[Crazy Old Guy]

The Flames were never in this one. Eckerd jumped out to a 6-1 lead and led 11-2 at the half. The Tritons scored 7 unanswered goals in the third period to put the game out of reach. Final score 22-4.

We came out flat and never really got into the game. I don't know whether it was missing several starters, or playing our 4th game in 8 days, but we didn't play with our usual energy. Even our goalie, who ended the game with 23 saves, had an off day, for him.

This wasn't the way I wanted the team to end the season. I don't believe that Eckerd was 18 goals better than us even though today they were. We have a lot to look forward to. If everyone returns to play next year, we only lose one starter from this team, Jason Lombardozzi. Jason is the guttiest players on the team. He plays excellent close defense and he interceptts more passes in the passing lanes than any defenseman that I've ever seen play. Also, freshman, John Adams emerged as a premier face-off man the past three games. John dominated both of Eckerd's face-off men this afternoon. He won 15-20 face-offs.

The other day at practice, several guys who played box lacrosse in Canada expressed interest in playing next year. Hopefully, they will fill our need for midfielders and a scorer. Thank you for your support this year, and I hope to see you at some of our games next year. Hopefully, we can make it back to Atlanta next year.

Tom Metallo, Head Coach
Liberty Lacrosse

[Sly Fox]

Sorry to hear the result. But glad to see the program has such a positive outlook.

[Lax Dude]

Metallo:

We think you are an ok Guy and look for more support from the Alumni in the future thanks to the Laxman. One thing I will tell you is that your program was on the track towards a National Title in Lacrosse and a Conference Championship the last couple of years. This year it all fell a part. All I have to say is the way your Team treated Wes and the way the University ran him out of Town it serves your program right that you have taken such a hard fall. I still want to see the Team do well but I have lost a lot of respect for the University and the team the way Wes and his Family were treated.

[Sly Fox]

Easy, Lax Dude. Let's put this whole accident fallout behind us and move on. TheLaxMan is got something nice building in New Mexico and everyone is moving forward with their lives. Let's try to move forward.

[Thelaxman]

Chuck:

We don't need this right now. I have moved on. Chuck there are some negatives out there but for the most part they are all positives. What negatives that are out there are misunderstandings. I'm currently writing a Book called Miracle on Highway 45. It is about God's Grace and how the Lord has watched over my Family through the aftermath of the accident. It is a tell all book but most of all it is a positive book about how the accident has brought my Family closer to the Lord. Chuck, please let this matter go. I have instructed the Alumni that I have moved on and I say the same to you. Tom and I have communicated in the last couple of months and for the record he has my full support. The Team would have done the same thing if I was there or Tom. It has not mattered who has been in charge. This was a rebuilding season no matter what. Just give it time and they will rock the SELC.

I had a tough time this year at New Mexico in a rebuilding phase but it is a time situation. Chuck, building College Lacrosse Teams takes hard work and lots of time. I don't think fans can appreciate what goes into having successful season and that goes with any sport on the College level. Look for big things from Liberty in the future in Lacrosse and look for some noise out west with the University of New Mecico Lobos. The Flames are always welcome to come to Albuquerque and play UNM and I'm sure if we went east Tom would be a great host to us. Maybe that will happen one day. We have recently acquired a new facility to play at and a local Cable TV deal here in the Albuqerque area. We also are helping to bring a City High School Lacrosse Conference to Albuquerque. This will also give us a great recruiting base on the local level in the future. Next year we will play some of our home games at Rio Rancho High School that has the new Turf and is a state of the art facility. It is one of the best Athletic facilities in the Southwestern United States or anything we have ever used at UNM. So my efforts are paying off but for the Fans they don't always see this stuff. Tom has the same positives happening for him with the LU Lacrosse team and he is doing some serious recruiting now with these Guys from Canada that play box Lacrosse. Look what these Students from Canada have done for the Hockey Team at LU. Great things are about to happen with LU Lacrosse. So shut up and get behind LU Lacrosse because it will make you proud.


Thelaxman

[bigsmooth]

i gotta agree here. let's move on. coach westfall has moved on and coach metallo did a good job this year, and the future looks bright! coach westfall has said nothing but the best to LU lacrosse and i think is their biggest supporter. thanks again to coach metallo for giving us updates this year.

[PAmedic]

Best wishes to any of the departing seniors, we look forward to next season and the progress we know Coach Metallo and the guys will make. GO LULAX!

[laxplayer]

Team this year:

Laxdude, your totally off. Comments like yours are uncalled for, not needed, nor supportive in any way to this team. As we are probably all aware, your basis for commenting is on rumors and your own biased views to the teams coaches (past and present).

Anyways,

Everyone if you look at our schedule this year, the league did us no favors! The league play has improved tremendously since last year. To give you all a clue look at these score comparisons.


2005 H Elon SELC-B ( 4- 3, 51.5) 7- 6 0.00
2006 A Elon SELC-B ( 7- 0, 69.3) 13 5- 9 0.00
( You think elon has improved? 7-0 to 4-3...Go figure we lost, and it was still close)

2005 A Savannah Art & Design SELC-B ( 7- 4, 47.8) 6-11 0.00
2006 H Savannah Art & Design SELC-B ( 7- 7, 67.3) 9-10 0.00
(Look again, power rating is up 20 pts, and we made this game closer.....Hmmm)

2005 H Appalachian State SELC-B ( 8- 2, 54.4) 10 9-14 0.00
2006 A Appalachian State SELC-B ( 5- 4, 67.9) 11-15 0.00
(Everyone of these teams looks to have improved, records change due to harder competition)

2005 N Davidson SELC-B (10- 4, 54.7) 9 8-14 0.00
2006 H Davidson SELC-B ( 6- 2, 69.2) 19 9-12 0.00
(Closing the gap yet again)

Liberty had a good record last year because of "gimme" games.
205 A UNC - Charlotte SELC-B ( 3- 5, 44.8) 19- 5
218 H Cent. Connecticut Stat Pioneer - B ( 4- 9, 43.8) 9- 4
331 A Southern Virginia SELC-B ( 1- 6, 39.5) 18- 4
403 A Western Carolina SELC-B ( 1- 5, 30.1) 25- 2
410 H Citadel SELC-B ( 2- 7, 41.3) 14- 4
416 H Winthrop SELC-B ( 1- 5, 33.7) 1- 0 (FORFEIT)


Ponder this......These are all gimme games. If we played all these teams this year we would be
6-7 (Also, Strength of schedule last year was 83 in Division B and this year it is 23!!!!!)

If you look at power ratings and scores, WE IMPROVED, without top gunner Corey Nosworthy. The team improved, with almost all freshman. Don't knock Metallo so hard, I have to give him one thing Westfall never did, Conditioning. The two have different coaching styles and should not be gauged by records, because teams change year-to-year. So, just drop this who is better than who, and just support the freakin' team. Finally, look at the schedule and tell me again LU lacrosse sucked this year.





2005 Season
205 A UNC - Charlotte SELC-B ( 3- 5, 44.8) 19- 5 0.00
218 H Cent. Connecticut Stat Pioneer - B ( 4- 9, 43.8) 9- 4 0.00
219 H Elon SELC-B ( 4- 3, 51.5) 7- 6 0.00
312 A Savannah Art & Design SELC-B ( 7- 4, 47.8) 6-11 0.00
313 A Alabama SELC-B ( 1- 6, 40.9)
331 A Southern Virginia SELC-B ( 1- 6, 39.5) 18- 4 0.00
401 H Appalachian State SELC-B ( 8- 2, 54.4) 10 9-14 0.00
403 A Western Carolina SELC-B ( 1- 5, 30.1) 25- 2 0.00
410 H Citadel SELC-B ( 2- 7, 41.3) 14- 4 0.00
415 H Clemson SELC ( 5- 8, 64.3) 6- 7 0.00
416 H Winthrop SELC-B ( 1- 5, 33.7) 1- 0 0.00
423 N Davidson SELC-B (10- 4, 54.7) 9 8-14 0.00

2006 Season
218 H Lynchburg Club Blue Ridge (13- 1, 74.9) 8-15 0.00
305 H Savannah Art & Design SELC-B ( 7- 7, 67.3) 9-10 0.00
311 H Grove City CCLA-B ( 2- 3, 67.8) 13-15 0.00
326 H UNC - Charlotte SELC-B ( 1- 6, 62.3) 12- 6 0.00
331 A Elon SELC-B ( 7- 0, 69.3) 13 5- 9 0.00
408 H Davidson SELC-B ( 6- 2, 69.2) 19 9-12 0.00
409 A Appalachian State SELC-B ( 5- 4, 67.9) 11-15 0.00
411 H Southern Virginia SELC-B ( 2- 5, 59.3) 14- 7 0.00
415 H Eckerd SELC-B (9- 0, 76.9) 8 4-22 0.00

[PAmedic]

we're all behind you guys. Keep the faith and ignore the naysayers- the wins will come!

[Thelaxman]

LaxPlayer:

There is nothing to prove by comparison of the 05 season to the 06 season or even the 04 season when we played some Division A teams like Pitt and Tennssee. You can say that this year was harder or last year was easier but the bottom line is you have a young Team that is rebuilding and folks that really know Lacrosse need to understand that and respect that. Don't make this a comparison to my Coaching vs Coach Metallo because it is not that at all. This year was a rebuilding season for you plain and simple and leave it at that.

Like I said before if I had been there it would have been the same record 2-7. Yes the season may have been harder but the Team was younger and had less experience. Just keep building on what you have and your time will come in the SELC. I'm not a betting Man but I'm sure you guys will be in Atlanta next year. Don't pay any attention to these Alumni Guys. They mean well but they also know what my Family and I has been through this year and they are a bit protective of me. Our Team at LU back in the 80's was thicker then Blood and it would be great to get those old Guys back together and play an Alumni game against all of you before we are too old to walk.

All the best,

John Westfall
Head Lacrosse Coach-University of New Mexico

[Wildman]

Lax Player,

I think most of the Alumni are behind the Thelaxman and support Metallo. That is not the issue.
I don't think you have to prove anything by comparing schedules. 2-7 is 2-7 in any league. With a great Coach like Tom Metallo wins are certain to come. I was at the Scad game and I think Coach Metallo did a great job. He did make some mistakes at the end of the game with subs in the Midfield and gave Scad a chance to come back at the end and win. But I'm not sure that was his fault, it may be the fault of the Midfielders who made mistakes like going to the sideline to sub out on a fast break by Scad and Scad toke advantage of that and scored a goal. What bothers most of us is the way your team treated your old Coach and ran him out of the program. He is one of our teamates and even though he wont say on this Board his Family paid a huge price for his involvement in LU Lacrosse along with his health. From what I know not one of you Guys have ever really written him or contacted him and that some of you have even blamed him for what happened in Alabama. Several of the Alumni have studied the accident and it really blows us away how you guys treated Wes when the accident was not his fault. Now we don't know everything and maybe never will but one thing is certain you mistreated a Brother in Christ as a program and mistreated one of your biggest fans and those are the facts.

As for Coach Mettallo I think he is a great Coach and just got stuck in the middle of this thing. I wish him well. It is hard to gage who is the better Coach. I think in time Coach Metallo will show his stuff. But you can't take anything away from Coach Westfall either he has an established record of I believe close to 100 wins on the College level. He is the one who built Liberty Lacrosse as a Player in the 80's and as a Coach in recent times and I don't think Liberty Lacrosse would be what it is today if not for his sacrifices and that we all owe John a great deal of thanks. Wes has not said much on the Board about the book but I hear he has a Publisher for it. It will be interesting to to see what he says in the book but from talking with him the focus of the book is not on the Lacrosse Team but on His relationship with Christ, the grace of God and how Christ has made a difference in his Family in the aftermath of the accident.
The Alumni is behind Coach Mettalo and the Team and we wish you the best in 2007.

[PAmedic]

Focus on the future.

We all wish only the best for the program and those who have come before it.

Having said that, this is the last warning on the "rehashing" of that incident down south. FUTURE POSTS OF THIS NATURE WILL BE DELETED- we need to get beyond that; as I know Coach Westfall and his family is doing.

Please don't force us to start policing here. Thanks.

GO LULAX!