In the inaugural Champ Series, Aughavin was one of the Archers’ biggest producers with 17 points including four 2-bombs and a 50% shooting success rate on such shots. Following a quiet rookie season when he played in just two games, that was a breakout week for him. Now that he’s firmly established his professional footing with an impressive summer, he should be one of the cornerstones of the Archers’ attack in Sixes in 2024. His field-stretching presence and ability to dodge downhill will be difference makers for the club in February. 

Connor DeSimone 

Connor DeSimone is another player, like Aughavin, who wasn’t on the active 19-man roster for the Archers much in the regular season, but who got a big opportunity in Champ Series last February. After putting up 10 points (five 1-point goals, five assists) in four Sixes games in 2023, he’ll be counted on for an even bigger role this time around after Holman and Manny departed in free agency. The slippery attackman from Johns Hopkins proved he wasn’t a liability defensively, and his ability to get underneath defenders was a point of strength for the club in 2023. 

Unnamed free agent offensive player

The Archers will likely be looking to add a sixth offensive player to their roster for Champ Series. They could go all in defensively and add, say, LSM Reece Eddy as a fifth defender. But for a format that favors shooters, it seems inevitable that Archers Head Coach and General Manager Chris Bates will add an offensive threat from the player pool. 

What this group needs is an outside shooter. Aughavin and Moore provide that in some respect. But, among the options available to the Archers to add, shooting should be the priority considering that this group has the initiators to make the offense go. They could also probably use someone to play in two-man games on the lefty wing with Ambler the only lefty among the club’s true offensive options listed above. 

Kyle Borda is one name that could be worth watching. His player type in general is one that would fit for this roster. The 6’4” righty midfielder out of Ohio State played two games for the Waterdogs this summer before being released to the player pool in July. He’s a capable dodger who can hit stepdown shots comfortably with either hand and plays well in space off ball and in two-man games. 

Christian Mazzone is another name to keep an eye on. He played in the Championship Series for Atlas LC last winter and also played for the Archers in the bubble in 2020, scoring nine goals in six games. He’s a much smaller, much shiftier player than Borda and has been best as an invert threat in the outdoor game. He scored eight 1-point goals on 67% shooting in five games for Atlas LC last February, so he has experience in Sixes, something very few players do. 

Defense

Connor Maher 

There are few pure short stick defensive midfielders better suited for Sixes than Connor Maher. Among SSDMs in the 2023 regular season, he tied for the third most points with five one point goals and an assist. He was a fiend on fast breaks, slow breaks, and even in the substitution game as he displayed his playmaking ability and quality decisionmaking chops with the ball in his stick. 

Defensively he might not have been as lights out of an individual defender as his short stick linemates. But for a rookie SSDM to come in and not only contribute but help stabilize a championship defense riddled by injury indicates he’ll be fine adapting to a new format. He could also contribute to two-man games on the lefty wing considering the team is a bit short on lefties and he has the stick skills. And, of course, his hustle is unmatched and will continue to be clutch for the Archers no matter the format.