by: Justin Deutsch

Ryan Curtis remembers well the Cannons 15-14 victory over the New Jersey Pride on May 31 in the 2003 season opener for both teams. Who wouldn't?

Boston trailed 14-11 with 1:30 remaining in the game, before scoring three goals in 39 seconds to tie it and send the game into overtime. In the overtime period, David Evans netted the game-winner to give the Cannons a thrilling victory.

Most of the talk after the game was about the Cannons last minute offensive explosion. Perhaps more of the talk should have been about the job of the Cannons defense that shut down the Pride over the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter, and more specifically the work that Curtis did in holding Pride star attackman Jesse Hubbard in check.

"It just felt good to win," Curtis recalled, thinking back to the game in which he held Hubbard to only four points. "I want to physically dominate someone to the point that they are completely taken off their game and forget that they are part of a team. If that happens, it benefits what we are trying to do as a team."

More times than not this season, Curtis has achieved this goal. His defensive performance against Hubbard is an example. In his first four games against Boston leading up to the 2003 season opener, Hubbard had torched the Cannons for 28 points (1 two-point goal, 26 goals, 1 assist). That's an average of 7 points per game, but Curtis was much more effective in the season opener. Later in the season on June 27, Hubbard was held to five points.

At 5'9, and 197 pounds, Curtis might not remind you of a prototypical lacrosse defenseman. He lacks the size of a Jamie Hanford or a Rob Doerr, but Curtis does not allow this to be a burden. Instead, he plays like he is bigger.

"He has a great stick, is a hard nosed competitor, and is tough as nails," said Cannons general manager David Gross. "He has a burning desire to always walk off the field as a winner."

The intangibles and desire to win that have been noticeable throughout Curtis' career with the Cannons were also very present during his college playing days at the University of Virginia. As a Cavalier, Curtis was a two-time first team All-American, receiving the honor in both 1999 and 2000. His best season was 1999, when he was a key part of Virginia's national championship team, and was named National Defensive Player of Year. He led Virginia's defensemen with 42 groundballs in the championship season, and in the national championship game, he limited Syracuse's Ryan Powell to two goals.

"He came in with a high reputation as a franchise player and had a decent year in 2001," said Cannons general manager David Gross about Curtis, who was one of the original Cannons, assigned to the team on January 12, 2001.

In his first MLL season, Curtis started all fourteen games and recorded 24 groundballs. He showed glimpses of his star ability, and was one of the Cannons' steadiest defensemen all season long. Yet, he did not usually defend the opposing teams best player.

Things have since changed.

"The last two seasons, he has committed himself to the league and being a star defensive player in this league," Gross said. "A lot of guys after year one figured out what it was going to take to excel in this league, and Curtis is a prime example of that."

Curtis figured it out, and the Cannons have been flying ever since. This season, the Potomac, MD native has been the anchor of a defense that has allowed only 14.6 goals per contest. That is better than the 15.2 goals per game Boston allowed last season, and a full goal per game better than the 15.6 goals per game they allowed in 2001. Curtis, along with fellow defensemen Brian Kuczma, Chris Sullivan and Michael Peyser, rookie goalie Chris Garrity, and strong defensive midfield play have led the Cannons formidable defense.

"The strength of our team defense is that everyone is a smart player," Curtis said. “They all know how to play the game, both individually and team defense."

Boston's team success on defense has been consistent with Curtis's individual improvement. He has shown significant improvement since his first season in the league. In 2002, he was an MLL All-Star for the first time, and had 31 groundballs. He also earned the Cannons Defensive Player of the Year award.

This season, Curtis has continued to get better. He was named an MLL All-Star for the third straight season, and has been selected as Cannons Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Through eleven games this season, he leads Cannons defensemen and is second on the team overall, with 39 groundballs. He has a team-leading 13 penalties, and also has added a goal, and a critical goal at that. Against Baltimore on June 14, Curtis scored on an end-to-end rush with less than two minutes remaining in the game to close the Baltimore lead to one goal. The Cannons tied the game before falling in overtime.

"I think every year if you don't improve some, it's time to hang it up," Curtis said. “My biggest improvement is that I have started playing people into my strengths as opposed to reacting to their strengths."

Now in the league for nearly three full seasons, Curtis has become a great overall defenseman.

"Ryan shines game in and game out," Gross said. "He is so consistent in what he brings."

Curtis has had many opportunities to compete against the top attackmen in the league. These games have allowed Curtis to become more familiar with the players he defends and learn their tendencies, which helps him on the playing field.

"It makes a huge difference when you get the chance to cover people over and over again," Curtis said. "Everyone plays different, so you have to cover everyone differently."

He now knows the best players inside and out.

"Millon has great quickness," Curtis said. “Casey [Powell] reacts very well to how you play him; he adapts and has great vision. Jesse [Hubbard] plays very hard and has a great shot. Kevin [Lowe] is a great feeder and is good at keeping you off his hands."

As far as preparation goes, there are not many better than Curtis. "Mentally, I just walk through different scenarios that might come up during a game," he said. "I try to visualize footwork and what a guy might try to do. Other than that, it's mostly just reactionary."

By knowing his competition, Curtis has been able to have some great games this season. On June 14 when the Cannons met the Baltimore Bayhawks, Curtis held Bayhawks attackman Mark Millon to a season-low three points (three goals). In that same game, with the Cannons up by one goal in the waning seconds and the Bayhawks on the power-play, Curtis picked a pass by John Blatchley out of mid-air, allowing the Cannons to hold on for the 11-10 victory. It was Boston's first ever win over Baltimore.

"It is vital," Gross said of having a guy who can shut down the opposing team's best player. "You have to have a guy who you know will be a glove."

The Cannons have their man, which makes their 2003 championship hopes that much more possible.

"He is not just the best defenseman on the Cannons," said Gross. "He is the best in the league."