(Rochester, July 27)… Rochester Knighthawks John Grant Jr., Shawn Williams and Mac Allen will have little time to rest after spending two weeks in Manchester, England, playing in the 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships. The Knighthawks, along with 14 of their teammates, are arriving just in time as the Toronto Nationals are fighting to stay alive in the Major League Lacrosse playoff race.

“It is do-or-die for us. Some of us have a chance to win three-in-a-row. To not make the playoffs would be tough,” said Grant.

Toronto has dropped its last two games, which included an 18-10 setback Saturday to Boston. The Nationals had strung together three consecutive wins to get back in the playoff hunt after losing their first five games. At 3-7, Toronto currently sits one game behind the Chesapeake Bayhawks (4-6) and Chicago Machine (4-6) for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Nationals end the season with two games against the third-place Long Island Lizards (5-5). The first contest is on Saturday, July 31st at Shuart Stadium.

Despite playing in England for almost 14 days, the Nationals will be ready to battle the Lizards. The game is the second meeting between the two teams. The Nats defeated Long Island back on June 19th to garner their first victory of the season.

The team that Toronto sends to field will have its normal full complement of players. Team Canada stars  Grant, Williams, Allen, Geoff Snider, Matt Vinc, Brodie Merrill, Garrett Billings, Kevin Huntley, Corey Small, Dan Dawson, Jordan Hall, Mark Steehuis, Jon Sullivan,  Billy Dee Smith, Ryan McClelland and Phil Sanderson have returned from the World Games. Head Coach Dave Huntley will also be back on the sidelines after leading the Canadians to a silver medal finish.
Canada failed in its bid to repeat as world champions last Saturday, falling to the United States, 12-10.

"It was great to be a part of a national team, it's a pretty unique experience to be a part of a team comprising of the best players in your sport," said Allen. "To put aside all differences, all the bad feelings you've built up over years of playing against each other, and turning into one united group, a family.

"All that being said, I still feel we underachieved. We worked so hard to battle back to a tie game going into the final quarter of the championship, and to let it slip away in the final 20 minutes still hurts, might take some time to get over," he added.

This weekend, the Nationals will have little time to ponder what might have been as they take on the Lizards.

“We have all been together the whole time we were over there,” said Grant about the team chemistry. “We just need to get the guys focused and get back at it. We need to battle for the championship we are playing for right now with Toronto.”