June 5, 2025
By Daniel Cohen
Spotlight is largely on the East Division this week, with five teams in the thick of the playoff race and all six taking the field in the next two days. At the midway point of the season, we’ve got players hitting their strides on both offense and defense, franchise staples looking to will their teams to the postseason, and more primetime performances on the horizon.
Quentin Bonnaud, Montreal Royal
After wins over NY and DC—Boston is the only other team that’s beaten both New York and DC in the same season since 2019—it’s probably time we start talking more about Montreal. This team is right back in the mix of the playoff race after an 0-3 start, and 2019 All-Star Quentin Bonnaud is a huge reason why. Tied for fourth in the league with 23 goals this year, Bonnaud has scored at least four goals in every game and he’s totaled 300-plus receiving yards in each of his last four. Fully healthy this year, he’s returned to the form that saw him average a single-season record 6.9 goals per game in 2019; he has some of the best cut timing in the league, he can win consistently in the air, and he’s a force in the red zone. The Royal have a big home-away double header this weekend against Philly on Friday and Toronto on Saturday, and if Bonnaud and the offense can stay hot, they could emerge this week in second place in the East.
Aidan Downey, DC Breeze
With the college season over, 2024 Callahan Award winner Aidan Downey is set to make his DC Breeze debut this Friday night against New York. Downey brings a hybrid skillset to a versatile Breeze lineup, and he’s able to contribute on both sides of the disc; in two seasons with Atlanta, Downey played about a 40-60 split with O- and D-points, and he averaged 1.9 assists, 1.4 goals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 2024 (seven games). DC kind of needs help everywhere, as their efficiency numbers are down on both offense and defense, so it’ll be interesting to see where Downey slots in this week; DC will be without multiple key defenders (David Bloodgood, Moussa Dia, Alexandre Fall, and Charlie McCutcheon) as well as Christian Boxley. Every game is starting to feel like a must-win in the East. Can Downey be the catalyst to get this Breeze squad back on track?
Kyle Henke, Austin Sol
Kyle Henke leads his team into SoCal this weekend in a critical double header road trip to LA and San Diego. The only player on the Sol with over 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 throwing yards through four games, Henke has evolved his game to become the main engine of the Sol’s attack as both a primary thrower and playmaking hybrid. He’s averaging a career-high 32 completions per game, and while his shot selection still has room to improve, the evolution of his deep throws have opened up the Sol offense and filled a much-needed gap following the departures of Jake Radack, Mark Evans, and Duncan Fitzgerald this offseason. This is a top 10 O-line in the league, and they’re going to get tested this weekend facing a San Diego defense on the second day of a back-to-back; on a per-game basis, the Growlers rank fifth in the league in blocks and are allowing just 18.4 scores, compared to Austin’s league-leading 24.5 scores.
Tannor Johnson-Go, Boston Glory
Tannor Johnson-Go has found his fit on the Boston Glory D-line in 2025. He leads the team in blocks through four games with seven, and he has more total yards this year than Jeff Babbitt despite playing 85 percent of his points on defense. He’s had multiple point blocks this season, using his length to create transition opportunities for the counterattack, of which he’s been a big part; Johnson-Go averages 14.5 completions per game, and his 13 scores are tied for fourth most on the team. He’s also been thriving as Boston’s primary puller, frequently setting this top five defense up for success by pinning opposing offenses in their own end zone. Up against a surprisingly efficient Philly offense this week, Johnson-Go may draw the Scott Heyman matchup and look to limit their most dangerous downfield weapon.
Allan Laviolette, Carolina Flyers
The hottest thrower in the league right now, Allan Laviolette has looked largely unstoppable this season. He can put the disc wherever it needs to go from seemingly anywhere on the field, whether it’s a pinpoint hammer, crossfield flick, backhand huck, whatever, and he’s dishing out assists like no one else, averaging 6.0 per game. He’s leading the league in scores with 47 and completing nearly 95 percent of his throws, which would be his highest single-season completion rate since 2018. Saturday’s a huge opportunity for the Flyers to take a game back from Atlanta and extend their winning streak to three after an 0-4 start, and their success is going to hinge on another strong performance from Laviolette. If—and yes, it’s a big if—the Flyers can successfully revitalize their season and reestablish themselves as a championship contender, we could easily be talking about Laviolette as the MVP frontrunner come August.
Lukas McClamrock, Atlanta Hustle
The new league leader in blocks with 12 in eight games, Lukas McClamrock has been a tone-setter for this Atlanta defense in recent weeks. Over his last five games, he’s recorded multiple blocks in four of them, including catching a Callahan against San Diego, and he’s showcased an underrated quarterbacking ability on the counterattack; he set a new career high with three assists against Chicago last week, with season highs in completions (18) and throwing yards (124). The 2024 First Team All-Defense selection tallied three blocks against the Flyers in their most recent meeting in Week 4, and the Hustle will likely need another big game from him to take the season series over their rivals; of their top seven players in D-points played, the Hustle will be without four of them this Saturday, so it’s McClamrock’s time to shine in another Game of the Week.
John Randolph, New York Empire (Pictured)
Though he still crosses over regularly to defense, John Randolph seems to have solidified a role on the Empire O-line, having played more O-points than D-points in each of the last three games. In that span, Randolph has racked up 22 scores, most on the team, and has become a clear focal point alongside Calvin Brown and Ben Jagt; each member of this Empire “Big 3” ranks top 20 in the league in total scores. Randolph’s tenacity in the red zone has helped New York to the number one red zone conversion rate in the league (88.3 percent, would be a league record if it holds throughout the season), and he’s relentless as both a throw-and-go handler and deep receiver between the 20s. He truly has a non-stop motor—he has two games this season with 30-plus points played—and the Empire are going to need another big game from him, as they look for their first win over DC since the 2023 East Division Championship Game.
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