Photo by Rob Gilmor
JUNE 11, 2026
By Will Stuntz
The DC Breeze (6-2) and Boston Glory (6-1) will duke it out again as they did in Week 1 when Boston defeated DC 21-16. This time, however, there’s much more at stake, as the results of this matchup could have a serious impact on the playoff standings with the postseason approaching.
Boston will be traveling to DC on the tail of a back-to-back weekend, in which they will face off against the New York Empire (6-1) the night before. If Boston loses both games this weekend, the Breeze will move firmly into second place. If Boston wins in New York and loses to DC by a six-goal margin, DC will also move into second place, which will give them a chance to host a first-round playoff game.
On top of having to play their two biggest threats in the division, Glory have some notable absences on their roster this weekend. Boston will be missing former Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) MVP Jeff Babbit, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tannor Johnson-Go, as well as other major contributors like Benjamin Sadok, Nathaniel Dick, Tyler Chan, and Turner Allen. Most of the injured/unavailable crew played major roles in Boston's Week 1 victory over DC.
With that much firepower on the sideline, Boston will need remarkable performances from its reigning MVP Tobe Decraene, former Breeze MVP Rowan McDonnell, and the defensive rookie standout Lander Decraene. The Decraene duo has been outstanding, with the eldest, Lander, ranking fifth in the UFA in blocks in his debut season. The younger but more tenured professional player, Tobe, ranks third in the league in assists, fifth in goals, and is also high in other statistical categories. Tobe was special in the Week 1 bout, but he’s yet to post the same statistical output again in 2026. He posted eight assists and five goals to go along with 734 yards, while his brother chalked up five blocks, a number he’s yet to surpass so far. After suiting up for Glory’s D-line last time around with DC, McDonnell has primarily switched over to the O-line, where he’s picked up eight scores since Week 1.
The only missing pieces this week from DC’s regular top 20 are AJ Merriman, Brandon Lamberty, and Wiebe van den Brink. Merriman is still dealing with a leg injury he sustained in the Breeze’s matchup with Toronto, but the Breeze have been able to get the job done without the hybrid star, most notably in their statement win last week over the Carolina Flyers. Lamberty has been a quality handler on the Breeze’s D-line, and he’s played the sixth-most points with the Breeze D unit this year. Van den Brink is competing with his Dutch club team GRUT, at the iconic Windmill tournament in Europe.
Since Merriman’s absence began, the Breeze have seen an explosion from their young stars to make up for the loss. Players like Miles Grovic, Isaac Lee, Joshua Lightner, Micah Wagner, and Couper Kerns, among others, have made big steps in their contributions in recent weeks, and the Breeze will need this young core to step up in a big way if they want to dethrone the reigning UFA champions. Since Merriman first popped up on the injury report two weeks ago, Grovic has put up 15 scores in two games, and Lee set a career-high in assists as the primary D-line handler.
Although Boston already played against Grovic, Lightner, Coby Loveranes, and Tanner Gesell, they haven’t played against them on the level that they’ve been playing on recently, and they still haven’t had a chance to play against Wagner, Kerns, Raymond Lu, and Gabe Dowd. The Breeze have a different identity than they did in Week 1, and coming off a game against New York, Boston will have to be ready to run with the Breeze’s young stars. But the Breeze aren’t just driven by that young core, as veterans like Sean Mott, Christian Boxley, and Jacques Nissen will all be active, as well, and looking to even the score with Boston in 2026.
Catch the second matchup between Boston and DC this Saturday at Carlini Field. Tickets available at thedcbreeze.com and streaming live at watchUFA.tv. First pull takes off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
