Army for the Win

NCAA Division I sports came to Naples this weekend. The lacrosse match Saturday between the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy (Army) and the Bears of Georgia’s Mercer University was, technically, a home game for Mercer.  

On the field, though, at Paradise Coast Sports Complex (PCSC), the county’s athletic and recreational facility, located in City Gate near the intersection of Collier Blvd. and I-75, didn’t look or feel like a Bears home game. Army had the hoopla, the support of the nearly 2,000 spectators, the ceremonies, and the pizzazz. Before the game, three Army parachutists performed a jump from 4,000 feet onto the field, trailing red smoke and American flags. Three military aircraft did a flyby in formation, returning for a second pass in the “missing man” configuration – so Army had command of the air.  

A large contingent of fans represented Army Lacrosse alumni. The Gulf Coast High School ROTC honor guard presented the colors before Marco Island’s Mary Jo O’Regan sang the National Anthem, powering through some technical difficulties with the sound system. During halftime, sixty Army recruits were inducted in a ceremony at midfield. And Humvees, massive military trucks, and an Army recruiting station were distributed around the grounds.  

The Black Knights didn’t really need all of the extra help. While the Bears put up a valiant effort, Army romped to an 8-0 halftime lead and ended the day with a lopsided 17-4 margin on the lacrosse field.  

“Army is really a buzzsaw this year,” said Marco Islander Tom Rotanz, who organized the event, titled the Southwest Florida Shootout, returning for its fourth annual outing. “They played Yale last week and beat them 14-3.” The Black Knights are ranked number three in the country in Division I, with their rank climbing up from eighth to fifth, and are undefeated.  

Army could also be said to employ a “human wave” assault, although both teams brought massive squads to the game. While there are only 10 players on the field at any one time for each team, the Black Knights dressed 56 players, plus coaching staff and trainers.  

For those, like this reporter, who are newbies in the world of lacrosse, it is amazing that the players, racing up and down the field of play with club-like lacrosse sticks, wearing helmets but no pads and flinging a ball the size of an orange and the consistency of a hockey puck, do not sustain more injuries.  

Lacrosse could be described as a blend of soccer and hockey, although it is also the oldest sport in the country, being played by the Iroquois centuries before European colonists arrived. The players demonstrate great skill in throwing and catching the ball in the nets of their sticks, generally refrain from whacking opposing players, and running and passing down the field. As in hockey, the goal sits within the field of play, with 15 yards behind it where attacking players can set up passes to teammates. Army’s relentless attack wore down Mercer’s defensive efforts. 

After the game, sportsmanship continued, with the teams lining up and parading past each other for a “good game” and handshake, then kneeling together in a circle for a quick devotional. In another brief ceremony, Rotanz was presented with the Seven Seals award, a certificate honoring his “meritorious leadership and initiative in support of the men and women who serve America in the National Guard and Reserve.”  

Previous iterations of the Shootout have featured lacrosse teams from schools including Michigan, Ohio State, the University of Virginia, and Harvard. Collegiate lacrosse season extends through Memorial Day weekend.  

On Saturday, after the featured shootout, FGCU took on Kennesaw State, defeating them 14-13 in a closely matched game. Many of the fans from the Army–Mercer game walked over to the adjacent “Cove” at PCSC for a concert by South Florida band Rock Republic.  

The location of PCSC straight up Collier Blvd. makes it convenient for Marco Islanders, much more so than many locations in Naples, but tucked away off the road behind the Great Wolf Lodge, it is easy to miss. If you’ve never been there, find an event that interests you – maybe this Sunday’s Freedom Festival, dedicated to raising funds for a safe house for girls rescued from human trafficking – and check it out.