If you replace a ship, plank by plank, is it the same vessel?
I drive a 2009 Honda Civic. On paper, it is a 17-year-old car, but in practice, many of its parts are far newer than the vehicle’s release date. The tires, brakes, and bumper have all been replaced, along with any other maintenance that has been done on the vehicle. The car has evolved piece by piece, but mechanically, it is no longer the exact Civic made nearly 20 years ago.
But every time I sit behind the wheel, it still feels like my car. It still has the same memories and the same identity. And yet, I find myself at a crossroads.
If I keep replacing and repairing parts on the car, how long until there is nothing “original” left at all? Does that make it a new car in spirit, or is it just an old frame hanging onto borrowed time, trudging along one day at a time?
The car is my own Ship of Theseus, if you will.
Like Theseus’ ship, my Civic is both the same and not the same, and the answer depends not just on its parts but on the perspective.
Upgrading would mean letting go of a car that is technically old but has changed with me as I have grown up. But maybe, like any identity, it’s not about what has been replaced but what is still moving forward.
The question from Theseus’ paradox remains the same: If an object’s components are entirely replaced, is it the same object? It’s a question that the Maryland Whipsnakes are answering with their offense.
One season after losing in the PLL Championship, Maryland has reshaped its offensive core. Zed Williams is gone. Matt Rambo’s game has halted. New faces like Rob Pannell, Aidan Carroll and Matt Brandau have joined the mix. But amid the turnover, one plank has remained firmly in place: TJ Malone.
The reigning PLL Rookie of the Year isn’t just holding Maryland’s ship together. He is steering it.
Malone hasn’t missed a step in 2025. But unlike his rookie season, when he thrived in the shadows of former MVPs Williams and Rambo, he’s the focal point this year. The attention from opposing defenses is now fully fixed on him, and he’s delivering.
Adding Malone to Maryland’s roster was essential because, as defenses evolve over the years, attackmen must do the same.
While Williams and Rambo are both incredible shot creators, their shot-making was not as efficient in 2024 as in the Whipsnakes’ championship runs in 2019 and 2020. As defenses got bigger and stronger over time, the veteran duo couldn’t bully defenders the same way they once had just a few years prior.
Yet that didn’t stop Williams from attacking. 37.5% of his touches in 2024 resulted in a shot, the highest percentage among players with 100-plus touches. He shot more than pure finishers like Xander Dickson (29.9%) and Mac O’Keefe (29.9%).
Even then, Malone outscored Williams in his rookie season, putting up 37 points (19G, 18A) compared to Williams’ 31 (27G, 1T, 3A) despite the latter being a three-time All-Pro and the clear top option in the Whipsnakes’ offensive scheme. Rambo added 18 points of his own (12G, 6A), and that trio kept defenses honest, but as the season progressed, it became clear who Maryland’s No. 1 option was.
In the Whipsnakes’ postseason run, Williams shot 2-for-20, and Rambo shot 3-for-19.
Malone is now the primary threat this season, and he’s playing like it. Through three games, he leads Maryland in points (13), goals (eight), and assists (five), and he’s tied with Dylan Molloy, Kieran McArdle and Thomas McConvey for the most goals in the league.
Even with offseason moves to bolster the unit — bringing in two-time All-Pro Pannell, drafting Georgetown’s Carroll in the first round and welcoming back Brad Smith from injury — the Whipsnakes’ offense has revolved around Malone. The departure of Williams in a trade for Brandau shifted more responsibility onto Malone’s shoulders, and he’s embraced it.
Still, Maryland stumbled out of the gate. Losses to the Utah Archers and Philadelphia Waterdogs put the Whips in an early 0-2 hole before they picked up their first win of the season against the New York Atlas this past Saturday.
“[Malone] was the real bright spot for us on offense, and has been for two games. We’ve got to give him help. He can’t do it alone,” Whipsnakes head coach and general manager Jim Stagnitta said following his team’s 16–12 loss to the Waterdogs. “As everyone starts to pay more attention to him, the other guys are going to step up. And they’ve got to contribute at a higher level.”
Malone has paced Maryland in each of its games, scoring three goals against the Archers, posting five points (2G, 3A) against the Waterdogs and notching another five (3G, 2A) in the win over New York.
The other two starting attackmen to open the season, Pannell and Rambo, have combined for just a single goal through Maryland’s first three games.
But in Maryland’s 16-12 victory over the Atlas in Philadelphia, the help Stagnitta mentioned was showcased on the biggest stage — a marquee television slot on ABC.
After Maryland went down 6-0 early in the second quarter against New York, midfielder Colin Heacock — who was inactive for the first two weeks of the season — stepped up massively and delivered a hat trick in just over six minutes of gameplay, giving Maryland its much-needed momentum.
“[Heacock’s] challenge has been that he hadn’t been as aggressive as we would have liked him to be, and we kind of had to push him last year a little bit. At [training] camp, he was not as aggressive, and he came out [against the Atlas] and he was aggressive,” Stagnitta said. “He is a great leader, he’s got great energy, and he keeps everyone excited. It’s something we needed, particularly after that showing against the Waterdogs.”
Heacock’s first two goals were assisted by Pannell, who seemed to find his footing against the Atlas after notching only one point in each of the Whips’ first two outings.
“[Heacock] comes out and we’re dead to rights, and he scores the first three goals,” Stagnitta said. “So obviously, that’s what we’re looking for: guys to step up and make plays.”
Pannell had his best game as a Whipsnake, finishing with three assists to pull within one of Ryan Boyle’s career assist record (292). The 35-year-old has scored just one goal this season, however, and Stagnitta is hoping for improvement in that area.
“Rob had three assists [against the Atlas] and certainly had some opportunities,” Stagnitta said. “He has just got to put the ball in the cage.:
Carroll (3G, 1A) had his best game as a pro against the Atlas. He scored the game-tying goal in Maryland’s come-from-behind victory and now leads all Eastern Conference rookies in points this season (6G, 2A).
“He gets better every game,” Stagnitta said. “He gets more comfortable. I thought he was much more aggressive [against the Atlas] and didn’t defer. He’s a really talented kid.”
Although Carroll played attack at Georgetown, where he racked up 77 points (50G, 27A) his senior year, his speed and ability to dodge from above the cage have started to free up opportunities for more players and have taken some pressure off Malone’s shoulders. Stagnitta believes the midfield better suits Carroll’s skill set, and he has no plans to try the rookie out at attack.
“[Carroll] is drawing the pole, which a lot of times doesn’t put a pole on Brad Smith or Adam Poitras. So on top of his production, he’s freeing up some other people, too.,” Stagnitta said, adding: “I don’t know that he puts as much pressure on teams if he’s not in front of the cage.”
Poitras (4G) and Smith (1G, 1T) also stepped up against New York.
“Brad finally kind of settled back in and found a comfort level and was able to cut the turnovers and score some really big goals,” Stagnitta said. “And Poitras played really well.”
Yet the question remains as to who will fill the final spot on the Whipsnakes’ attack line this weekend.
Brandau started alongside Malone and Pannell against the Atlas, replacing Rambo after the two-time All-Pro did not appear on the stat sheet for the first two weeks of play.
“I thought Matt Brandau did a nice job [at attack], but I think he could be more valuable as a midfielder because he does so many things,” Stagnitta said. “He’s always in the right place. He does all the little things that you don’t notice. He sets good picks, does the right thing off-ball, he seals and gets to the right spot in all situations. I’d like to see him score a bit more, but I think he’s still getting comfortable and getting his confidence.”
Because of Stagnitta’s interest in trying new combinations of players to find the best production, Heacock replaced midfielder Levi Anderson against the Atlas. But Stagnitta made it very clear that Anderson would return to the lineup for Maryland’s Homecoming Weekend.
“Levi will be there,” he said. “He will certainly be in the lineup at some point this weekend. When and how, or if it’s two games, we haven’t decided on that.”
Anderson has also had a few looks at attack this season. He replaced Rambo in the fourth quarter of the Whipsnakes’ loss to the Waterdogs and picked up an assist. But it is still unclear where he will play when Maryland hosts the Boston Cannons this Saturday and the Carolina Chaos on Sunday.
Maryland’s offense has been shifting a lot as it searches for the best combinations that yield the most production. However, as the Whipsnakes’ Homecoming Weekend approaches, Stagnitta hopes to reduce the tinkering and establish a consistent group of players he can rely on week in and week out.
“We hope to get to Maryland and start to solidify some things as far as a gameday roster,” Stagnitta said.
