By Paul Peluso

During the break following the first quarter of the Baltimore Bayhawks' final game of the season, a young fan was poised to compete in a contest in which he was instructed to run down the field, dressed in Bayhawks gear, and score a goal.

With no opponent, he scrambled down the field, donned the uniform and darted for the goal, ultimately missing his target.

Defender Shawn Madelen was named the Bayhawks 2006 MVP. (Photo Courtesy of MLL)

This exercise in futility was a microcosm of the Bayhawks' bittersweet 4-8 season.

Entering Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Barrage at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium, the team prepared to put a period on what began as a rebuilding year with the off-season exits of several veterans including player/coach Gary Gait.

The Bayhawks lost 20-12 against league-leading Philadelphia (10-2).

The Bayhawks are the third straight defending MLL team to miss the playoffs after winning the championship. This season, Baltimore failed to win one of their six road games, stretching their road losing streak to seven games, dating back to last season.

First-year midfielder Bill McGlone, who scored 17 goals in nine games after being selected in May's draft, said the season came with a lot of positive experiences. "As for the rookies, I think we learned a lot," he said. "I feel I've grown as a player and am really looking forward to next year. I think we'll have a significantly different season."

Matt Ward, the 2006 NCAA Tewaaraton Trophy recipient, came two goals shy of tying the MLL's rookie scoring record, ending the year with 20 goals. Despite his success, personal accomplishments weren't on Ward's mind at the end of the game.

"It was (a good season) individually, but certainly as a player you want to go out there and win, first and foremost," he said. "There have been a lot of young kids coming in this year and we weren't really comfortable yet with the way each other played. We have to improve on that and I think we will after time playing with each other."

First-year coach Scott Hiller has rebuilt the team with more than a half-dozen rookies, something that has taken the team some getting used to.

A lot of the team's struggles have been a product of inexperience. Experienced veterans including defender Shawn Nadelen, attack man Tom Marechek and midfielder Mark Millon have helped add some stability to the team, but a majority of the weight has fallen on the shoulders of its younger players. Close to half of the players listed on the team's active roster for the Aug. 12 game were first-year players.

Ward said coming in halfway through the season is a big obstacle for the rookies. While the May 30 draft is only 10 days removed from the season's start, most players don't begin their careers until June or July due to graduation dates.

"It's not the fact that we're rookies, but the fact that we're coming in mid-season," Ward said. "We don't know how everyone plays and what everyone's tendencies are. For an offense to run effectively, you have to understand how each plays."

The team's MVP for the 2006 season was Nadelen, who has played his entire career with Baltimore since being drafted in 2001. He played in all 11 games for the Bayhawks this season.

"I think we did get better in some areas, but I think we were kind of hot and cold throughout the season," Nadelen said. "We had some really good games where we would slide and fill and everybody was on the same page. Then other games we would have slides, but not second slides. Guys would just let other guys get into bad spots and those sorts of things."

"We definitely grew. I think we had some guys step up like Casey Connor, Frank Luciano, those types of guys who weren't getting a lot of playing time at the beginning."

Another veteran, Marechek, who was the first player selected by Baltimore in the 2001 inaugural draft, said the frustration of this year's losing season is overridden by the prospect of the future.

"It's just one of those years where we are rebuilding," Marachek said. "It's just jelling; you've got to gel, everyone's got to play as a team. The rookies came in here with a lot of good ideas and really stepped up and we just tried to help out and coach them. Next year I think it's going to be better, they just needed a year under their belt."

 Issue 1.17: August 17, 2006