"Any time you walk off the field with a loss, you want to get back out and play again." - John Desko, Syracuse Head Coach
It's been eight months since Syracuse's incongruous, first-round elimination from the NCAA men's lacrosse tournament, ending one of the more remarkable streaks in college athletics – 22 consecutive trips to the national semifinals (1983-2004). The Orange trudged off Massachusetts' Garber Field following a 16-15 defeat and vowed to be back.
Here is its chance.
The 2006 edition of Syracuse Lacrosse wants to erase any memory of last year's uncharacteristic 7-6 campaign, a season which featured four one-goal losses, including two at the end of the season to Massachusetts (with a roster not entirely at full strength because of illness and injury) and two in the month of March to eventual final four participants Virginia (12-11) and Johns Hopkins (12-11 OT).
Fortunately for SU, five All-Americans return. Seven of 10 starters are back. A total of 28 returning letterwinners say they have something to prove, not to mention the six student-athletes who redshirted a season ago. Add into the mix a talented group of newcomers, including three experienced transfers and a highly-regarded freshman class and the Orange has every right to feel optimistic.
"One of the things that happened to us last year is that we had very little depth and experience," said head coach John Desko. "You knew who was going to start every game and this year, I think, the difference is that we have that competitiveness day in and day out in practice where nobody is guaranteed a job out there. If you're not performing that particular day, someone else is going to go in and take your place. I think everyone improves from that level of competition and we didn't have that last year."
Desko is encouraged by the work his players put in during the off-season. He knows about the let-down that can sometimes occur after a team wins a national championship.
"I think the team was very disappointed in that last loss," Desko said. "You can definitely see it in the players that have come back. The year before we won the championship and there's a little bit of 'Well, we won.' You kind of enjoy it and relax a little bit and enjoy your summer. But, after a loss, you work all summer long. I think there were a lot of guys who put some extra effort into the off-season. We were really happy with our work ethic and attendance at our running and conditioning sessions. We thought the turnout and the effort was the best we've had since those things have been in place here. I think that's a result of the players coming back and the incoming players' desire to be more successful."
The offense ought to have some punch with six of the top seven scorers returning from last year. Desko wants his defense to be stingier and he wants to build confidence in a new goaltender. The Orange needs to replace four-year starter Jay Pfeifer who graduated in 2005 after earning third-team All-America honors.
GOAL
"The goaltender position has yet to be determined," Desko said. "We've got some good competition going on there."
Sophomore Jake Myers is the only candidate with game experience. He saw time in last year's home win against Rutgers. Peter Coluccini is a lefty who redshirted last season. Meanwhile, junior Casey Rotella returns to make his case for playing time.
"I think Casey and Peter are a little bit similar in their physical size," Desko said. "They cover up a lot of the goal. Peter has very quick hands and is a lefty. Jake and Casey are right-handed. Jake might be better out of the goal than the others, that's his strength. He obviously worked very hard over the summer and he actually got a little game experience last year because he didn't redshirt. If Peter wants to win the starting job, then he would be a similar scenario to Jay Pfeifer. We redshirted Jay his freshman year and he became a four-year starter. The thing I like about all of them is that they are under control. They don't let their emotions get the best of them."
So what will separate one from the other?
"The save is the most important thing," Desko said. "They all need work on their clearing which is another aspect of goaltending and then it's just a matter of game experience. That's the unknown right now. Who's going to perform in a live game when it counts? Playing at Virginia and at Hopkins – who's going to adjust the best? Sometimes you don't know, sometimes that's an experience thing and none of them have that experience."
DEFENSE
The biggest loss on defense is that of Scott Ditzell, a two-year starter and captain who helped SU win the 2004 national championship and earned honorable mention All-America accolades in 2005.
Two of this year's elected team captains play on defense. Senior John Wright and junior Steve Panarelli are both two-year starters ready to lead this year's squad. Panarelli earned All-America honors in his first two seasons – honorable mention as a freshman and third-team as a sophomore. He is one of the players Desko specifically mentioned when he talked about individuals who re-dedicated themselves to the game following last year's early exit from the playoffs.
"He's probably our most talented defenseman," Desko said. "His ability to adjust this year to a different style of play shows how much he has matured. At times in the past, he would be overly aggressive which created offense for the other team. Now, he is expected to be aggressive, just at the right time and in the right place. I think he's made a great adjustment over the summer and fall and is a real leader for this team."
Wright has been a solid defender for SU. He has a lot of game experience and has many times covered the opposing team's best attackman.
"He runs well and is good on the clear," Desko said.
Sophomore Kyle Guadagnolo is back after playing in 11 games last year. He was a starter at close defense, but missed the final two games of the season at Massachusetts because of illness.
"He was consistent for us," Desko said. "He didn't make a lot of mistakes and is a good position player. We just felt that he was doing the right things, so we put him out there as a freshman knowing that every game he played, he was going to get better and gain more experience."
Dustin Palmer has three years of eligibility remaining after a wrist injury forced him to redshirt last season. He could come in this year, along with senior Ed Warszycki, who was the defenseman that stepped in at close defense for Guadagnolo at the end of the season. Desko also likes sophomore Evan Brady and freshman Mark Cahak.
"Evan Brady has done a nice job at the pole when healthy for us," Desko said. "He's had some injuries in the past that has limited his playing time. Cahak has physical presence and is athletic. He has that basketball background which always helps people defensively with concepts. He could see some game time this year."
The coaches will continue to evaluate the defensive scenario. Seniors Jon Bone and John Gallagher will likely see their minutes and play in man-down situations.
"When we lost Ditzell and Guadagnolo last year, Warsycki came in," Desko said. "Dustin Palmer was hurt. He's the same kind of guy – a solid position player. He just needs that game experience. So everyone's back with the exception of Ditzell. That gives us depth."
MIDFIELD
Second-team All-American Greg Rommel comes back to headline a deep and talented corp. of midfielders. Last season, he posted a career-high 28 points (25 goals, three assists) to rank fifth on the team in scoring overall, third in goals. He scored at least one goal in every game and had two or more goals on nine occasions. In the NCAA playoff game against UMass, Rommel tallied three goals, equaling his career-high for goals in a game.
"I think his scoring ability has been important," Desko said. "When we moved Brian Crockett up, Rommel drew the short stick at times and that made him much more dangerous. Greg's had some big games for us. Even going back to the 2004 championship game, he stepped up at the end of his sophomore year and had a very good junior year when we weren't very deep. Now, I just think with added support around to help share the pressure, he'll be even better."
Senior Brian Crockett will likely remain on the first midfield line, considering how much success he experienced there last season. Crockett, the team's leading career scorer with 94 goals and 126 points, spent the fall semester studying abroad in Spain, but is expected to pick up where he left off at the end of last year when he led the team in scoring with 42 points (team-high 35 goals) and was named a third-team All-American for the second consecutive season. After switching positions from attack to midfield near the end of the year, Crockett responded with 18 goals in Syracuse's final four games. He had a season-high six goals in a close win against Albany.
"I would say, depending on injuries and what else happens, that he could play both midfield and attack, but I think he's more effective in the midfield," Desko said. "He had so much success making that move. He is used to going up against a close defender with a long stick. For him to be able to go up top in front of the goal and be comfortable against a long pole helps us. Because now we're able to attack the opponents' short sticks, while still being able to attack the pole. When you have that kind of player it makes you more dangerous."
Junior Steven Brooks is another talented midfielder returning for the Orange. Desko calls him one of the best athletes on the team. He has the ability to dodge and score from the outside. Now entering his third season, Brooks owns a lot of game experience. He finished fourth on the team in scoring last season with 29 points (17 goals) and combined for three goals and five assists in the final two games of the season against Massachusetts.
Sophomore Greg Niewieroski is one of a handful of players who could see time at both attack and midfield this season. He played in all 13 games last season. He proved to be a versatile player and ended up being the second-leading freshman scorer on the team behind Mike Leveille with five goals and 10 points. He had a season-high three points (one goal, two assists) in the NCAA playoffs at UMass. He scored the game-winning goal in the fourth quarter against Hobart.
Classmate Steve Babbles "stepped his game up at the end of his freshman year," Desko said. "If he continues to improve, he'll be a good player for us. He had an impressive fall."
Heralded freshman Pat Perritt should make an immediate impact on the team this year. Desko calls him "athletic, skilled with very good speed, saavy, and ahead of his time in terms of his awareness on the field."
Two other freshmen, Matt Abbott and Kenny Nims, both Central New York natives, could get some time in the midfield. Abbott was a high school All-American at Nottingham High School. Desko says he is a "smart player on the field."
Nims has the ability to play both positions – attack and midfield.
"He's a very quick player, very skilled. He can score and feed, sees the field. His future is very bright."
Rookie Danny Hardy is another player who can play attack and midfield. His biggest strength is that he is very difficult to stop one-on-one.
"He has great size – a 6-4 athlete who can run and shoot," Desko said.
The midfield gets even deeper when you think of three strong players in senior Kieran Murphy, sophomore Brendan Loftus and redshirt freshman Mike Hatton.
Murphy and Hatton can shoot from the outside. Loftus is a big, physical player that can score.
FACEOFF and DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
Syracuse will be without junior face-off specialist Danny Brennan due to academics. That means the Orange will rely on junior midfielder Jon Jerome and sophomore John Carrozza, who transferred to SU from Delaware this past fall.
At Delaware, Carrozza was named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie Team as he helped the Fightin' Blue Hens to an NCAA Tournament berth.
"Carrozza kind of did a lot of things well in the fall," Desko said. "He's very athletic and he competes hard."
Even though the Orange lost Jarett Park to graduation, a four-year starter who personified athleticism, it picked up a very comparable player in Nathan Kenney, a graduate student who transferred to SU from Virginia. Kenney was a key cog in the Cavaliers' 2003 NCAA Championship run. Desko envisions using Kenney on the wing for faceoffs and calls him "definitely one of our better defensive middies."
Syracuse welcomes the return of senior Andrew Sullivan who played in seven games before missing the rest of the season due to injury. Sullivan played a lot of minutes during the 2004 NCAA playoffs and should be a leader.
Freshman Spencer Van Schaack might also see time at the defensive midfield position. Desko feels he will be very good in that role in the future.
ATTACK
The coaching staff never imagined that Brett Bucktooth might lead the team in assists at the start of last season, but that's just what the former midfielder did when he joined SU's 2005 attack unit and earned an honorable mention All-America selection after registering 41 points on 21 goals and 20 assists. Bucktooth tied for second on the squad in scoring with freshman Mike Leveille. He tallied four goals in each of SU's final three games of the season.
"We've got one of our captains on attack in Brett Bucktooth," Desko said. "He is a very smart player who can score or set up others to score."
Leveille finished tied for second on the team in scoring. He started all 13 games and posted 30 goals and 11 assists on his way to honorable mention All-America status. His 41 points ranked 10th-best on the school's all-time rookie scoring list. In a one-goal loss to No. 1-ranked Johns Hopkins at the Carrier Dome, Leveille recorded a career-high five goals. He finished with a total of five hat tricks on the season.
"I don't know of any freshman who gained as much experience as he did last year," Desko said. "He really performed well. I think he's come back very relaxed, more mature and ready for whatever he sees this year."
Joe Yevoli, a second-team All-American attackman for the University of Virginia in 2003 as a sophomore, transferred to Syracuse for his final year of eligibility. During the Cavs' most recent championship season, Yevoli shared the team lead in scoring with 49 points. He tied for third in the ACC in scoring with an average of 2.88 ppg. He led the ACC and tied for 20th nationally in assists at 1.53 per game, while his 26 total assists tied for 10th nationally. Against Syracuse, Yevoli scored 14 goals in four games, including at least three each time.
"We haven't been able to get the whole feel for him as far as where he's going to fit in, but based on what he's been able to do in the past – his athletic ability, his dodging ability, his scoring ability – all of these things make him a nice addition to our team," Desko said. "If he can stay healthy, he will really help give us another dangerous weapon at the attack end of the field."
Kenny Nims will get a legitimate look at attack and "you never know, you may see Niewieroski or Hardy down there," Desko said.
"We really don't know yet," Desko continued. "We hope Chris Greenman is back and healthy. He's another one with good vision and dodging ability and senior Tim Raschdorf had a great fall, so we definitely have depth at the attack position."
SCHEDULE
SU will play 12 games in 2006, seven of which will be against opponents who qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament. Counting scrimmages against Le Moyne, Fairfield, Navy and Maryland in early February, Desko's team will square off against playoff-caliber competition in its first eight contests to begin the year.
Maryland, a team the Orange is scheduled to scrimmage on Feb. 18, made it to the national semifinals a year ago. So did Virginia, a squad that lost to eventual national champion Johns Hopkins, 9-8 in overtime. SU will travel to Virginia on March 4, and to Johns Hopkins on March 18.
"Like always, it's one of the most competitive schedules in the country," Desko said. "With seven home contests, our fans will be able to see some great lacrosse in the Carrier Dome. The quality of teams on our schedule should really prepare us for the NCAA Tournament. There are no days off."
The 87th season of varsity lacrosse at Syracuse will officially begin on Feb. 25, when Army visits the Carrier Dome for the third time in the last four years. The trip to Virginia comes next, followed by a March 10 home date against Georgetown, a squad that defeated the Orange, 10-7, in last year's First 4, an elite college lacrosse showcase held in Southern California.
After the March 18 game at Hopkins, Syracuse will enjoy a three-game home stand against Hobart, Loyola and Princeton. The Orange beat all three teams a season ago.
The final five regular-season contests feature three opponents who will look to return to the NCAA Tournament. It all begins with a Tuesday night visit to Cornell's Schoellkopf Field, a site that has not been particularly hospitable to the Orange in recent years. April showers usually have something to do with that. This year's matchup will be played April 11, at 7 p.m. On April 15, SU will be at Rutgers and then returns home to face Albany and Massachusetts, two squads that earned postseason berths last season.
A short Central New York jaunt will take Syracuse to Hamilton, N.Y. to face Colgate in the final regular-season game on May 6.
NCAA first-round games are held at campus sites. This year's NCAA quarterfinals will be hosted by Stony Brook (May 20) and Towson (May 21). The semifinals and finals will be contested at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on May 27 and 29.