Editors Note: We take a three-part look at the MCLA DII No. 1 ranked Davenport Men's Lax team headed into their first game of the season on Saturday against MCLA DI No. 6 Michigan State.  Today's feature is on the midfield unit, while Friday we will cover the defense and goalies.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Davenport University men's lacrosse opens their season on Saturday afternoon in Pontiac, Mich. and this week we take a closer look at the team by breaking them down by position. Today's focus is on the midfield unit.  DU has a steady core of returners and some rookies that will make an immediate impact in 2012.  They will be looked at to provide an offensive punch and shut down the opposition's best offensive weapons.

Davenport University will lose some of the key parts to its mid-field that has helped the Panthers become one of the premier teams in the MCLA DII.  Losing the likes of Oliver Wade, Sam Carlson, Grant Hamilton and Jordy Sayers will be tough to overcome but head coach Bob Clarkson feels confident that this group will be a steady force in 2012.

On the defensive side of the mid-field, the Panthers are led by Nathaniel Adkins and Kyle Anguilm.  Together the tandem helped shut down the oppositions best offensive players especially at the MCLA DII National Tournament.  Adkins is “very quick and tough” according to Clarkson. “He is a great short stick defender but is still learning the game and what it means to play team defense. He is capable of locking down the other team's best offensive weapon.  Anguilm, who earned 2^nd Team MCLA All-American honors last season, is “a solid defender who makes very few mistakes, added Clarkson.  He has earned a reputation for being a very smart defender.”

Also looking to contribute to the defensive side of the midfield are freshman James DeJaeger (Rochester, Mich.) and Jordan Walbecq (Harrison Twp., Mich.). According to Clarkson, “both are very coachable and quick for their size.”

Taking face-off duties for the Panthers this season will be the tandem of Chuey Mares and Bobby Collar who are both playing their final season in a DU uniform. Collar, who will play his first full season with the lacrosse team after being a standout on the ACHA D1 hockey team over the past five seasons, “will be our lead face-off guy and is a tenacious ground ball guy.” Clarkson commented that Mares is “a hard worker and will see his time this season.”

On the offensive side of the midfield, Davenport will use a rotation of about 10 or so guys of which all but three are returners.  The only newcomers to the group are freshmen Parker Horvath (Verona, Wis.) and Daniel Hume (Springboro, Ohio) as well as sophomore Chad Schoch (Ann Arbor, Mich.).  The attacking midfield group of Cody Cross, Quintin St. Clair, Taylor Keyworth, Kyle Stelter, Jack Turcotte, Steve Chiapelli and Chapin White will all look to provide an offensive punch as the group combined for 72 goals last season.

The midfielders who will use the long stick for the defensive situations and ground ball scenarios will be Adam Bowers and Tyler Bitterman.  “Adam is a three-time MCLA All-American who can shut down opposing middies, said Clarkson. He is big, strong and runs like a deer.”  Bitterman, who is a freshman from Lowell, Mich. “still is learning the positions after playing attack in high school.  His is a big, solid kid who has great stick skills, added Clarkson.”