Having reached the conference tournament in seven of the past eight seasons, the Clarkson University Men’s Lacrosse team has grown accustomed to post-season play over the last decade. With the addition of RIT to the Liberty League this year, joining three other teams from the conference in the pre-season top 20, the road to the league title got a little rougher. However, the Golden Knights have annually tested themselves with one of the toughest schedules in the country and are ready to take on the challenge en route to their first league trophy since 2004.
Led by long-time head coach Bill Bergan and assistants Kasey Burst, Brian Hoey, and Ben Gaebel, the Golden Knights return five league all-stars from last season, including three that picked up honors in consecutive years. The Green and Gold went 8-7 overall in 2011, and went 4-2 in the Liberty League. Against the teams that are so highly-touted this year, the Knights managed a record of just 1-4, but in those four losses, they fell by a combined eight goals, so no team, including the ones with arbitrary numbers before their names, is expecting Clarkson to be any kind of pushover in 2012.
The Knights biggest strength will likely be in the midfield as the Knights return a diverse group of players that excel on both sides of the ball. Senior Eric Gollands (Chelmsford, MA) was a Liberty League First-Team All-Star with 18 goals and five assists, and his offensive output this season should exceed those numbers. Classmate Matt Cyr (Cheshire, CT) has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, but when he has been on the field he has provided production, scoring 12 goals in nine games last year. Junior Brendon Shearin (Goffstown, NH) kicked in 13 goals and three assists last year and classmate Jeff Sciera (DeWitt, NY) also scored six goals with five helpers last year. Several other upperclassmen will be counted on by the Knights as well. Senior Corey Flanigan (Rochester, NY) and juniors Kane Henderson (West Linn, OR) and Jamie Stuhlinger (New Hartford, NY) played strong roles off the bench as defensive-minded midfielders and should see even more time this season.
A key for the Knights in the midfield will be the developmental advancement of sophomores Tim Krauss (Niskayuna, NY), Dan Liddy (LaFayette, NY), and Sean Mech (Mahwah, NJ). If those three take the expected step forward, and Clarkson receives production from newcomers Andrew Washuta (Maple Grove, MN), Jack Dowst (Weare, NH), Matt Gold (Pittsford, NY), Mark Nortz (Lowville, NY), and Dylan Hrebenach (Saratoga Springs, NY), then Clarkson will have enviable depth at midfield.
Clarkson lost its most potent player on face offs, but three players will see be key at the “X” this year. Senior Pat Kilday (Westford, MA) had the highest winning percentage (48.8%) for the Knights in 2011, while sophomore Jack Keenan (Brasher Falls, NY) won 35 times in the middle as well. Freshman Dylan Broomfield (Clinton, NY) has also already shown skill on face offs and could compete for a spot in the midfield this year.
The Knights attack should be strong with a pair of conference all-stars back for 2012. Senior Bryan Huff (Hillsborough, NJ) was a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star for the past two seasons and led the team in scoring with 31 points overall, including a team-best 20 goals. Junior Matt McCabe (Syracuse, NY) ranked sixth in the conference in assists with 15, accounting for more than half of his 29 points. McCabe, also a two-time Liberty League All-Star, led the conference in game-winning goals last season, scoring four times in crunch-time. Classmate Kyle Kasprzyk (Orchard Park, NY) also chipped in 10 points on six goals and four assists as the only other Clarkson player to record points on attack last year, however, senior Ryan Esposito (Nanuet, NY) is back after missing last season and he scored eight points during the 2010 season as a sophomore. The rest of the group is talented, but inexperienced. Junior Shane Martin (Camillus, NY) and sophomores Peter Goss (Jamesville, NY) and James Wright (Lawrenceville, NY) will look to add more scoring punch, while freshmen Corey Herrington (Camillus, NY) and Tyler Tomeny (Marcellus, NY) could step in right away. Other first-year players Kyle Strong (Groton, MA), Robert Linder (Marcellus, NY) and Michael Ku (Acton, MA) will provide depth for the Knights in 2011.
After losing some strong players on defense, some untested players will be thrown into action on the defensive end. Senior Matt Davidson (Hilton, NY) was chosen as a Liberty League All-Star and ranked among the team leaders in ground balls last year, and he, along with classmate Shane Farrell (Webster, NY) will give the youngsters some veteran leadership. The rest of the defensive corps is made up of sophomores and freshmen. Fortunately, the second-year players are hardly devoid of experience. Dylan Caldiero (Buffalo, NY) scooped up 26 groundballs in 15 games last year, while Rick Clement (Cotuit, MA) tacked on 11 ground balls while causing 10 turnovers in his 15 games in 2011. Classmate Brian Freeland (East Berlin, CT) didn’t get in as many games, but certainly gained a solid amount of experience in his nine contests, which included one start. Freshmen Eric Nova (Pottstown, PA), Donald Whelley (Catonsville, MD), Derrick Cheney (Jordan, NY), Carmen Pascuito (Ballston Spa, NY), Ratsienhahieus Adams (Snye, QUE), and JD St. Croix (Camillus, NY) will all be thrown into the fire at some point this season, too.
Although the defense is young, Clarkson has a pair of returning goalkeepers that can play at a high level. Junior Ryan Cole (Orchard Park, NY) was a Liberty League All-Star for the second straight season, topping the conference in saves per game (11.77 spg) in 13 contests. Classmate Pat Briggs (Baldwinsville, NY) made the most of his playing time behind Cole, appearing in three games and posting a miniscule 5.28 goals against average and a perfect 2-0 record. Freshman Harrison Washuta (Maple Grove, MN) may not see a ton of time behind the two upperclassmen, but the experience he will get behind them will prove to be valuable for his development down the road.
