JARBOE GETS HIS MESSAGE ACROSS AFTER 7-YEAR HIATUS, GOALIE SHOWS RIPTIDE HE CAN STILL PLAY.

Byline: RICH HAMMOND

Staff Writer

CARSON - Mickey Jarboe typed the e-mail with confidence, or at least he faked it fairly well.

"You've got nothing to worry about," wrote Jarboe, a 30-year-old Navy lieutenant who serves as a helicopter flight instructor. "I'd never let you down and I'd never let the Naval Academy down."

The e-mail went to G.W. Mix, general manger of the Riptide, LosAngeles' entry in Major League Lacrosse. Jarboe wanted to be the Riptide's goalie, but how could that possibly work out?

After all, almost seven years had passed since Jarboe last played lacrosse at a high level, since he graduated from the Naval Academy in 2000 and traded in his goalie stick for the stick of a Seahawk helicopter.

It couldn't have turned out better. Jarboe, assigned to Southern California by the Navy in January, signed on with the Riptide this season. He has been the league's best goalie, by every statistical measure, and the Riptide can claim the Western Conference regular-season title with a victory today against Chicago.

"Am I surprised at what Mickey has done? Not in the least bit," Mix said. "Mickey is one of the best goalies to have ever played at the collegiate level. We knew if he could get that form back -- having not seen a lot of shots in the last few years -- he was going to be a very effective goalie in this league."

That's easier to say with the benefit of hindsight. By Mix's own admission, there were scarier times. Specifically, in February -- roughly three months before the Riptide was to start its second MLL season. That's when Mix learned both of his goalies, Tillman Johnson and Matt Vallone, would be unavailable.

Such is life in pro lacrosse. Players make between $563 and $1,500 per game, hold down full-time jobs -- often in other cities -- and fly/drive in for practices Fridays and games Saturdays.

Both Johnson and Vallone needed to dedicate more time to their careers and couldn't manage weekly travel with the Riptide.

"It was not a fun time for us," Mix said.

Enter Jarboe, who grew up playing lacrosse in Maryland and became a two-time All-America selection at Navy. After his graduation in 2000, Jarboe started Navy training in Corpus Christi, Texas, and although the MLL was gearing up for its inaugural season in summer 2001, Jarboe could only sit and watch.

"I had to get through flight school," Jarboe said, "and I knew there wasn't going to be much time to play pro lacrosse while doing that. I was just resigned to the fact that I was probably done for a while."

The Navy sent Jarboe to Pensacola, Fla., and later across the state to Jacksonville. Along the way, Jarboe stayed active in lacrosse when he could, playing for club teams and in tournaments when time allowed.

After almost four years in Jacksonville, Jarboe got transferred to Coronado, near San Diego, and that's when things fell into place. Riptide defender Sean Donnelly, also a Navy grad, knew of his team's woes in goal and called Jarboe to gauge his interest and availability in terms of joining MLL and the Riptide.

"He was ready to go," Donnelly said. "He was great in college and I knew he could still do it."

First, he had to prove it. Mix invited Jarboe to an open tryout in March, during which the team could get its first look at Jarboe and judge whether, after almost seven years, he remained a top-level goalie.

"I just tried to go out and play with the same intensity that I played with in college," Jarboe said. "I just wanted to get that fire and intensity back that I once had.

"I was a little uncomfortable, just because I hadn't really played that much and I wasn't sure what to expect, as far as the talent level. I was just hoping it would come back easy."

It did. Two days after the tryout, the Riptide claimed Jarboe and he came to training camp with a chance to capture the No. 1 goalie position, with fellow Navy grad Matt Russell serving as his backup.

Jarboe was able to arrange his schedule in such a way that he would train pilots in Coronado during the week, then have the weekends free to travel and pursue his dream as a pro lacrosse goalie.

"There was no doubt, from the first day of training camp, that he was the real deal," Donnelly said.

Eight seconds into his first game, May 19 at Chicago, Jarboe allowed a goal. Things got significantly better though, as Jarboe stopped 21 of 32 shots and the Riptide easily defeated Chicago.

The Riptide won five of its first seven games, and Jarboe performed well enough to be named the Western Conference starting goalie in the MLL All-Star Game, but the best was yet to come.

On July 14, Jarboe saved 25 of 30 shots in a 17-5 victory over Denver. The following week, Jarboe saved 15 of 20 shots in a 19-5 victory over Washington. MLL teams score an average of 14 goals per game.

With one game remaining in the regular season, Jarboe leads the MLL with a 10.98 goals-against average. The Riptide already has qualified for the MLL playoffs, which will be held Aug. 25-26 in Rochester.

While his comeback may be a shock to some, Jarboe said he wasn't totally surprised by his success.

"Yes and no," Jarboe said. "I knew I had -- past tense -- the ability but it had been so long and I had been so far removed from the game that I just wasn't sure if I would be able to get it back."

But what about that e-mail? The one in which Jarboe promised Mix he wouldn't let him down? Did Jarboe really believe it, or was there a little bit of bravado involved?

"I sure as hell was going to try," Jarboe said with a laugh. "Part of hopping in the (goalie) cage is to be confident. If they were going to make me the goalie, I wanted them to know I was going to do my part."

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Riptide goalie Mickey Jarboe leads the MLL with a 10.98 goals-against average.

(2) Riptide goalie Mickey Jarboe is one of several players from the Naval Academy.

Scott Varley/Staff Photographer

Box:

MLL: RIPTIDE vs. CHICAGO

- Rich Hammond