luke Forget.

Minnesota traded the 23rd overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Arizona in exchange for Arizona's second round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft.

Buffalo traded the 30th overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's third round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft.

Buffalo traded the 63rd overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's fifth round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft.

Philadelphia traded the 71st overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft to Toronto for Toronto's sixth round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft.

Season Tickets for the LumberJax start as low as $90. Packages include the eight regular season home games and the 2007 NLL All Star Game. Enjoy the benefits of being a Season Ticket Holder. Also, it’s not too early to plan company, friends or family outings.  Receive discounts when you bring out a group of fifteen or more. Tickets start at just $10 a seat with no applicable fees.  For more information or to reserve your seats call the Jax ticket office at 503.797.9739. Who Wants More?

Tickets for the National Lacrosse League (NLL) 2007 All-Star Game are now on sale. The 7 p.m. event on Saturday March 10, 2007 takes place at the Rose Garden, home of the Portland LumberJax. Tickets can be purchased at the Rose Quarter Box office, all participating Safeway locations, RoseQuarter.com or by calling 1.877.789.ROSE (7673).