Kessenich

Cornell's Rob Pannell was the 2011 National Player of the Year, scoring more than five points per game. This season was supposed to be his coronation as he led Cornell to its first NCAA title since 1977. But a broken foot suffered March 3 has put the attackman's season on hold and his future in question. "You ask yourself, 'Why me?' You put in hard work for three years - it was supposed to be my time to share with teammates and classmates," he told me Tuesday. Coming into this season, Pannell and Virginia attackman Steele Stanwick (Loyola)

ESPN analyst Quint Kessenich was in the network's studio in Charlotte, N.C., where he helped provide coverage of the 16-team field in the NCAA tournament Sunday night. In the second part of a Q&A, the former Johns Hopkins All-American goalkeeper, who can be followed on Twitter via @QKessenich, shared his thoughts on the value of being the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the tournament, the most intriguing first-round contest, and one seeded team that may have the easiest path to the Final Four.

Quint Kessenich equates the move to a college football power leaving the SEC. "I don't see any positive for the lacrosse program," the ESPN analyst says of the University of Maryland's jump to the Big Ten Conference. "You're talking about the potential of severing rivalries with North Carolina, Duke, Virginia. " In leaving the ACC for the Big Ten, Maryland's football and basketball teams will trade one set of big-time opponents for another. But the picture is murkier in lacrosse, perhaps the university's third signature sport.

Zone defense is the flavor of the month. What was once thought to be a "less macho" approach is being used by Top 20 teams. Teams who have historically utilized man-to-man schemes have showcased zone defense this spring. North Carolina shut down Maryland for three quarters with a zone defense and won. Expect Johns Hopkins to copy the Tar Heels' strategy and give the Terps a dosage of zone. Georgetown nearly upset Syracuse with a zone. Princeton, Hopkins, Syracuse and even Virginia are playing zone defense in 2011.

The Chesapeake-Toyota Lacrosse Club will take on the Brine LC in today's U.S. Club Lacrosse Association semifinal at 3: 30 p.m. at Cabrini College near Philadelphia.Team Toyota (18-1) made it to this weekend's Final Four by downing MAB-Philadelphia LC, 20-16, last Sunday at Loyola College.The South Division champs, led by midfielders Gary and Paul Gait, defender Steve Kisslinger, attackman Sean Radebaugh and goalie Quint Kessenich, are making their first semifinal appearance.If Chesapeake can get past Brine, which is paced by attackers Tom Carmean and Scott Hiller, it will face the winner of Long Island LC and Rochester LC in tomorrow's 3: 30 p.m. championship game.

The Baltimore County Revenue Authority is likely to delay a vote on extending a deal with the prospective builders of the Towson Circle III project after an independent analyst raised questions about the terms, officials said. Authority Chairman Donald P. Hutchinson said the "new information" could jeopardize current plans to build the $75 million complex, which is to include a movie theater, stores, restaurants and offices along Joppa Road across from Towson Town Center. Financial analyst Peter G. Kessenich has told the authority that several factors could make it difficult to sell the bonds and cover the debt service on its $12 million contribution to building the underground parking garage that the developers say is needed for the project.

The Greater Baltimore Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse will induct 10 new members into its 2011 Hall of Fame class. Joe Breschi, Tony Seaman, Quint Kessenich, Butch Marino, Michael Watson, Krystin Porcella, Michelle Meyer Dwan, Stephanie Roberts Radebaugh, Gina Roberts Ubriaco and Anne Ensor will be inducted at a banquet on Jan. 22, 2011, at Grand Mason Lodge in Hunt Valley. Breschi, a 1986 graduate of Loyola Blakefield, was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary Men's Lacrosse Team for his career at the University of North Carolina and was a member of the 1994 and 1998 U.S. National Teams that played in the World Lacrosse Games.

Skip Lichtfuss beamed.The Mount Washington coach had just watched his team defeat Victoria Royal Waxmen, 19-17, to win the 1991 Brodgen Cup yesterday at Norris Field. But that was just part of the story."Nobody thought it could be done," Lichtfuss said. "With both the Gaits playing and us missing our two top defenders, I'm not even sure our players thought they could do it. But we showed why we are the best lacrosse club in the country."Lichtfuss was referring to Paul and Gary Gait, the star members of the Canadian team.

The way Mount Hebron coach Chris Robinson saw it, visiting Bryn Mawr played a zone defense in yesterday's game. It was a logical conclusion given the way the Mawrtians brought all their players back on defense.But Bryn Mawr coach Anne Townsend-Kessenich said it never happened."We weren't playing a zone. We don't even know how to play zone," said Townsend-Kessenich.Zone or no zone, it didn't matter. The No. 9 Vikings got three goals from Kelly Dodson and two each from Rachael Karfonta, Chrissy Lombard and Kyle Rutkowski and defeated the Mawrtians, 14-9.

NCAA men's final ESPN and Channel 2 analyst Quint Kessenich breaks down today's NCAA Division I championship game at Rutgers Stadium. Kessenich was a freshman goalie for Johns Hopkins in 1987, when the Blue Jays last won the NCAA title. No. 2 Syracuse (14-2) vs. No. 4 Princeton (10-4) Time: 11:30 a.m. Coaches: Princeton's Bill Tierney is 6-1 in title games and Syracuse's John Desko is 1-2. When Syracuse has the ball: The marquee matchup will be Damien Davis vs. Michael Powell (38 goals, 39 assists)