Let ‘Er Rip: Brodie Merrill scores 90-yard goal in pro field lacrosse game

Brodie Merrill just let a shot rip, he wasn’t expecting to become an Internet sensation.

A video of the Boston Cannons defenceman scoring a field lacrosse goal from more than 90 yards out became a viral sensation on Sunday, a day after his Hail Mary shot forced overtime and led to an eventual victory over the Rochester Rattlers.

“It’s a little overwhelming, actually,” said Merrill, who didn’t know the video was trending on Facebook and Twitter until team staff told him. “Even with my teammates last night when everyone was really excited. It’s not a typical play, it’s very much a lucky play. It’s cool to see the attention it got.

“It’s one thing for us to get a lucky break like that, but we’re really happy that we were able to make good on it and finish the game and get a big win in overtime.”

The play was setup when Mitch Belisle, Merrill’s defensive partner on the Cannons, stripped a Rattlers player of the ball, sending it out of bounds with 3.3 seconds left to play. Merrill checked the clock and, knowing that the score was 14-12 in Rochester’s favour, told Belisle he’d try a shot. In Major League Lacrosse, shots from 16 yards out or more are worth two points.

At over 90 yards away, Merrill’s rocket more than qualified.

“I just said to (Belisle) ‘I’m going to try a two here,’” said Merrill on Sunday from his home in southern Ontario. “Really just tried to put it as close as I could to the net, whether it got a screen or a deflection, I was just hoping.

“It’s kind of a Hail Mary situation. You know it’s a long shot but you’re hoping something crazy happens.”

Rattlers goalie John Galloway wasn’t the only one who lost the ball — Merrill himself lost track of it in the lights at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. He only knew he had scored when he saw other people’s reactions and saw Belisle running toward him for a bear hug.

David Emala scored 1:10 into overtime for the Cannons, giving Boston a 15-14 win and completing the comeback Merrill had started.

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