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Interstate Box Lacrosse Association
The Interstate Box Lacrosse Association (IBLA) was a men's senior box lacrosse league based in the United States. From 2019 to 2021, the IBLA served as an official partner of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), operating as a minor developmental funnel.[1] The league was founded in 2017 to unite regional senior leagues into a system similar to the Canadian Lacrosse Association structure of men's Senior A and Senior B box lacrosse teams.[2] In 2021 there were 52 total teams playing in 17 regional leagues. The Seneca Marksmen were the most last IBLA champions, defeating the Grand Rapids Grizzlies in Lakeland, Florida on September 19, 2021.[3] The league ended in controversy when it was revealed some games leading up to the 2021 championship game had been miscounted. Additional conversations from teams meeting at the 2021 championships uncovered repeated inconsistencies in financial support from the league itself. The outcome of the controversy saw all league teams leaving for the Great Plains Box Lacrosse League (now the Box Lacrosse League), The North American Box Lacrosse League, or returning to independent operations. History2017Colorado formed the first organized regional box lacrosse league with four teams after initial in-state competition in 2016. Seeing the success of Colorado's competition model, RBLL - Minnesota was formed using the same structure. The RBLL - Portland was also added with the Portland River Monsters and Beaverton Mountaineers, but both teams folded after one season with the first bit of controversy for the IBLA. The 2017 champions were the Parker Rangers, who took down the Hastings Walleye to capture the inaugural league title. 2018 RBLL - New England and RBLL - New Jersey began play on the east coast under the IBLA structure. The midwest was organized into RBLL - Ohio and RBLL - Missouri. The second league title was awarded to the Cambridge Nor'easters after defeating the Denver Mile High Stars. 2019The IBLA expanded again, adding new competition on the west coast in the form of RBLL - Arizona and RBLL - California. Additional midwest talent was also brought into the fold with RBLL - Nebraska. The Maine Northmen came out on top in the playoffs, beating the Louisville Canards 17 - 14 in the final game. 2020Due to the spread of COVID-19, most teams faced shortened season schedules and the league championship tournament location was moved from Boston to Pittsburgh. By the end of the summer, 10 regions were able to crown division champions. Teams from these 10 regions were invited to compete for the IBLA Nationals league championship. For group play the teams were divided into the Steel and Maple groups. The San Diego Whalers, Grand Rapids Grizzlies, Mooncrest Munitionz, Aksarben Stampede, and Louisville Canards made up the Steel group. The Maple group consisted of the Maine Northmen, Philadelphia Phunk, Charlotte Reapers, Albany Hyenas, and Minneapolis Wheat Kings. A league milestone occurred on September 17 with the first IBLA player taken in the National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. Mooncrest Munitionz Forward Larson Sundown was drafted by the New York Riptide in round 2 with the 36th overall pick. Sundown is transferring to RIT for the 2021 NCAA Lacrosse season, meaning New York will retain his rights through the 2021-2022 season. The 2020 IBLA season concluded with 25 playoff games from September 25 – 27. For the fourth year in a row, the championship matchup was played by two teams having never reached the title game. In the lowest scoring championship game to date, the Phildalphia Phunk outlasted the Minneapolis Wheat Kings 9 - 5 to capture their first title. 20212021 saw the return of several teams that were on hiatus in 2020 due to local COVID-19 restrictions as well as continued league expansion. The newly formed RBLL - Louisiana was formed by teams in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, RBLL - Texas placed two franchises in Austin, RBLL - Florida hosted teams in Orlando and Tampa, RBLL - Maryland included four teams, and the RBLL- Empire South formed by splitting three teams off from an RBLL - New Jersey that added two expansion teams. In total, 22 different states fielded an IBLA team in 2021. The 2021 playoffs took place September 17 through September 19 at the 8,178 seat RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida. Painters tape was used to line the arena and refs decided that getting paid was overrated.[4] Controversy arose in the second of two semi-final nationals games with the Tampa Bay Twisters taking on the Grand Rapids Grizzlies. The game concluded after the Twisters scored a sudden-death goal in second overtime to secure a seat in the finals. The League even published this game result on its social media channels and announcing the final matchup would be between the Twisters and Seneca Marksmen, only to go back just before the final and realize they had miscounted the number of goals scored in the game. As such, under further review, the Grizzlies were awarded the final spot in the finals. Some Grizzlies players having perceived from the errant record-keeping that they lost their semi-final matchup had left the arena after their game and were unable to return in time for the championship game. Shorthanded, the team fell to an overpowering Marksmen team that had not lost all season (regular, postseason, or nationals). It was later revealed that this Tampa Bay Twisters game was not the only game at the tournament to be miscounted. TeamsCurrent Team Locations   Locations of IBLA teams. 2021 expansion teams in yellow. Current Teams
Association Champions
RulesIBLA rules are nearly identical to NLL rules with minor adjustments to account for slight arena dimension variations.[14] Notable League Rules:
AwardsNotable players
References
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Portal di Ensiklopedia Dunia
