Could this be the year that the Niskayuna boys lacrosse team is knocked off its perch as the Section II, Class A champions? There are several Suburban Council teams looking to do just that.
With the Silver Warriors graduating 17 seniors from last year’s team, other more veteran-laden squads are looking to take advantage of that including Guilderland, Saratoga Springs, Shaker, Colonie, Columbia and Ballston Spa.
It’s been great to get (to the finals) the past couple of years, but we want to do more than that, said Guilderland coach Sean McConaghy, whose Dutchmen have lost to Niskayuna in the title game the past two years.
Though Ballston Spa failed to make the playoffs last year, Scotties coach Kevin Dayton said his team has the parts in place to go after the Gold Division title and possibly a deep Sectional run.
`This is the year we build tradition in the Suburban Council,` said Dayton.
Here is a closer look at the Suburban Council.
Ballston Spa Scotties
Head coach: Kevin Dayton
Key veterans: Cory Nowak (midfielder/attack), Jeff Seager (midfielder), Adam Janis (midfielder/attack), Jason Ohnsman (defenseman), Eric Marciano (defenseman), Cameron Staulters (goaltender), Greg Dunlavey (attack), Derek Croote (midfielder)
Key newcomers: Kyle Warmt (attack), Matt Clark (defensive midfielder)
Outlook: A veteran-laden Scotties squad is hoping to jump back into the Gold Division championship picture after a sub-.500 finish last year. `We have 12 seniors and six juniors so we’ve got a lot of talent and a lot of leadership,` said Dayton.
This will also be the first Ballston Spa squad to feature players that grew up with the sport. `These kids have played lacrosse together since they were in third and fourth grade,` said Dayton. `They’re pure lacrosse players.`
Bethlehem Eagles
Head coach: Dave Rounds
Key veterans: Matt DiFrancisco (attack), Dylan Eder (midfielder), Chris Riccio (defenseman)
Key newcomers: James Christensen (midfielder), Pat Johnson (midfielder), Steve Russo (midfielder), Taylor Bastow (defenseman), Max Wagner (defenseman), Ed Reilly (goaltender), Theo Ferguson (goaltender), Eddie Bettinger (midfielder), Alex Laurens (midfielder)
Outlook: Unlike Ballston Spa, Bethlehem won’t have the luxury of having a lot of veterans around, especially on offense. `My expectations are that early on in the year, the younger players will have a period of adjustment to the speed and the physical nature of the varsity game,` said Rounds. `But this is a talented group of young players, and I expect that as the season goes on, they’ll get better.`
Rounds plans on using Reilly and Ferguson in goal, which will free Eder up to help Christensen, Johnson and the other young midfielders. `Early on in the season, we’ll split time between (Reilly and Ferguson) to see who earns the starting job,` said Rounds.
BH-BL Spartans
Head coach: Paul Federoff
Key veterans: Kyle Jones (midfielder/attack), Ian Schwan (midfielder/attack), Justin Waldron (defenseman), Collin Whiteford (goaltender)
Key newcomers: Connor Nash (goaltender), Ryan Kissane (defenseman), Mike Russell (defenseman), Frankie Emmer (midfielder)
Outlook: Federoff is looking for improvement in his team’s record as Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake enters its second year of varsity lacrosse. `I think we’ll be all right because we lost every game in the first year of the program at the junior varsity level, and we nearly finished .500 the second year at the JV level,` he said. `I think the pattern will be the same at the varsity level. We have half our team back, but we’re still young.`
Despite losing every Suburban Council game last year, the Spartans acclimated themselves well to Sectional lacrosse as they reached the class B semifinals. `We’d like to get back to that level this year, and maybe go farther,` said Federoff.
Colonie Garnet Raiders
Head coach: Mike Joyce
Key veterans: D.J. O’Connell (midfielder), Brian Sleasman (midfielder), Justin Davis (midfielder), Packy Dollard (attack)
Key newcomers: Cory Brestle (defenseman), Chris Logan (defenseman)
Outlook: Joyce is feeling confident about his team this season, even with a brand new backfield. `This is the best team I’ve had in my four years and the best defense I’ve had,` he said. `Barring injuries, I think we have a decent shot of doing some good work in Sectionals.`
Columbia Blue Devils
Head coach: Kyle Randall
Key veterans: Casey Balder (attack), Miles Kerbein (attack), Rob Law (midfielder), Brett Sarubbi (midfielder), Chris Gavitt (defenseman), Andrew Carroll (defenseman), Matt Tompkin (defenseman), Jesse Hutchins (goaltender)
Outlook: The Blue Devils graduated 13 players from last year’s Gold Division championship squad, but Randall is optimistic his team can compete for the title again. `We’re returning three good defensemen, and we have four good offensive players back,` he said. `So hopefully, we’ll have a good season.`
Guilderland Dutchmen
Head coach: Sean McConaghy
Key veterans: Nick Koss (goaltender), Kip Stillman (defenseman), Paul Malamood (defenseman), Rory Nunamacher (midfielder), Aaron Cahill (midfielder), Brian Linehan (midfielder), Quinn Connell (attack)
Key newcomers: Paul Jones (attack), Travis Moore (attack), Kevin Kost (midfielder), Collin Burg (midfielder)
Outlook: The Dutchmen are looking to finally clear the last hurdle to a Sectional championship ` a win in the class A finals. `We can’t be satisfied just getting there (again),` said McConaghy.
Guilderland will have plenty of bodies to help it pursue the class A crown. `We’re carrying 30 guys, which we haven’t done in the past,` said McConaghy. `And as long as they’re competing every day (in practice), they can only get better.`
Niskayuna Silver Warriors
Head coach: Mike Vorgang
Key veterans: Steve D’Amario (attack), Mark Panneton (attack), Dan McKinney (midfielder), Seth Berggren (midfielder), Zach Frohne (defensive midfielder), Paul Sapia (defenseman), Alex Billen-Calhoun (defenseman), James Manchester (goaltender)
Key newcomers: Jared Franze (midfielder), Will McPartlan (midfielder), Brandon Connors (midfielder), Guy Waltman (defensive midfielder), Brendan Krol (defensive midfielder), Ryan Alden (long stick midfielder), Steve Abba (defenseman), Stefan Sloma (goaltender)
Outlook: With only three returning starters, the Silver Warriors are reloading with youth. There are 12 freshman and sophomores on Vorgang’s roster this season.
`We will have to have great senior leadership this season,` said Vorgang. `With so many new faces and players who had to wait their turn, the seniors will have to lead by example.`
Saratoga Blue Streaks
Head coach: Jon Coons
Key veterans: Chris Adams (attack), Matt Crimmins (attack), Ryan Quinn (midfielder), Dylan Nizolek (midfielder), Ian O’Brien (goaltender), J.C. Morency (defenseman), Zach VanEarden (defenseman)
Key newcomer: Nico Cortese (attack/midfielder)
Outlook: The Blue Streaks have a veteran group of attackers and defenders, but the midfield is a different story. `We have three sophomore midfielders who have to come in and contribute right away because we graduated so many midfielders last year,` said Coons.
Having Adams ` last year’s leading scorer and a four-year starter ` anchoring the attack will help Saratoga, but Coons is looking for more balance in the scorebook. `It’s like a team concept on offense. It’s not going to be one or two guys (doing the scoring),` said Coons.
Shaker Blue Bison
Head coach: Shawn Hennessey
Key veterans: Ryan Gifford (midfielder), Mike Gifford (midfielder), Sam Cuddleback (midfielder), Stefan Debkowski (attack), Michael Battaglia (defenseman), Brian Ashline (defenseman), Kenny O’Connor (goaltender), Leslie Cohen (defenseman), Luke Walsh (midfielder)
Key newcomers: Christian Weycamp (midfielder), Parker Armesty (attack), Joe Shields (midfielder)
Outlook: This is Hennessey’s second year at the helm, and he said that made a difference in his team’s preparation for the season. `I really enjoyed having a year under me to have a full off-season of work (with the players),` he said. `I honestly feel like we’re going to compete like we did last year, and with some intensity and some hard work, I think these guys have the ability to do well.`
The Blue Bison have a challenging non-league schedule this season including games against traditional downstate powers Mahopac and Lakeland-Panas.
`We wanted to increase our competition level in order to be prepared to face the tougher teams in our league,` said Hennessey.
Shenendehowa Plainsmen
Head coach: Chuck Holohan
Key veterans: Jon Olsen (attack), Jesse Elliott (attack), Bob Wardwell (goaltender)
Key newcomers: Andrew Dorsey (defenseman), Sean Sullivan (attack)
Outlook: Holohan, who replaces Mark McQuade on the sidelines, is bringing a free-flowing attack to the Plainsmen ` one he’s modeling after the University at Albany system.
`I just hope this group goes out and has fun. That’s the most important thing,` said Holohan.“