How Mason Woodward was Archers’ X-factor in Cash App Championship
By Zach Carey | Sep 20, 2024
Rookie close defender Mason Woodward made the play of the 2024 Cash App Championship.
After cutting upfield following a Brett Dobson save in order to ignite transition, Woodward fed Mac O’Keefe for a step-down look. Brendan Krebs made the save and sent the ball back in the other direction to Ryan Conrad. As Conrad zig-zagged around O’Keefe near midfield, Woodward came from behind for a highlight-reel over-the-head check to strip the ball.
In classic Woodward fashion, he kicked the ball forward while getting up from making the check, picked up the grounder and proceeded to rip a two-bomb from 20 yards that snuck past Krebs and brought Utah within one.
“That play gave us some momentum, and that’s all we needed,” Archers head coach Chris Bates said. “That started us for sure.”
“Mason Woodward’s two-point goal really got the boys going,” Dobson added. “I felt like that was a big juice play. He hunted Conrad down, and I don’t know if Conrad used that stick again for the rest of the game. That’s how hard he yard-saled him.”
After Maryland built a 4-1 lead early in the second quarter, Woodward’s goal kickstarted the Archers as they outscored the Whipsnakes 11-4 across the remaining 34:54 of action. They did so while holding Maryland’s attack to 2-for-27 shooting on the afternoon.
Graeme Hossack matched Zed Wiliams’ physicality. Warren Jeffrey went toe-to-toe with Matt Rambo. And, crucially, Woodward held Rookie of the Year and second-team All-Pro attackman TJ Malone to 0-for-10 shooting.
It was Malone’s second career goal-less game. He did register four assists – two of which came after switches, with the others coming on a pair of backdoor cuts. But Woodward contained the Penn State product on-ball and forced Maryland to create offense off-ball.
“We wanted him to take the fight to him and be physical,” Bates said of the matchup.
Malone was the straw that stirred the Maryland offense’s drink in 2024. So, by making him one-dimensional and ensuring that Utah didn’t need to slide to him, Woodward simplified life for the Archers defense.
Possession after possession, Woodward matched Malone step for step and then got into his body and on his hands when the Rookie of the Year looked to shoot. He navigated Maryland’s big-little picks well all game and was particularly impressive guarding with a cross-hold to prevent Malone from getting topside, instead forcing him to shoot off-balance, low-angle shots with his off-hand.
At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Woodward has the muscle and the technique to win in tight while still being quick and shifty enough to get around a pick and win a footrace to five-and-five.
The Marquette product is also ridiculously crafty with his stick. He makes some of the most creatively effective checks in the league with a strong top hand that consistently crashed down on Malone at his release point. Woodward was dialed in against Malone all day long, forcing him to take bad shots that either went wide or that Dobson easily gobbled up.
“He did a tremendous job playing like a veteran out there,” Dobson said.
When Woodward had to help off his matchup and then recover – like on the play below – he resorted to diving in front of a Malone shot, deflecting it wide in the process. That decision, and then his back-shoulder slide to Levi Anderson later on that possession, underscore how he impacts the game in so many different ways.
Woodward’s highlight play in the middle of the field will be remembered as the turning point in the 2024 Cash App Championship. But the impact he had on the game as a cover defender and as an intelligent help defender who’s willing to eat rubber was crucial for Utah last Sunday.
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 College Draft was the whole package for the Archers as a rookie, and he should only get better in his second year in Tony Resch’s defense as Utah targets a three-peat in 2025.
