CJ Kirst’s record, rookie surge lift Waterdogs to No. 1 seed

CJ Kirst broke the Premier Lacrosse League’s single-season goals record on Saturday, and the Philadelphia Waterdogs clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed with an 8-3 record.

The record-breaking goal came early in Philly’s 18-10 win over the New York Atlas, but the bigger story was how the Waterdogs responded after looking anything but playoff-ready in the opening minutes of their Homecoming.

Philadelphia committed two defensive penalties in the first two minutes, struggled to find its offensive rhythm and looked sloppy against an Atlas team playing without some of its key pieces. Then the Waterdogs found their identity.

Michael Sowers was the spark. The Philadelphia native scored twice in the first quarter, eventually finishing with five points (4G, 1A), while Kirst added his first goal of the afternoon to move past Marcus Holman’s 30-goal mark from 2023.

Both finished with hat tricks, marking the seventh time this season each has done so.

For Kirst, though, the record felt less important than who celebrated it with him.

“Honestly, it really hit me once everyone came on the field and was able to celebrate with every guy,” Kirst said. “Not really putting the ball in the back of the net, but being able to celebrate with every guy on the field.”

The defense needed time to settle, but once it did, the Waterdogs made life miserable for Atlas.

Gavin Adler, facing his former team, was disruptive throughout, forcing two turnovers, while rookie goalie Sean Byrne delivered perhaps the most important performance of his young career: a personal-best 19 saves, including eight clean saves.

Those clean saves mattered beyond the numbers. Byrne repeatedly got the ball out of his stick and turned defense into transition, giving a rookie-heavy midfield opportunities to ignite the offense.

And without injured All-Star midfielder Jack Hannah, the rookies answered.

Five of Philadelphia’s eight second-half goals came from rookie midfielders, with the final four goals of the game all coming from rookies.

Josh Yago produced a career-high four points and his first professional hat trick, while Silas Richmond recorded his first two-pointer and first multi-goal game.

Head coach Bill Tierney had challenged those young midfielders before the weekend to stop thinking of themselves as rookies.

“After we stretched outside for our Friday practice, I grabbed the four rookie midfielders and I told them that they didn’t have Jack Hannah to bring them along like he’s been doing,” Tierney said. “They weren’t rookies anymore. And I thought today they proved that.”

Philly has now won four in a row and looks like its most complete team of the Tierney era.

“The Waterdogs are clicking at the right time,” Kieran McArdle said. “Our ultimate goal is to be hoisting that cup.”

Philadelphia gets one more tuneup Sunday against the Maryland Whipsnakes, then two straight bye weeks before the semifinals.

As Tierney put it after the win: “I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”