Fast Takes with FastBreak: Boston vs Washington

By: Riley Hodder and Maya Shokrian

This weekend, the Washington Admirals head North to face off against their longtime rivals, the Boston Forge. These two teams have a storied history, facing off against each other at least once a season since MLQ’s inception in 2015.

In the East Coast’s deep pool of talent, the Admirals have often found themselves the underdog in this series. But they’ve stolen some wins off of the Forge over the years; taking the series in 2021 and 2023 and defeating a Boston team with high expectations last season. 

But this season, the tale of this game will be old vs. new. While Washington’s roster is young compared to most other teams, it features many of the same players who earned them success during the 2025 season. But the Forge looks a little bit different this year, losing key veterans and ushering in a new corps that has yet to prove itself.

This will be the Forge’s first series of the year and while they’re currently ranked No. 5 in FastBreak News’ preseason rankings, many have them on fraud alert. Meanwhile, Washington, ranked just below them at No. 6, thinks they’re being underrated and are anxious to prove so after dropping three games to the New York Titans in the season-opening series.

FastBreak News has got you covered as we head into this unpredictable matchup. So here’s what you need to know ahead of Boston and Washington’s 3:30 P.M. ET start this Saturday.

The Washington Admirals: All Hands on Deck

Washington has an interesting schedule this season. Less than two weeks ago, they were defending their home turf against the Titans, ready to prove that they could handle FastBreak News’ No. 2 team.

But that didn’t go exactly as planned. Missing some key players, the Admirals played a hard-fought Game One but lost 130-115. They dropped the next two games by a much larger margin, losing 175-60 and 145-80.

Now, they’re set to face the Forge, and after this series, they’ll have a month and a half off before they travel to Ohio for the Eastern Conference Championships.

So what did we learn from that New York series, and what does Washington need to bring to Boston to bring home some wins and not end up at the bottom of the Atlantic Division?

The basic answer is they’ll need all hands on deck. During the New York series, Washington was missing key pieces, specifically in beater Adrian Koretsky, a playmaker who would’ve had an impact against the highly talented New York squad. 

But the Admirals are not coming complete this weekend either. They’re missing Caitlyn Breslow, a strong chaser who scored at least one goal in every single game against the Titans. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to take Breslow’s role on the pitch. Julia Rankin and Liz Stone are both similarly excellent at cutting to the hoops to get dunks on offense, so expect one or both of them to fill Breslow’s gap.

Another answer to that question is their FROP game. During their series against the Titans, they caught in Game One, but it wasn’t enough to come back with a win. And New York caught in the next two games. Their track record hasn’t been great against the Forge either; in fact, Washington hasn’t caught in a matchup against Boston since 2023. They’ll be going head-to-head with elite Boston seekers and beaters, and they’ll need to focus on at least keeping the Forge from catching if they want to take home wins this weekend.

Koretsky being available on Saturday will make a huge difference for this Washington squad in terms of the seeking game. Expect Koretsky to play on FROP during close games where the Admirals need those 35 points. And their usual beating partner, Colin Bourn, will be returning against Boston after an excellent performance against New York, with six stops on the series.

And my final answer to the question of what the Admirals need to bring to this Boston series after their New York losses is that Washington will need to bring a plan to establish the game they want against Boston. The Admirals have often had success in the open field, beaters battling beaters and chasers taking their matchups. But against New York, this squad struggled in the half-court. The Forge has players that will make better matchups for Washington's, but will the Admirals stick to their fast-break-driven plan? Or will they try to focus their firepower on setting up a strong half-court offense?

Either way, the Admirals need to pick an answer and find a way to force the Forge to submit to their kind of gameplay. Koretsky’s return can help in both forms, whether using their experience to temper the beaters into a half-court strategy or pushing the pace and using their arm strength and game knowledge to open goal opportunities during transition. Bryan Mulcahy is another great player who can perform well in both areas, picking passes off while on defense to find fastbreak opportunities or wrapping to force a turnover, or directing the offense when in the half-court.

It’ll be interesting to see how the UVA squad fits into whatever decision the Admirals make. UVA is known for fast-paced play during the USQ season and many of its players have shown that strength on the Admirals. Expect to see players like beater Joey Beh and keeper/chaser Nathan Jun getting a lot of minutes if Washington chooses to push the pace.

But no matter what, this is an exciting matchup, with these two teams swapping wins each year. If Washington wants to bring home a win this weekend, they’ll need all hands on deck.

The Boston Forge: Rebuilding the Flame

Boston has the home-field advantage this weekend in their first series of the season. However, the Forge are entering 2026 with more questions than answers. After losing several veterans from last year's quarter-finals run, Boston will need new and returning players to step up. 

Unlike Washington, who already has a series under their belt, this will be Boston's first opportunity to show what it has been building throughout the season. The extra practice time could prove valuable, giving the Forge a chance to develop chemistry and experiment with line combinations before taking the field. At the same time, opening against a powerhouse division rival means there is little room for early-season growing pains.

The biggest question for Boston is whether their new pieces can fill the gaps left behind by departed veterans. A strong performance this weekend would go a long way toward proving that Boston's preseason No. 5 ranking is deserved and that the team remains a threat in the Atlantic Division.

Despite the turnover, Boston still boasts talent across the field. Longtime Boston player Emma Parsons and former New York Titan add Ryan Leary give the Forge some experienced and reliable playmakers in the chaser game. Boston’s beater unit also features experienced names such as Cleo Brooks, Ryan Callaghan, and Thomas Demouth. With Brooks, Callaghan, and Leary all earning places on the USNTDA, the Forge have plenty of talent capable of controlling possession and creating scoring opportunities.

The Forge will also look to a talented seeker corps to help swing games in their favor. With multiple strong seekers on the roster. This includes returner Stephen Tremple, who has shown time and time again that he can pull one out for Boston, coming in clutch with a catch in under 30 seconds against New York last summer. In addition to Tremple, rookie Matan Schwartz, who showcased their potential at Brandeis with the most flag catches in the MQC. If Boston's seekers can continue to capitalize on FROP situations, they could provide the difference in a tightly contested series.

For Boston, this weekend is about more than earning a win. It's about proving that while the faces may have changed, the Forge's identity has not. If they can successfully pass the torch to a new generation of players, the flame will continue to burn bright in 2026.

Predictions: 

No matter the outcome, this series will tell us a lot about both teams. For Washington, it's an opportunity to bounce back after a difficult opening weekend and prove they belong in the conversation in the Atlantic Division. For Boston, it's the first chance to show that a roster in transition can still compete with the league's best.

With division implications, a long-standing rivalry, and plenty of unanswered questions on both sidelines, this matchup has all the ingredients for an exciting start to Boston's season. Whether the Admirals can rally all hands on deck or the Forge can successfully rebuild the flame, one thing is certain: neither team can afford to let this series slip away.

Riley: Washington 2-1

Maya: Washington 2-1