Cama's faceoffs could be key for Post against Le Moyne

When C.W. Post's lacrosse team faces off against Le Moyne this afternoon for the NCAA Division II title in Baltimore, the most electrifying player for Post likely will be the one who spends the least amount of time on the field.

Lights, action, Cama! As in Mike Cama, the nation's top faceoff specialist. He is the spark to Post's offense, though he is rarely on the field when a goal is scored.

"Without Mike we wouldn't have the success we've had,'' Post coach John Jez said of the senior All-American midfielder, who leads the division with a faceoff percentage of .713. "He's a big reason for us being in the national championship. We consider Mike the MVP of the team.''

The faceoff starts with the referee placing the ball at midfield and the opposing midfielders, or faceoff men, jockey for possession. After one succeeds in scooping up the ball or directing it to a teammate, both participants in the faceoff head to the sidelines.

"He's the best I ever faced,'' Dowling midfielder Louis Riley said of Cama. The two battled in the national quarterfinal, which was won by Post. "He's really mastered the speed. As soon as he goes down the whistle just follows.''

The faceoff is a much more intricate maneuver than the jump ball in basketball or the faceoff in hockey. "People go to camps just to learn faceoffs,'' Jez said.

Cama likens his position to that of wrestler. There are many tight clenches as each player tries to get the ball. It can take a second or a half a minute. "Each one is like a wrestling match,'' Cama said. "It's real tiring, real quick. You are using all of your energy in that one [sequence]. People that know me, know that it is the perfect position for me. I'm a quick jolt kind of guy.''

Sometimes, Cama makes it look easy, using his quickness to immediately come up with the ball against a less skilled opponent. "We do take it for granted when he is able to dominate somebody,'' Jez said. "We never take it for granted when he gets us those extra possessions.''

Jez thinks Cama holds the key to beating Le Moyne. "We are hoping our defense holds them to eight or nine goals,'' the coach said. "Then, a big key component for us to score is to have Mike get the faceoffs. We need Mike to be around 60 to 65 percent.''

Cama is ready. "I know I have to do my job,'' he said. "If everyone else does their job we should be good to go.''

By the way, Cama's uncle is famed rock guitarist Eddie Money, whose hits include "Two Tickets to Paradise.''

Might ring true as Post goes for its second straight title.