Kasey Beirnes continues to lead the Toronto Rock in loose balls and was recently named the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) offensive player of the week.
Beirnes was awarded the honour, which is voted on by the league’s coaches and general managers, after he tallied five goals and two assists in a 16-12 Rock win two weeks ago over the Rochester Knighthawks.
“It was finally nice to see the ball fall into the back of the net for me,” Beirnes said.
He added he felt he was struggling a bit offensively in games at the start of the season, during which he scored sporadically.
An Elora native now living in Fergus, Beirnes also picked up seven loose balls in the game against the Knighthawks, bringing his team-leading season total to 43.
He is fourth on the team in points, with 23 through seven games, and third in shots on goal with 46.
Rock teammate Rob Marshall told the Advertiser earlier this year that while Beirnes may have a knack for scoring, it’s the other intangibles that make him a good player.
“Kasey does all the little things … and a lot of the dirty work,” Marshall said.
He explained that includes setting picks, scooping up loose balls and going into the difficult areas of the floor, such as in front of the net and across the middle for passes.
The Toronto Rock are currently tied for first place in the NLL’s eastern conference, with nine games left in the 2012 season.
“We’re doing really well,” Beirnes said of the team.
“We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries and we’re still winning games … We’re showing a lot of our depth.”
Other local players
Arthur’s Jamie Rooney has also played well this season, tallying 11 points in five games for the Toronto Rock – good enough for sixth on the team.
Rockwood native Jesse Gamble has two points in two games for the Rock since being activated from the club’s practice squad.
Marshall, a Rock defender and Fergus resident, posted on Twitter on March 1 that he is “hopefully done with these crutches.” He was getting X-rays that day on the foot he broke in a game on Feb. 11.
Elora native Dane Dobbie has also been injured for several weeks. He has 14 points in four games with the Calgary Roughnecks.
Arthur native Chad Culp is third in points on the Buffalo Bandits, with 21 in six games played.
* All NLL stats and standings as of March 2.
