(July 1, 2012)… This season, Rochester Knighthawks fans witnessed the athleticism of rookie defenseman Joel White. On Saturday, a national TV audience was entertained by his talents in the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game.

White, who plays for the Rochester Rattlers, joined Knighthawks teammates Joe Walters and Stephen Keogh in the 2012 event held at FAU Stadium in Palm Beach County, Fla. The Old School All-Stars rallied to earn an 18-17 victory over the Young Guns All-Stars in the game presented by Moe's Southwest Grill. Midfielder Stephen Berger of the Charlotte Hounds was named the MVP with three goals. It marked the fourth straight year that the MLL All-Star Game was decided by a single point.

White also left an impression on the contest as he showed his speed and agility during the Bud Light Skills Competition at halftime, completing the obstacle course, known as “The Gauntlet,” in a time of 14.62 seconds. He finished his inaugural All-Star Game with a team-high six ground balls for the Young Guns team.

Keogh was also making his All-Star debut and came away with a goal. His marker at 2:11 of the second quarter sparked a 3-0 Young Guns’ rally to tie the game at seven. He nearly notched his second of the contest, but was robbed by a stick save by Old School’s Brett Queener. The Hamilton Nationals attackman is having a breakout season with 13 goals and 17 points in just four games.

Walters, who was playing in his fifth All-Star Game, recorded two points. His goal at 2:28 of the third quarter gave the Old School side an 11-10 advantage. He also assisted on Steven Brooks’ power-play goal at 9:54 of the fourth, as the Old School team regained a 16-15 lead following a two-point goal by Max Seibald of the Young Guns. Walters, who plays for the Hamilton Nationals, nearly missed his second of the night as the ball was tipped by goalie Drew Adams and landed on the goal line. The Old School team would get the goal it needed with 56 seconds to play on another goal by Brooks. This capped off a memorable weekend for Walters.

“The MLL All-Star Weekend was a great event. Lacrosse is really taking off, and that was clear, with a 100-team tournament in conjunction with the All-Star Game,” he said. “I didn’t really get a ton of runs, but it was fun watching some of the best players competing in a back and forth game.”

After the All-Star victory, Walters, Keogh, and the Hamilton Nationals will focus on mounting a second-half surge similar to last season to try to earn one of the four MLL Playoff spots. Hamilton, who advanced to the 2011 MLL Finals, currently sits in sixth place with a 2-5 record with a home showdown with the Boston Cannons Saturday, July 7th.