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September 13, 2009

PHS, AuSable Valley to defend boys' soccer titles

PHS, AuSable Valley aim at boys' soccer repeats

DID YOU KNOW?


You can look back over the last 70 years at some of the area athletes and personalities who made headlines in area sports. Flashback will revive memories of great local athletes and outstanding team successes.

The Plattsburgh High School (11-1-1) and AuSable Valley (12-0-1) soccer teams combined to go 23-1-2 while winning the Division I and II championships, respectively, last season in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys' soccer.

The CVAC also did very well in the post-season as Class B champion PHS and Class C title-winner Northern Adirondack made it to the state semifinals before losing.

More success is hoped for in 2009 as the Hornets are one of the teams again to beat.

Division I
Beekmantown

The Eagles return a strong core of players with hopes of being contenders in the conference.

Beekmantown has good team chemistry with 13 players in all who were on the varsity a season ago.

The team is still young, with only four seniors — midfielder Brett Palmer, forward Braxton Raymond, midfielder Keyden Costin and forward Nate Whitten — on the roster.

Defensively, the Eagles also have junior goalkeeper Brett Smith, junior sweeper Ben Smith, junior stopper Aaron Ducatte and sophomore back Spencer Keable.

Other returners include sophomore forward Dylan Riley, junior midfielders Anthony Panetti and Shayne Peterson, and sophomore midfielders Keon Jahanbakhsh and Zack Towle.

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Players lost

Josh Garren, Josh Woodley, Nate Racine, Tom Wrobel, Tim Walsh.

Players returning

Brett Palmer, Braxton Raymond, Keyden Costin, Nate Whitten, Ben Smith, Brett Smith, Anthony Panetti, Shayne Peterson, Aaron Ducatte, Zack Towle, Dylan Riley, Keon Jahanbakhsh, Spencer Keable.

Newcomers

Charles Payson, Eddie Blow, Jordhan Varin, Devon Anderson, Chris McIlroy, Josh Perkins.

Northeastern Clinton

The Cougars, despite having 10 players return to the varsity, will have some inexperience as only two starters are back off last year's 11-6-2 squad.

Only senior goalkeeper Casey Manor and senior forward Devan Poissant started last season.

Of the other returning players, senior midfielders Kyle Keswick and Brandon LaMere, junior midfielder Drew Pero and senior defender Fred Hapgood will start.

There are openings for the varsity newcomers, with senior defender Brandon Garrand, junior forwards Jamie Davison and Dyan Carter, sophomore defender Rob Armstrong and sophomore midfielder Sean Harrigan all projected to be in the line-up.

How early the younger players adjust to the higher level will determine the team's success.

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Players lost

Nick Barcomb, Dillon DiOrio, Lucas Dixon, Connor Herdic, Nathan Lamberton, Casey Letourneau, Gerald Marks, Andy Matott, Brad Paul, Kasey Trombley.

Returning players

Casey Manor, Devan Poissant, Randy Grimshaw, Kyle Keswick, Branden LaMere, Drew Pero, Brett Bosley, Frad Hapgood, Teagan Spinner, Josh Harvey.

Newcomers

Brandon Garrand, Jamie Davison, Dyan Carter, Rob Armstrong, Sean Harrigan, Eric Linkowski, Nick Guay, Bobby Marks, Logan Miller.

Peru
Greg Johnson, Taylor Spear and Dan Caron are the only returning starters as the Indians, who were 12-6-2 last season, got hit extremely hard by graduation.

The team is very, very young, with only six varsity players back from a year ago. The others who will start this season are Collin Yost, Kyle Kennedy and Eric Mitchell.

Of the varsity newcomers, Cody LaDuke, Justus Ruff, Pappy Hogan, Kyle Knight, Zach St. Louis, Travis Turgeon and Adam Duquette could break into the starting line-up.

Peru is expected to suffer through some growing pains early on as the team gains experience.

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Players lost

Dustin Mullen, Matt Leta, Aaron Tenbuuren, Justin Houle, Nick Napolitan, Noah Tubbs, Jordan Stephney, Alex Munn, Sean Harrigan.

Players returning

Collin Yost, Greg Johnson, Kyler Kennedy, Taylor Spear, Eric Mitchell, Dan Caron.

Newcomers

Cody LaDuke, Justus Ruff, Pappy Hogan, Tyler Landry, Tim Broadwell, Kyle Knight, Zach St. Louis, Evan Tomkiewicz, Travis Turgeon, Adam Duquette.

Plattsburgh
It will be a case of reloading, not rebuilding, for the Hornets, who lost 10 players off last year's 21-2-1 team.

PHS will have great leadership and experience in the midfield and forward positions, led by senior midfielders Jordan Conroy, Drew Wyand and Kyle Knight, along with sophomore forward Ethan Votraw.

Senior midfielder Seth Fout, senior defenders Justin Hughes and Ryan Latinville, and senior goalkeeper Kevin Neiderer also return and will be starters this season.

PHS has added 14 varsity newcomers, with junior defenders Kendrick Buchala and Dylan Esposito, and junior forward Jordan Knight projected to start.

The Hornets, however, are young and untested on defense. How well those players mature and play as a unit will go a long way towards determining how well the team does.

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Players lost

Michael Bennett, Ethan Crockett, Joe Shannawi, Brandon Dunham, Mack Kilkeary, Fred Ritter, Justin Lavarnway, Kyle Kirk, Alex Pierce, Evan Cobb.

Returning players

Jordan Conroy, Drew Wyand, Kyle Knight, Ethan Votraw, Seth Fout, Justin Hughes, Ryan Latinville, Kevin Neiderer, Andrew Caringi, Noah Wolkowicz.

Newcomers

Connor Benoit, Kendrick Buchala, Casey Buck, Shea Crockett, Tom Curran, Justin Dunham, Lucien Dunham, Dylan Exposito, Mitch Kilkeary, Jordan Knight, Joe Tolosky, Craig Worley, Chris Roenbeck, Khalid Eltahir.

Saranac
The Chiefs, 9-8-2 last season, will be looking to find some offense as players who accounted for 33 of the team's 38 goals last season are no longer on the team.

Returning junior forward Jacob Martindale and two newcomers to the varsity, junior forward Luke Jenks and junior midfielder Jon Brown, are expected to be able to put the ball in the net.

Midfielders Kyle Kostyk, Matt Hamilton and Zack Burgess also return and will need to control their third of the field, while returners Kory Smith and Alex Holtsclaw will be key defenders.

Among the varsity newcomers expected to be in the line-up are sophomore goalkeeper Bill Badger, along with junior Travis Agoney and sophomore Brandon Terry.

Five newcomers in all are expected to start and the concern going into the season for Saranac is experience and lack of team speed.

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Players lost

Steve Rock, Nate Williams, Josh Gordon, Kyle Branch, Jason Pageau, Zack Hamel, Jordan Keysor, Ben Depo, Nate Turcotte, Kalob Drollette.

Players returning

Zack Burgess, Jacob Goddeau, Matt Hamilton, Alex Holtsclaw, Kyle Kostyk, Jacob Martindale, Kory Smith, Mitch Wood, John Downey.

Newcomers

Travis Agoney, Bill Badger, Jon Brown, Jason Favaro, Luke Jenks, James Laduke, Alex Madan, Micah Patterson, Albert Stickle, Brandon Terry, Jeremiah Hamel.

Northern Adirondack
The defending Class C champions are stressing defense in the early going as five of the six players who graduated off last year's team were defenders.

Returning starters for NAC include junior goalkeeper Tyler Mesec, senior defender Ben LaValley, senior forward Nick LaValley and junior midfielders Joe Lashway and Stephen Trudo.

Other players back from last year who are expected to start include senior fullback Mike Barber, senior forward Spencer Ferguson, senior midfielder Gabe Hynes, senior forward Tyler LaValley, senior fullback/midfielder Tyler Pombrio and junior fullback Josh Powers.

With most of the returning players being either forwards or midfielders, the Bobcats are hoping to maintain some offense. A key is to have the seniors step up and lead by example.

—

Players lost

Shane Clinebell, Cody Golovach, Josh Lashway, Peter Patterson, Tyler Smith, Jared Tetreault.

Returning players

Mike Barber, Matt Carter, Spencer Ferguson, Gabe Hynes, Ben LaValley, Nick LaValley, Tyler LaValley, Tyler Pombrio, Jon Lashway, Tyler Mesec, Josh Powers, Stephen Trudo.

Newcomers

Ryan Harris, Nick Gero, Cameron Garrand, Connor Jubert, Alex Mousseau, Zach Tourville, Craig Gardner, David Miller.

Saranac Lake

The Red Storm are relying on several returning seniors, who have versatility in many positions.

Saranac Lake expects to be solid on defense, but needs to find a goalkeeper after their starting netminder was injured recently in the Saranac Tournament.

Seniors Jake Vuolo, Dylan Tubertini and Michael Brewer are the team captains.

Of the 17 players on the roster, there are 10 seniors including Neil Brandt, Dave Benham, Mason Wagner, Shane Riley, Connor Paschke, Scott Augustine and Vince Magro.

—

Player roster

Jake Vuolo, Neil Brandt, Dave Benham, Mason Wagner, Dylan Tubertini, Michael Brewer, Shane Riley, Connor Paschke, Scott Augustine, Vince Magro, Conor McCormick, Sam Baker, Pat McHugh, Wyatt Daviau, Matt Martin, Marco Carvalho, Sean Lanigan.

Seton Catholic

The Knights are still young and expect to suffer through some more growing pains.

There are only two seniors — forward/midfielder Shawn Bacon and midfielder Josh Stuart — among the returning players.

Seton Catholic does have a goalkeeper in junior Sabastian Barie, who has two years of varsity experience.

Junior forward/midfielder Rayne Fuller, junior midfielder/defender Devin Luck and junior midfielder/defender Kyle Vandenbusch will also by key players.

Lack of depth, lack of pre-season scrimmages and finding someone to put the ball in the net are concerns for the Knights, who lost leadership and the skills of Tanner LeCuyer, who graduated.

—

Players lost

Tanner LeCuyer, Eddie Park, Clement Park, Chris Choi, Jeon Jeoung.

Players returning

Shawn Bacon, Josh Stuart, Sebastian Barie, Rayne Fuller, Devin Luck, Kyle Vandenbusch, Jang Bin Park, Demytro Ardryeyev, Ed La Row, Mike Richter.

Newcomers

Tyler Fragassi, Joey LaFranca, Ren Wakasuti, Anibal Fernandez Llanes, Jose Antonio Duque, Jaeuk Jeon.

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