LEWISTON — Most major North American sports – and many so-called minor sports – have found their way onto the ubiquitous “Top 10” on ESPN’s legacy show, SportsCenter.

For many small-market and youth sports teams, it’s a thrill just to be mentioned for consideration, and cracking the Top 10 at all is cause for celebration.

But how does it feel to be No. 1?

Now, you can ask Bates College lacrosse players Brendan Mullally and Matt Chlastawa, and the rest of the Bobcat community.

Late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, SportsCenter counted down its nightly Top 10. Two lacrosse highlights passed in the Top 10 before a remarkable save in a hockey game came in at No. 2.

“No way,” thought Bates assistant sports information director Aaron Morse.

Yep.

Chlastawa’s no-look, behind the back pass to Mullally, who then fired it behind his own back and into the cage for a goal against Keene State on Tuesday, was the top play on SportsCenter.

In the Sun Journal’s game story Tuesday night, Bates coach Pete Lasagna called the play “something they’d worked on.”

“We talked about getting into a certain person in a certain area, and if he couldn’t turn and throw it regular to throw it behind the back,” Lasagna said. “So it’s good they’re taking me seriously. We try to keep it really fun and creative and it’s neat to see those things work.”

Chlastawa said it was all just about having fun.

“It’s nice to mess around out there and have some fun with it,” Chlastawa said. “That’s why we’re out here, because we love the sport.”

Here is the tweet and video that started it all – a plea from the Bates Communications Office with the highlight embedded. Through multiple shares on social media throughout the night, it clearly turned heads in Bristol.

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