Titans earn preseason awards

Another update from GLS regular Reg Hartner on Detroit’s offseason.

I just got word that the MAAC has released their preseason all-conference team. While I don’t have the full list yet, I do know that 3 Titans were honored. The MAAC only does a first team w/ no 2nd team nor honorable mention, so I tend to think these awards actually carry a little more weight. None of these 3 received first team all-conference honors for the MAAC’s 2011 post season awards so this is a great sign that the rest of the coaches in the league are starting to acknowledge what they are building in Detroit.

• Jamie Hebden, Junior Defense from Brother Rice
  Voted 2nd team All MAAC and named the team’s defensive MVP as a sophomore. Jamie was recently named one of the team’s captains for the 2012 season and will anchor the close defense for the Titans in 2012. He has built his reputation as a dangerous takeaway defenseman that will always draw the opponent’s top attackman. Even facing the other team’s best he was fifth in the country in caused turnovers overall (40) and per game (2.5).
• Jordan Houtby, Junior LSM from Holy Cross Secondary (ON)
  Voted 2nd team All MAAC, MAAC LSM of the year and Detroit Titans team MVP. He was all over the field on faceoff wings, rides, clears, man down and his usual defensive responsibilities. He was second in the nation with 3.25 caused turnovers per game and 11th in ground balls picking up 6.06 per game. Houtby also chipped in 4 goals and 2 assists with the game winning goals against Siena and the Marist (the latter being in the MAAC semifinals).
• AJ Levell, Junior Goalie from Dublin Scioto (OH)
  Third-year starter, named 2nd team All MAAC last year with the conference’s 2nd best save percentage (.521) and 179 saves on the year. Even had an assist on a long clearing pass on a Scott Harris goal. A big time goalie that thrives and makes big saves under pressure and in big games.

Last year’s post season first team attackman and MAAC rookie of the year Shayne Adams was somehow left off the list. My hunch is that it’s politics and coaches were more likely to vote for upperclassmen than a sophomore, but what do I know. As long as his damaged knee is on schedule to return I fully expect him to be on the post season awards list. I could see Joel Matthews, Jason McDonald, Ty Maruyama and Tim Lehto also getting some post season love, but the season is a long way off – and postseason awards even further.

It’s an incredible statement that the rest of the league realizes that Coach Kolon has built a solid defensive unit and they are expecting even bigger accomplishments out of the Titans this year. You put your Goalie, LSM and top D on 1st team and people are noticing. Ranking towards the top of the nation in both caused turnovers and ground balls wasn’t a fluke.

Preseason rankings were released too. The Titans are ranked #2 in the MAAC and per Inside Lacrosse they are the #49 team in D1. Right behind first year varsity program Michigan ranked #48. Apparently that Man of the Year award for JP is giving them a bump in the rankings. Michigan is also ranked higher than their fall ball opponents Providence and St Joseph’s. So yeah…I’m not putting too much stock into the Inside Lacrosse rankings if they think that Michigan is ranked higher than a team that rolled them 9-5 in fall ball.