February 25, 2004

Before moving over to the high-powered ECAC Lacrosse League in 2005, the 2004 Hobart lacrosse team is looking to end its five-season association with the Patriot League with an appearance in the inaugural Patriot League Championship Tournament.

A two-game shootout for the conference crown and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, Hobart captains Brian Joy, Greg McCarthy, and Chris Scanlon are focused on leading the Statesmen to the program’s third PL championship and the program’s 25th NCAA Tournament invitation.

Head Coach Matt Kerwick ’90 already has all of the props he needs on campus. The 2004 Statesmen are a young bunch—the roster features only four seniors—but Kerwick’s crew is long on talent and relentlessly pushing each other in preparation for Hobart’s 102nd varsity season.

Last season, Hobart finished with a disappointing 5-8 mark, including a 4-2 record in Patriot League play. The Statesmen always seemed on the cusp of greatness, but never managed to seize the moment. Following a 4-1 start, Hobart faced the daunting task of tangling with the fifth-ranked defending national champions, Syracuse. That task seemed a whole lot less daunting after three quarters, with the Statesmen up 10-9, but the Orangemen scored four of the game’s last five goals to escape with a victory.

Four days later, Hobart visited Bucknell in a matchup of the League’s preseason co-favorites. A nail-biter from start to finish, neither team led by more than a goal, but it was the Bison who scored last, with 71 seconds remaining, to put the Statesmen behind the eight-ball in the PL race. Following a 10-8 win over Colgate that moved Hobart’s record to 5-3, the Statesmen lost four straight, including back-to-back heartbreakers to No. 17 Army, 12-10, and No. 19 Loyola, 13-12.

Coach Kerwick has a strong squad ready to contend for the PL title and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. This year’s Statesmen return five of the 2003 squad’s top eight scorers and the entire starting close defense, but Hobart will be without the services of five of its six All-Patriot League selections.

The Statesmen bid farewell to graduates John Bogosian (1st-team attack), Tim Booth (1st-team midfield), Mike Borsz (2nd-team goalie), Brad Neuberth (2nd-team defense), and Shawn Powers (2nd-team specialist), but welcome back two-time All-PL second-team junior Nate Hill.

Fresh on the heels of the announcement that Hobart would join the ECAC Lacrosse League in 2005—arguably the best lacrosse conference in the nation—the Statesmen welcomed a top-notch recruiting class to campus. Here’s how that group of newcomers is expected to fit in with Hobart’s returnees in a position-by-position look at the Statesmen:

ATTACK
Despite the considerable loss of Bogosian—the first player to lead Hobart in scoring in three consecutive seasons since Bill Miller ’91—the Statesmen will return three starters on attack. Senior Mark Williamson (13-10-23) and sophomore Mike Conklin (18-5-23) tied for third on the team in scoring last year and return to their spots up top, while Hill, who played out of position in the midfield in 2003, also returns to the attack.

Williamson made a splash in his Hobart debut. The transfer from Drexel made his first Hobart goal the game-winner in the season-opening victory against Butler. Williamson went on to score at least a point in 10 of his 12 games, including a season-high four-point performance against Loyola.

Conklin, the team’s co-rookie of the year, proved to be an explosive scoring threat, recording four points or more three times. Expected to fill some of the scoring void left by Bogosian’s graduation, he’ll need to be a more consistent threat this season. With his pin-point accurate shot and his improved ability to break down his defender look for big things out of Conklin this season.

The third starting role belongs to Hill. His dedication to the team and its success was never more apparent than last season when he played out of position to give the Hobart lineup as much scoring punch as possible—the Statesmen led the Patriot League in scoring at 10.15 gpg. A gifted passer, Hill is already fifth in career assists (34) and 10th in career points (58) among Division I Statesmen. His continued development will be a key component in Hobart’s success this season.

Junior Sean Reed, from nearby Waterloo, also will see significant playing time. He registered five points in limited action a year ago, but has worked diligently during the offseason and is ready for a breakthrough year. Rory Melvin (Episcopal Academy/Bryn Mawr, Pa.) is the most likely candidate from the Class of 2007 to contribute right away. A speedster with a blistering shot, he scored 52 points as a senior at Episcopal, earning All-Main Line and All-InterAC honors.

Sophomores Hunter Campbell and Ryan Maciaszek and first-year Michael Steele will be in the hunt for playing time as well.

MIDFIELD
Hobart’s first midfield line took big hits before, during, and after the 2003 campaign. Before the season got under way, Chris Scanlon suffered an injury that kept him out of the first two games. Three games in, Brian Joy and Nate Molinari were lost for the season due to injury. Following the season, Tim Booth and Kris Shore graduated, and Hill moved back to attack.

Both Scanlon and Joy are back and healthy, serving as team captains, which is a good thing because Booth and Shore leave sizeable shoes to fill. Currently a member of the MLL’s Rochester Rattlers, Booth ran the faceoff X for three straight seasons, compiling the best faceoff winning percentage (.565) and collecting more ground balls (255) than any other DI Statesman, while Shore was Hobart’s top setup man, counting 17 assists among his 24 points.

Joy, Scanlon, and sophomore Pat Meade will run on the top line this season. Joy is looking forward to an injury free campaign and fulfilling the potential fans saw during the 2001 season when he recorded 12 points as a sophomore. Scanlon is focused on carrying over the momentum he closed out 2003 with: nine points in the final six games. A solid possession midfielder, Meade was a steady contributor during his first season as a Statesman, making smart decisions in the transition game, while contributing six points.

The next two midfield lines will be filled out with some combination of Molinari, sophomore Mark Conklin and first-years Chris David (Georgetown Prep/Silver Springs, Md.), Kevin Fabianski (Clarke/Westbury, N.Y.), and Justin Porter (Salisbury School/Geneva, N.Y.).

Molinari has made steady progress in fall and preseason practices and appears ready for everyday action. Conklin saw limited action as a first-year, but his role should be expanded this year.

Fabianski comes to campus with a lengthy athletic resume. An honorable mention All-American for the Rams on the lacrosse field, he also garnered All-County honors in football and All-Conference accolades in basketball, ultimately winning Clarke’s Paul Hanly Outstanding Male Athlete Award. A product of one of the top high school lacrosse programs in the nation, David helped the Hoyas to a 22-1 record, the Interstate Athletic Conference Championship, and the No. 2 spot in the LaxPower.com national rankings. A tough-as-nails competitor, Porter played lacrosse for Hobart Hall of Famer Bobby Wynne ’94 at the Salisbury School, where he was also the top-ranked 145-pound wrestler in New England last year.

FACEOFF SPECIALISTS
Replacing Booth will be no small task, but Hobart is fortunate enough to have three players with the credentials to do it: first-years John Soden (Delbarton School/Chester, N.J.) and R.J. Ancona (West Islip/West Islip, N.Y.) and sophomore Otto Foerster. Soden has emerged as the heir apparent during the preseason. He earned All-State honors for Delbarton as a senior, while leading the Green Wave to two state championships. Soden possesses lightning-quick reflexes and the strength to push his opponent off the ball.

Ancona also brings a solid scholastic resume to Hobart College. He helped West Islip to the Division II Championship as a junior and earned All-Division and All-Academic team honors as a senior.

At-6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Foerester is a bull at the X, but he saw limited minutes as a first-year understudy of Booth.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
Often overlooked in favor of the players that put points on the board, Hobart has prided itself on a long tradition of outstanding d-middies. This year will be no exception as senior Jamie Giles begins his swan song season. A tough defender and a smart transition player, Giles also will serve as a mentor to sophomore understudies Alex Jessup and Mike Solomon. Jessup only saw action in three games as a first-year, while Solomon sat out the year with an injury.

LONG STICK MIDFIELD
Like the faceoff X, Coach Kerwick will look to the Class of 2007 to handle the lion’s share of the long stick midfield shifts. Rookie Chris Keough (Hicksville/Hicksville, N.Y.) has a nose for the ball that will make him a reliable wing man on restarts, not to mention the speed and power he will bring to the defensive and transition games. A two-sport athlete for the Comets, Keough played wide receiver and safety for the Hicksville football team.

Sophomore Andrew Narog also will merit significant playing time. He saw time in all 13 games last season, collecting 34 ground balls, second only to defenseman Matt Murphy among the Class of 2006.

CLOSE DEFENSE
Hobart’s close defense will look much the same as last season. While All-Patriot League honoree Brad Neuberth has graduated, he won’t be as difficult to replace because injuries limited him to just three starts last year. Junior Chet Braun, McCarthy, and Murphy were the backbone of the Statesmen’s stingy defense that ranked third in the Patriot League in goals allowed.

Now in his third season as a starter, McCarthy will be tasked with stopping the opposition’s top threats this season. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he is physical presence on the crease and will make attackmen think twice before camping out in close. Braun struggled at times during his first season as a starter in 2003, but he made steady progress throughout the year and has continued to develop during the offseason. Murphy, who was third on the team in ground balls as a first-year (34), proved to be adept at stripping opponents and collecting the loose ball. The team’s co-rookie of the year added five pounds of muscle during the offseason and will bring more pop to his hits on the crease.

The Statesmen also have the good fortune of returning a fourth starter, junior John Tamarro. Following a season off, the native of Summit, N.J., quickly shook off the rust and is ready to build on the success he enjoyed on Hobart’s 2002 Patriot League Championship team (13 gms, 4 starts, 17 GBs). Senior Matt Kanellis will give the Statesmen quality minutes off of the bench.

GOALIE
The biggest question mark on the field for Hobart is who will replace two-time All-Patriot League second-team Mike Borsz in goal. A three-year starter, Borsz graduated fifth in career saves with 388 and capped his career with an appearance in the annual North-South All-Star Game.

The Statesmen have a quartet of hopefuls working for Borsz’s minutes, led by junior Dan Valente. In seven games last season, he posted 32 saves, a .571 save percentage, and a 9.16 goals against average. Valente, while short on experience as a collegiate starter, sees the ball well and plays with the confidence to be a premier backstop.

Sophomore Mike DeSantis is a high school All-American out of Mountain Lakes, N.J., eager to prove himself for the Statesmen. First-years Donald Morrison (Chaminade/Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) and Andrew Bowen (Binghamton/Binghamton, N.Y.) also will compete for playing time.

SCHEDULE
With an all-time record of 678-383-20 in 101 seasons, Hobart is proud of its tradition of playing the best in the collegiate game, and the 2004 slate will be no different. If the Statesmen are going to earn their 25th NCAA Tournament bid it will be against a schedule that features eight teams ranked in the Inside Lacrosse/Faceoff Magazine 2004 Preseason Coaches Poll.

For the second consecutive season, Hobart gets things started on Feb. 28, against Butler at St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, Md. The Statesmen will put their 58-39-4 record in season openers on the line against the Bulldogs.

That contest is the beginning of a five-game road trip for the Statesmen that also includes stops at No. 18 Navy (March 16) and No. 6 Georgetown (March 20).

Legendary Boswell Field is scheduled to see its first action on March 27, when Lafayette visits Geneva for a Patriot League match up.

The Statesmen will look to reclaim the Kraus-Simmons Trophy on March 30, when Hobart travels to No. 3 Syracuse.

The Statesmen will begin a four-game homestand with PL games against No. 23 Bucknell (April 3) and Colgate (April 7). Hobart closes out its stay at the Boz with Saturday showdowns with 15th-ranked Penn State (April 10) and 17th-ranked Ohio State (April 17).

The Patriot League’s regular season circuit comes to a close on April 24, when Hobart visits No. 21 Army. The game also will serve as the final tune up before the PL’s inaugural Tournament, April 30 and May 1.

The lights of McCooey Field, one of Hobart’s newest athletics facilities, will spotlight the regular season finale against Cornell. One of the oldest rivalries in collegiate athletics, the Statesmen and the Big Red will meet for the 121st time on May 7.