Haudenosaunee Find Healing, Purpose in Atlas Cup Tribute to Noah Snyder

SPARKS, Md. — Zed Williams and Noah Snyder had barely made it out of the terminal at Toronto Pearson International Airport when the subject arose of Snyder’s future with the Haudenosaunee Nationals lacrosse program.

Still smarting from a loss to Australia in the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship bronze medal game, Snyder spent much of the flight home from South Korea plotting his path forward.

The slick-sticked attackman scored one of the most memorable goals of the tournament, an around-the-world shot against the United States that set social media ablaze. “Grew up with good hands, I guess,” he said afterward, unimpressed with himself.

Snyder couldn’t help but think of the team’s setbacks, including an 0-3 showing in pool play and a 13-7 defeat in the final.

“It was always his dream to play for the Haudenosaunee national team, and he finally accomplished that,” said Williams, an accomplished professional lacrosse player and Snyder’s stepfather. “He wanted certain things to be more serious, to be more dedicated across the whole organization.”

Shortly after Snyder returned to campus for his sophomore year at Marquette, he got the call from Haudenosaunee sixes coach Roger Chrysler inviting him to train with the team in Baltimore and compete in the Atlas Cup.

“This was his dream,” Williams said.

Snyder, 20, died Sept. 5 in a car crash that also claimed the life of teammate Scott Michaud, 19, and injured three other Marquette players. The driver of the other vehicle, 41-year-old Amandria Brunner, has been charged with two counts of homicide for being intoxicated at the time of the accident.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals requested that he remain listed on their official roster for the Atlas Cup. They wore purple warmup shirts with his initials and jersey number (43) affixed to yellow wings.

“He’s making his journey across to the other side,” Chrysler said. “So they say, angel wings and have a blessed journey.”

Williams, who is serving as an assistant coach with the Haudenosaunee sixes team, could not help but feel like Snyder made a stop Friday at Tierney Field. USA Lacrosse held a moment of silence during opening ceremonies.

“I can feel him over me. I can feel him in every situation,” said Williams, who until last week did not know if he could summon the strength to come to the Atlas Cup. His wife and Snyder’s mother, Amanda, encouraged him to do so. “I needed to come here. These younger kids on the team, they were his friends. I need them as much as they need me.”

Snyder was a star on the rise. He played in 13 games as a freshman at Marquette, finishing with nine goals and seven assists. He scored eight goals in six games at the U20 championship.

He had an unwavering passion for the game, which included stringing Williams’ sticks.

“This means a lot more to me than what it usually does. It’s my medicine game,” said Tayoni Galante, Snyder’s cousin and U20 teammate. “It’s just a very instrumental loss for us. We want to play for him and honor him.”

Chrysler is also mourning the loss of Haudenosaunee lacrosse fixture Mark “Red” Burnham. They were teammates on the first Native American lacrosse team to compete internationally in 1983 and won the Presidents Cup (Senior B box) championship together in 1994.

Burnham died of cancer Sept. 10, one day after individuals and teams across the country played “Wall Ball for Redman” and a traditional medicine game was played in his honor.

“That’s what we’re all carrying with us,” Chrysler said. “With this group of young guys, they get an aspect of what life is. They’re blessed to be playing and having Haudenosaunee across their chest.”

The Haudenosaunee team competing at the Atlas Cup includes some experienced players like Kyle Jackson, Ron John and Jake Piseno. But the roster skews young. Several players come from the Six Nations Arrows, the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League team for which Snyder contributed 62 points in 23 games over the summer.

They led Canada 10-9 at halftime but ran out of steam in a 24-16 loss to the reigning World Games champion in the sixes discipline. It was an encouraging performance.

“What does it take to get this team to move forward, not backward? It starts with the dedication and love of the little things, like being together as a team,” Williams said. “We want to be totally bought in as a team and as an organization. That’s what Noah wanted, so I’m here for that.”

D-Middies Flash O for USA

The United States has won more world championships (36) than any country in lacrosse.

The World Games 2022, however, served as a rude awakening. Both U.S. teams — men and women — fell to Canada in the gold medal games in Birmingham, Ala.

With its adjacency to box, the sixes discipline favors the Canadians.

The U.S. women exacted their revenge in The World Games 2025 this summer in Chengdu, China, with a team of offensive superstars that are also competing in the Atlas Cup.

The U.S. men, meanwhile, are still experimenting with roster construction. Of the 24 players who reported for training camp this week, 12 are dressing for the Atlas Cup and 12 will travel to Ontario in two weeks for the World Lacrosse Super Sixes tournament.

The Atlas Cup roster features three players — Zach Geddes, Beau Pederson and Ryan Terefenko — who are defensive midfielders in the Premier Lacrosse League.

The Super Sixes roster, meanwhile, does not have a single defensive player but is loaded with offensive talent. Among the U.S. contingent headed north are the last three Tewaaraton Award winners in CJ Kirst, Pat Kavanagh and Brennan O’Neill.

For their part, the d-middies showed out Friday.

Geddes and Terefenko scored three goals apiece and both wowed the capacity crowd with behind-the-back finishes in a 23-13 victory over Puerto Rico.

“We’re all still learning about what the best strategy is,” Terefenko said. “In sixes, you’ve got to find ways to get some stops, right? The more stops you can get, the less pressure it is to score on every single possession. I think we did a good job of that tonight.”

Geddes was a late addition to the Atlas Cup roster as an injury replacement. After several overnight travel delays, he flew into Baltimore at 5 a.m. Friday.

“This is my first time playing sixes,” he said. “It’s a fun game. We’re learning a lot out there.”

As for his highlight-reel BTB, Geddes added, “I can’t even think of the last time I did that, probably back in high school.”

The main event for the U.S. men awaits. They’ll play Canada at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.

THREE STARS

Ty English, Canada: The recent North Carolina graduate and No. 2 overall pick in the National Lacrosse League draft scored seven goals, adding two assists and three ground balls in a 24-16 win over the Haudenosaunee Nationals.

Jake Piseno, Haudenosaunee: It turns out the PLL LSM of the Year is just as dynamic and disruptive with a short stick in his hands. Piseno tied for the team lead with three goals, adding an assist and a pair of ground balls in the 24-16 loss to Canada.

Ryan Terefenko, United States: In addition to his hat trick, Terefenko had two assists and led USA with three ground balls in a 23-13 win over Puerto Rico. He also took all four faceoffs, finishing 3-for-4.

SCHEDULE/SCORES

Friday, Sept. 26

Women: Canada 22, Puerto Rico 8  
Box Score | Replay

Men: Canada 24, Haudenosaunee 16  
Box Score | Replay

Men: United States 23, Puerto Rico 13 
Box Score | Replay

Women: United States 18, Haudenosunee 5 
Box Score | Replay

Saturday, Sept. 27

Men: Haudenosunee vs. Puerto Rico 
4 p.m. EDT | Watch

Women: Canada vs. Haudenosaunee 
5:30 p.m. EDT | Watch

Women: Puerto Rico vs. United States 
7 p.m. EDT | Watch

Men: Canada vs. United States  
8:30 p.m. EDT | Watch

Sunday, Sept. 28

Women: Haudenosaunee vs. Puerto Rico  
9 a.m. EDT | Watch

Women: Canada vs. United States 
10:30 a.m. EDT | Watch

Men: Canada vs. Puerto Rico 
12 p.m. EDT | Watch

Men: Haudenosaunee vs. United State 
1:30 p.m. EDT | Watch