A three-game losing streak and an injured Petey LaSalla meant the Whipsnakes were in a tough spot heading into the playoffs, but what happened next was straight out of a movie script. Nathan Kapp, a guy who wasn’t even focused on playing in the PLL this year, got a text from coach Jim Stagnitta. Just like that, he was asked to join the Maryland Whipsnakes in Philadelphia that very week!
From Wall Ball to Playoff Scrapper
Kapp didn’t waste a second. He immediately hit up faceoff specialists he knew in Ontario, scrambling for help to get back into game shape. Becker Lippert, Koichi Nakamura, and Max Nieman all answered the call instantly. Kapp said they “just kind of scrambled to find a little grass patch with a line on it, and took as many reps as we could leading up, and they were all extremely helpful.” He didn’t even have to ask twice! Talk about dedication, especially for a guy who’d mostly been keeping fit with conditioning workouts, gym lifts, and playing wall ball at an elementary school in Brampton.
This isn’t Kapp’s first time being the underdog. An unranked recruit from Middleton, Wisconsin, he spent his freshman and sophomore years at Jacksonville University working on counters and turning faceoffs into ground-ball battles because he didn’t have the fastest hands. He eventually perfected his clamp, winning 55% of his attempts over five years and a solid 58% in 2024, earning him a first-team All-Atlantic Sun selection. His pro experience before this? Just seven appearances for the Rochester Knighthawks in the NLL, where he won 58% of his faceoffs. He even went to the Utah Archers’ training camp in May but wasn’t signed.
Kapp made his Whipsnakes debut going 13-for-23 against Alec Stathakis, even though the Whips fell 11-9. It was an encouraging start considering the circumstances!
The McMeekin Monster and The Ground Ball Mandate
Now, the stakes are cranked up to 11. Kapp’s next challenge is staring down rookie sensation Andrew McMeekin from the Boston Cannons. This dude went 20-for-28 against Maryland just a few weeks ago, spearheading a massive comeback. Keeping McMeekin in check in the quarterfinals is going to be incredibly tough, but it’s absolutely critical for the Whipsnakes if they want to secure their first playoff win since 2024.
Stagnitta knows what Kapp brings to the table. “Nathan’s a scrapper,” he said. “He’s a guy who’s not necessarily a clamper, like Petey, but he’s a guy that mixes it up. We need ground balls, and we need to be able to have an opportunity to fight and pick up ground balls.” Kapp sees it the same way, believing the faceoff is “not a one-on-one; it’s more of a three-on-three.” He knows at this level everyone’s skilled, so his job is to make it a fight and give his wings a chance. The Whipsnakes already clinched the playoffs when they signed Kapp, but now it’s all about making that fight count in the quarterfinals.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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