by ROCHESTER, NY (Monday, May 04, 2015) The Rochester Rattlers (2-2) and the Florida Launch (0-3) have come to terms on a trade that will allow both teams to fill some major holes that have been plaguing them in the early going this season.
Rochester has traded second year Attackman Miles Thompson (Onondaga Nation) and a 4th round pick in the 2016 Collegiate Draft for Midfielder-F/O Mike Poppleton, the rights to Syracuse Orange Attackman Kevin Rice and a 6th round pick in the 2016 supplemental draft.
The Rattlers have been without their starting face-off specialist John Ortolani for the first 4 games of the season and have struggled at the X which has drastically affected the team’s time of possession. Poppleton, a Syracuse native and 2013 graduate of John Hopkins, has done well in the early going of the season for Florida, going 20-36 on face-offs and can give Rochester the needed boost in that position. In addition, Rice has been tremendous in his senior year at Syracuse, with a team leading 68 points (29g, 38a) for the 11-2 Orange and being named the 2015 ACC Offensive Player of the Year.
Thompson (University of Albany) was the Co-Recipient (with brother Lyle) of the 2014 Tewaaraton Award as College Lacrosse’s best player, and came to the Flower City as the 20th overall pick in the 2014 Collegiate Draft. Miles joined his cousin Ty on the Rattlers. Thompson finished a successful rookie season with Rochester, posting 19 points (12g, 7a) in 9 games.
Florida has begun the 2015 season in a slump, going 0-3 after 3 games, most recently dropping a tight contest to Rochester on Sunday, May 3rd in overtime 10-9. This trade will allow both teams to bring in talent in needed areas, along with looking down the road this year and into next.
Rattlers Head Coach Tim Soudan was asked about the trade. He stated “Today is a bitter sweet day for the Rochester Rattlers, as Miles is such a great talent and a quality human being that we hate to lose him. However we addressed a very important need at the faceoff position and obtained the rights to the ACC Offensive Player of the Year in Kevin Rice from SU”.
The Rattlers take the field again at home in Brockport at Shriver Stadium (College at Brockport) this coming Sunday, May 10th at 1 pm. Tickets for the “Mother’s Day Celebration” are on sale now and can be purchased by logging ontowww.rochesterrattlers.com or by calling 340-6905. Rochester faces the visiting Denver Outlaws in their first meeting since last August when the Outlaws beat the Rattlers by 1 goal to win the MLL Championship.
