Former Blue Devils Shine in Team USA Scrimmage

DURHAM, N.C.—Duke men's lacrosse head coach and six former Blue Devil players donned the Red, White and Blue in a U.S. intrasquad scrimmage Sunday to celebrate the grand opening of the new U.S. Lacrosse headquarters. Current assistant coach and former Blue Devil great Matt Danowski headlined the game, leading USA Blue to the 15-13 victory.

Suiting up for the U.S. team were Danowski, Ned Crotty, Brendan Fowler, Will Haus, Myles Jones and Michael Manley. Jones represented the Blue Devils on the USA White squad, while the remaining five were on the USA Blue side. Overall, the six Blue Devils combined for five goals, eight assists and 10 ground balls.

Danowski led all players with eight points overall. With Blue trailing 4-2 midway through the first quarter, Danowski had a hand in each of the next four goals with two scores and two helpers to put Blue ahead for good at 6-4. Later in the game, the 2007 Tewaaraton Award winner helped orchestrate a 6-1 run with a goal and two assists and a 15-9 lead.

"Some chemistry," Matt Danowski said of his eight-point effort. "One was to John Haus, who I played with in Charlotte and Will [Haus], who I coached [at Duke]. We're comfortable with where we're supposed to be. We have a good framework offensively. You understand what you're looks are. I've played in this offense so it's a little easier for me."

Jones added a goal and two assists for White, while Ned Crotty had an assist and a ground ball for Blue. Will Haus scored a goal from a Danowski pass and picked up three ground balls and Fowler was solid at the faceoff X in winning 8-of-16 draws with three ground balls. Michael Manley picked up two ground balls to help anchor the defensive effort for Blue.

The weekend also featured a clinic put on by Team USA Saturday, a game between the NYPD and FDNY and the dedication of a 9/11 memorial on the site of US Lacrosse.

"It's an honor," John Danowski said of the weekend. "You're humbled to be part of anything with USA lacrosse. It's humbling to see the people out here — Richie Moran, Jack Emmer, Tom Hayes — all the greats in our sport. Thoughts with Eamon McEneaney [the former Cornell star who died in New York on 9/11], who I competed against in high school and college. Just a very humbling day."

John Danowski and the United States are in the middle of preparations for the next U.S. men's world competition in 2018.

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