TORNADO ALLEY LACROSSE LEAGUE

The Team to Beat: Northwest Arkansas

The Bentonville-based Knights have an advantage over the rest of the three-state league in that the transient nature of the town attracts families from areas where lacrosse is more prevalent. Northwest Arkansas has another advantage this season in that they graduated just one senior of last year’s team and bring back seven starters.

The Knights have eight returning seniors, so they will be the league’s most experienced team. Leading the way will be two intimidating 6-foot-4 senior defensemen, Rich Pauman and Justin Eckes. Pauman is the son of the team’s head coach, who goes by the same name.

Three other players who will make an impact will be senior goalie Dakota Longenecker, junior middie Colin Black and senior middie Mason McClellend.

Contenders: Edmond, Tulsa

Edmond brings back seven starters, including all three of its attackmen, two first-line middies and one defenseman. The Cavaliers will be led by senior middie Mitch Bertrem, junior attackman Hunter Crutsinger, senior middie Daniel Rossi and junior attackman Andrew Appleyard. In the cage, Edmond lost its starter from last season, but it has a capable replacement in freshman goalie Zachary Prebula, who will be starting.

Tulsa went 7-6 as an independent program last season, but the Bulldogs graduated seven seniors and return just two starters from that team. Those two are a pair of sophomore attackmen, Dan Price and Kevin King. Price led the Bulldogs in scoring as a freshman. Tulsa will be bolstered by senior defensemen Patrick Hendricks and Austin Chatham, junior middie Eric Douglas and sophomore goalie Taylor Mark, who was the Bulldogs’ JV Player of the Year last season.

Sleeper: Wichita

After competing in the Lacrosse Association of Kansas last season, Wichita has switched over to the Great Plains’ newest lacrosse league. Wichita graduated seven seniors and returns 12 seniors in all, including five starters. One attackman, one first-line middie and three defensemen will be back. Senior attackman Ethan Henry, senior defenseman Alex Buck, senior defenseman Tyler Martin, freshman middie Ryan Miller and junior middie Jacob Hackler will lead the team.

Top Players: Andrew Appleyard, Att., Edmond; Colin Black, MF, Northwest Arkansas; Mitch Bertrem, MF, Edmond; Alex Buck, Def., Wichita; Austin Chatham, Def., Tulsa; Eric Crutsinger, Att., Edmond; Eric Douglas, MF, Tulsa; Justin Eckes, Def., Northwest Arkansas; Jacob Hackler, MF, Wichita; Patrick Hendricks, Def., Tulsa; Ethan Henry, Att., Wichita; Kevin King, Att., Tulsa; Dakota Longenecker, G, Northwest Arkansas; Taylor Mark, G, Tulsa; Tyler Martin, Def., Wichita; Mason McClellend, MF, Northwest Arkansas; Ryan Miller, MF, Wichita; Rich Pauman, Def., Northwest Arkansas; Zachary Prebula, G, Edmond; Daniel Rossi, MF, Edmond.

Preseason Top 4: 1. Northwest Arkansas, 2. Edmond, 3. Tulsa, 4. Wichita.

Notes: This will be the first season for the Tornado Alley Lacrosse League, and there are already plans to expand. Three Oklahoma-based programs will join the fray in 2011. Holland Hall and Owasso will both field first-year varsity programs this season that will compete as independents. Potawatomi will field a JV team this season and move up to varsity next year, giving the league seven teams starting next season.