Machine all-stars enjoy record-setting victory
Ask the Chicago Machine's trio of all-stars the same question about their experience at the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game in Denver on Thursday and you'll get the same answer:
It sure was fun.
Then again, what isn't fun about winning? Or setting an All-Star Game record for goals by one team as the Western Conference team did its 31-15 rout of the Eastern Conference?
"It was a great time," said Machine attackman Kevin Leveille, who had tied a game-high 7 points on 3 goals and 4 assists. "Just getting all the best guys in the world out there on one field is awesome. It was a faster paced game, which I think makes it more exciting. And it was also good to get a win."
For teammate Steven Brooks, there was fun during the game, during the halftime skills competition, and, away from the field in Denver. Brooks, the Libertyville native who is leading all MLL rookies in points, tallied 3 goals and 1 assist during all-star play.
At intermission, he competed in the fastest shot contest, where he registered a 106 miles-per-hour heater. The winner of the competition reached 109.
Brooks wishes he had another chance.
"I was a little disappointed. It was a good experience though," said the recent Syracuse graduate. "I wish we could have three shots (in the competition). I felt like I had just gotten warmed up after the first two. But it's not up to me."
It might seem that the least fun position on the field to play in an all-star game would be goalie, where the constant onslaught on higly skilled players could be overwhelming.
Machine goalie Mike Gabel claims otherwise. He manned the net for the Western conference in the second half and totaled 14 saves.
"I think I did alright," said Gabel. "I wish I could have had even more saves, but it was just a lot of fun to be out there with the guys from the Western Conference. It's nice to be going to battle with them for once, rather than against them.
"Going into it, I think the East was maybe favored a little bit because they have some older guys. But we took it to them. We got up on them, but we just wanted to keep raising the score, keep going at them." Lacrosse is a game of runs, after all. Sometimes it feels like no lead is safe.
The three Machine all-stars and their teammates will be in action at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. The Machine takes on the Los Angeles Riptide.