Men's Lacrosse

Tyson Bomberry’s versatility shines at 2nd defender spot

Cody Hendrix | Staff Photographer

A mix of box lacrosse experience, brute strength, instincts and aggressiveness has made Tyson Bomberry a shut down defender and threat in transition.

UPDATED: August 8, 2017 at 7:34 p.m.

DURHAM, N.C. — Tyson Bomberry’s first shot on Friday night sailed well over the crossbar, beyond a fence and into a parking lot adjacent to Cameron Indoor Stadium. It epitomized No. 1 Syracuse’s first half, marked by struggles at the X, defensive lapses and offensive stagnancy.

Bomberry’s second shot came at a much different moment in No. 1 seed SU’s 16-15 loss to No. 4 seed North Carolina at Koskinen Stadium in the ACC tournament semifinal. Amid SU’s 8-0 run in the second half, Bomberry played give-and-go with long-stick midfielder Andrew Helmer. With his previous shot in mind, Bomberry made a clear effort to shoot at a lower angle. The ball headed straight to the top shelf, pulling SU within one of UNC headed into the fourth quarter. The play highlighted Bomberry’s knack for getting out in transition and being more than just a defender on the country’s top-ranked team.

The Orange (11-2, 4-0 Atlantic Coast) lost to the Tar Heels (7-7, 1-3) and snapped its nine-game winning streak. Among a number of positives from the game — the third-quarter comeback, Jordan Evans’ career-high six assists and a flurry of goals from Nick Mariano (three) and Sergio Salcido (three) — was Bomberry’s effort on the defensive end, which has not gone unnoticed by those around him. His versatility has continued to shine at the second defender spot in recent weeks, Friday included.

“He’s really well-rounded,” SU head coach John Desko said. “He’s good in the team defense. He’s good in the individual defense. He’s great in loose ball situations. He’s not afraid to run over with it. And he’s a good shooter.”



Desko’s comments encompass Bomberry’s greatest asset to Syracuse: versatility. The sophomore close defender, who works alongside No. 1 defender Scott Firman, checks in second to only senior faceoff specialist Ben Williams in ground balls (34) and tied-first with Firman in caused turnovers (13). In practice, he’s used on the wings, not only defensively, because “he’s such a good ground ball guy,” Desko said.

He grabs passes in the air with regularity and often finds himself in good sliding spots. He has no glaring weakness, players note.

Growing up, Bomberry took faceoffs, played attack, ran at midfield and spent time on defense. He also dabbled in football as a middle linebacker and wrestling. On Friday, Bomberry flashed his strength — bodying up UNC’s Chris Cloutier and Luke Goldstock — which he says is a product of his diverse athletic background.

“He’s taken away most of their attackmen,” said senior midfielder Nick Mariano, who has a team-high 32 goals. “He’s got one of the best sticks I’ve ever seen. He picks off passes or bats them down almost every time the ball’s in the air or near him.”

There are still some lapses. In the first half against the Tar Heels, Bomberry made a couple mistakes that cost SU. He guessed wrong on a pass, coming off the low corner too soon. He was then late to get the crease, where Goldstock had camped out. Goldstock scored easily.

With Syracuse down 10-2 early in the second, Bomberry watched a rebound float in the air. Rather than turning his body and jumping out to an open Cloutier, who scored three times, Bomberry ball watched. Cloutier found the ball a few seconds later and converted a wide-open shot.

But later, Bomberry scored to bring SU within one with his transition goal. He has practically mastered the art of the clear, teammates said, because he picks the ball up, keeps his head up and looks to run before the defense sets up. On Friday, he scooped up a ground ball to give Syracuse the final possession and a chance to tie the game in the final seconds.

“Tyson’s got a great stick,” said SU assistant coach and defensive guru Lelan Rogers. “With Tyson and Scottie (Firman), they’re not amazing athletes but they have great stick skills.”

Generally, Bomberry lets the player he’s guarding dictate his movements. He reads the hips, throws a bump check, then goes from there — he trusts his quick feet enough to compensate for attacks’ quick first steps. The bump check, he said, “makes them decide what they’re going to do first, six feet in front of me. Then I get more time to react.”

“I know firsthand from practice, he’s really tough to beat,” said his cousin and junior midfielder Brendan Bomberry, who ranks second on SU in goals (23). “He’s got probably the best stick in the entire country. Every single day he’s picking off passes left and right. That’s huge for our defense.”

Bomberry has made sizeable progression on the Syracuse defensive line and figures to take the No. 1 defender spot in 2018, with the graduation of Firman. For now, he’s a key cog in an SU defense coming off its worst game of the season.

“He’s just huge, big, athletic,” North Carolina head coach Joe Breschi said. “He’s a physical presence in there. Ground balls, his presence, physicality and playing with an edge makes him a special player.”





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