Smith(Faceoff Specialist) seeking third MLL lacrosse championship this weekend

For the reason that recovery process from his surgery will be eight months, Smith is postponing it until after the season.

That's called taking one for that team, thinking about the Bayhawks have no to one to replace him.

Smith says she has never a missed a sport in four years attending college at the University of Delaware or five seasons inside the MLL.

Since suffering the injury inside a 17-13 loss on the Boston Cannons in the Bayhawks' third contest, he's suited up for nine more games inside the weeks since.

"If I was a regular midfielder I'd have been done on that day," Smith said.

In spite of the constant pain, Smith continues to play well, leading the league in faceoffs won with 177 winning draws.

Smith, 27, that's in his third season with the Bayhawks, has helped the Bayhawks on the playoffs again there is much surprise.

Fourth-seeded Chesapeake clashes with top-seeded Boston in a semifinal, at noon Aug. 27 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis.

"There are games when each time I go out there and please take a faceoff I am in a huge number of pain," said Smith, who is only one of two players within the MLL's 11-year history to win at the least 1,000 faceoffs. "I require a ton of ibuprofen and ice it down after games. But I am going to just do what I need to do. Personally i think like I'd be letting my team down if I just went away."

What are the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Smith has had to do is rely additional on his healthy hand.

"I have to put additional strength during my right hand," Smith explained. "I simply have 30 or 40 percent use in my left arm in any way. It's very challenging maneuver."

Bayhawks' defender Barney Ehrmann, a Gilman graduate, admires Smith for playing from the pain.

"The idea that he is playing says a lot about him," Ehrmann said. "After every game, he is very banged up. It (the injury) affects him. Wrists and elbows are everything. He's so tough to play from the pain. He's played so well. He definitely could be considered our MVP."

Smith is one of several local players about the Bayhawks.

Chesapeake also features Brian Carroll (Gilman), Justin Smith (Boys' Latin), Michael Kimmel and Ben Rubeor (both Loyola Blakefield), Jeff Reynolds (Calvert Hall) and Jeremy Sieverts (McDonogh).

But Smith, a three-time All-American at Delaware who holds several NCAA records and played on the gold-medal winning USA Team inside FIL World Games this past year, is as important to the team's success as any player inside group.

If the Bayhawks advance on the final again, Chesapeake coach Brendan Kelly can depend on Smith's best effort.

"Alex is at his top in championship games," Kelly said about the star who also captured the 2008 MLL title as being a rookie with Rochester. "He was great in the world championships and MLL championship (last year). There is not a better face-off guy I'd personally want. He could be the best faceoff guy on the planet."

Still, Smith must make the most of what remains of his pro career. He plans to retire following 2012 to focus on his business interests. His enterprises have an ice cream shop along with a restaurant in Harbor East along with a summer lacrosse camp that attracts about 350 kids in Westminster every summer.