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Finn Thomson’s injury against Utah on March 1 came at the most inopportune time. Thomson was in the middle of the best stretch of his career after transitioning to a full-time attack. Following the position change from the midfield, he recorded multiple points in four of Syracuse’s first five games. He was also SU’s second-leading scorer with 14 goals, pouring in a career-high five against Harvard.

In Salt Lake City, Thomson was on his way to another strong outing, recording a goal and two assists in the first half. However, he didn’t appear in the second half.

Eight days later, Thomson remained sidelined for Syracuse’s win over then-No. 7 Johns Hopkins. SU head coach Gary Gait revealed postgame the junior would be “out for a while.” Gait didn’t give an exact timeline, but said he expects Thomson back in a couple of weeks.

During Thomson’s absence, sophomore attack Trey Deere has started alongside Joey Spallina and Owen Hiltz. So far, Deere’s had mixed results. He went scoreless on three shots in a win over Johns Hopkins before recording a career-high four goals in an 18-2 win over Manhattan. With Thomson still labeled as “day-to-day” by an SU spokesperson, Deere and others will have to keep producing as Syracuse heads into the teeth of its schedule.

Thomson’s production is tough to replace, especially for Deere. As a freshman, the lefty played sparingly, with his only start coming in a 13-7 win over Hobart when Owen Hiltz was injured. Deere scored two goals in that game before being sidelined for the rest of the season.

Deere’s minutes have increased this year, but he’s mainly played as a second-line midfielder, with Syracuse rarely rotating reserve attacks. Over the past two seasons, Hiltz and Spallina have been the mainstays of Syracuse’s attack. In 2023, Alex Simmons completed the starting line, while Christian Mulé took that role last year. Thomson joined the fold this season, returning to his natural position.

The transition was seamless. Hiltz is known as a pure goal scorer with 19 on the season, while Spallina is the orchestrator at X, dishing out 26 assists. Thomson isn’t nearly as ball-dominant and often tries to find spaces within opposing defenses.

“Finn’s an extremely smart lacrosse player,” SU offensive coordinator Pat March said. “He does a great job off the ball. He doesn’t have to have the ball in his stick to be an offensive threat. So he’s done a great job in those in-between situations for us.”

The timeline for Thomson’s return is still not concrete. Spallina said he hopes Thomson returns soon, although he’s confident in Deere’s ability to fill the void.

The connection between the duo isn’t a problem. Over the past two summers, Deere and Spallina have played box lacrosse for the Orangeville Northmen in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. In 2024, they combined for 361 points, helping the Orangemen to an OJLL title.

Spallina noted the main difference Deere presents is he’s a lefty. Otherwise, Deere shares similar tendencies, especially finding space on the crease, his most comfortable spot.

“I think we have pretty good chemistry, so it was a pretty easy transition from (Thomson) to (Deere),” Spallina said.

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Against Manhattan, Syracuse went the opening 16 minutes scoreless until Deere whipped a behind-the-back shot off a Spallina feed. Later in the second quarter, he was in the right place at the right time after Michael Leo’s initial effort was denied.

Three minutes later, with Spallina controlling the ball behind the cage, Deere popped open on the doorstep for another simple finish. Deere’s three second-quarter goals completed his first career hat trick.

“We have the mentality of just the next man up and I like to be a lacrosse player, and play anywhere as long as I’m on the field,” Deere said of replacing Thomson.

Deere’s career day was a positive sight for Syracuse, but bigger challenges remain. Five of the Orange’s final six games are against ranked opponents. Deere has 12 points (10 goals, two assists) this season, yet 11 have come against Jacksonville, Vermont, Utah and Manhattan. His only point against a team in the top 20 was when he scored in SU’s loss to No. 1 Maryland.

For Syracuse to extend its three-game winning streak, Deere’s production must become consistent. However, he doesn’t bear the sole responsibility of carrying the load.

If he struggles, the Orange already rely heavily on their midfield for goals, with Luke Rhoa totaling 14 and Leo adding 16. This reliance could grow as the season progresses.

Syracuse could also experiment by throwing Leo at attack. Recruited as an attacker and ranked No. 26 in the 2022 class, Leo shifted to midfield because of Syracuse’s forward line depth.

Gait turned to Leo for an offensive spark last season when Mulé’s scoring slowed. Currently on a hot streak with eight goals in his last three games, including hat tricks against Johns Hopkins and Manhattan, Leo’s unique blow-by speed adds a distinct element to Syracuse’s attack.

With Deere moving from the midfield and Jackson Birtwistle’s season-ending injury, new opportunities have arisen for players on SU’s second and third midfield lines. Wyatt Hottle and Tyler Cordes have been the main beneficiaries.

Hottle stepped up with his first-ever multi-goal game against Utah, while Cordes contributed four key points in the win over JHU. After a limited role as a freshman in 2022, Cordes barely played in the past two seasons. His performance against the Blue Jays was only his second-ever multi-goal game and his first game where he scored over two points.

Thomson’s injury has opened up multiple avenues for Syracuse. While Deere was the simple solution, Syracuse’s depth remains its strength, providing other options if the sophomore struggles to meet Thomson’s elite attacking standards.

Published on March 19, 2025 at 11:46 pm
Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22