2007 lacrosse preview (and midseason report)
Posted by Hillel Hoffmann
2007 lacrosse preview (and midseason report)
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.hsd1.pa.comcast.net)
Date: February 26, 2007 12:17AM
Until about 3:35 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2006, the Cornell lacrosse program had been on a smooth ascent, floating like a turkey vulture on a never-ending thermal. Since then, the chop hasn't let up.
It started when Joe Boulukos' frantic, last-minute dodge ended in a weak bounce shot instead of a game-tying goal in last year's first-round NCAA playoff game, sealing the team's first home playoff loss in 31 years and first postseason upset loss under Tambroni. So began a trying offseason.
A bunch of unspecified injuries and illnesses knocked out starters and key reserves from practice and scrimmages and compromised the development of several young players. By now, most of the lacrosse world knows that sophomore middie Max Seibald -- the most physically dominant midfielder to emerge in the Ivy League since Yale's Jon Reese came up in the late 1980s -- didn't play in any of February's scrimmages. Perhaps just as troubling, Cornell's best defensive player, senior goalie Matt McMonagle, wasn't rested for a single minute of the offseason due to health problems plaguing the team's promising new back-up, junior Jake Myers, a transfer from Syracuse.
Then there were the dismal scrimmage showings. Unlike last season, when Cornell was catapulted into the regular season by a series of sharp scrimmages against some of the nation's best teams, the 2006-07 offseason saw Cornell get cuffed by midweights and torn apart by heavyweights (at one point in Cornell's final scrimmage at Johns Hopkins, Cornell was down 11-1). No one should have expected a team with an injury-depleted roster to look watertight in preseason games, but Cornell lacked the fire that distinguished scrimmages in recent years. The offense, particularly the extra-man offense, was torpid, and no players emerged to fill the two big holes left by Cornell's graduated short-stick defensive midfielders, Dave Bush and Cameron Marchant. Preseason opponents with top-notch middies like Hopkins' Paul Rabil easily toasted Cornell's shorties, and the transition goals generated by Bush's speed evaporated.
A fall article in the Daily Sun added to the gloom. In an October 16 item by Olivia Dwyer, Coach Tambroni, usually a sober public voice, tore into his players after the Pumpkin Stickout scrimmages in Syracuse, publicly questioning the team's desire, work ethic and (indirectly, if Dwyer's reporting was accurate) even its leadership. I've never read anything like it from any other Cornell coach, even Mike Schafer at his crankiest. Tambroni has always lived by the Gospel of Lithium (don't get too high when you're up, don't get too low when you're down), and his players have followed his lead. This offseason he may not have practiced what he preaches.
Are these signs of a team beginning to fray around the edges? If opponents like Massachusetts can so easily expose Cornell's weaknesses, will the Big Red's rise to national prominence stop here, always a step or two short of the final four?
No way.
This team has too much talent, too much experience, and thanks to two consecutive solid recruiting classes, too much depth. Yeah, a slow start is possible -- maybe even likely. But hey, butt-ugly scrimmage performances and slow starts have been a Cornell lacrosse trademark since Y2K (the 2005-06 offseason was an exception). I don't know if it's realistic to expect Cornell to overcome the recruiting advantages of teams like Virginia, Johns Hopkins, or Syracuse and become a perennial final four team, but barring injuries, I expect to see Cornell in the NCAA semifinals sometime soon.
OFFENSE. Last year, most of Cornell's offense came from two sources: 1) match-up problems created by putting the dodging, strength, and right-or-left-handed-shooting-on-the-run of middies Boulukos and Seibald on the field at the same time, giving Cornell the ability to isolate weak defensive personnel or free up good looks for left-handed attackman David Mitchell, who enjoyed a break-out year with 43 goals; 2) transition and unsettled situations created by the defense and the superb play of SSDMs Bush and Marchant. But now Boulukos, Bush, and Marchant are gone -- and if scrimmages were a reliable barometer, so are the goals. The answer to both problems, at least in part, may come from an upperclassman who didn't even set foot on the field last year, midfielder John Glynn. An injury casualty in 2006, Glynn is playing at full speed and showing signs of fulfilling the promise he showed as a high school star at Lindenhurst (Long Island). Tambroni seems to be experimenting with playing Glynn as an all-purpose, old-school, two-way middie, taking advantage of his tenaciousness on ground balls and stick skills in the same way that Massachusetts uses hybrid middie Jacovina. Don't be surprised to see Glynn sparking Cornell's transition game, and perhaps even possessing the ball almost as much as Seibald on the first-line midfield in Cornell's "half-court" offensive sets. Like Seibald, he'll even pitch in on Cornell's chronically weak face off unit, taking about one-quarter of the draws. But no matter how well Glynn performs, the key to Cornell's offense is Seibald. As explosive as Boulukos but perhaps more controlled, Seibald's potential appears to be limitless. Even on an offense with a boatload of seniors, he's the fulcrum -- if he's healthy. Shoot, he scares defensive game planners so much that he'll probably be an effective decoy while he heals. The only other offseason mystery on offense: The third attackman, joining seniors Mitchell and Eric Pittard, likely will be senior Henry Bartlett from the Philly suburbs, who deserves some kind of award for patience. Sophomore Chris Finn also will see plenty of time.
DEFENSE. When Cornell's coaches update their résumés, the first sentence might be: "Took a raw bunch of non-blue-chip players and molded them into one of the best groups of long poles in the nation." Sure, it helps to have All-American goalie McMonagle guarding the gate, making the calls, and throwing outlet passes. But how can you not marvel at what the D has become? Four of their starters came to Ithaca with no experience at their current position: senior defenseman Mitch Belisle (ex-middie), junior defenseman Danny Nathan (another ex-middie), long-stick middie Ethan Vedder (ex-goalie), and sophomore defenseman Matt Moyer (ex-LSM). Perhaps the second best player from the killer Class of '09, the bulked-up Moyer is the latest metamorphosis project. With great wheels and LSM instincts, I wouldn't be surprised to see him graduate as Cornell's all-time points leader as a defenseman. The other soph close defender waiting for his moment to shine is Nick Gradinger, who's trying to work his way through some chronic health issues. If he's able to approach 100 percent, he's an instant starter. Cornell could use every bit of his 6'4" and 235 pounds, because the Big Red's opponents this year will feature a Murderers' Row of attackmen the size of NFL tight ends: Syracuse's Hardy (6'5"/235 pounds), Colgate's Lalli (6'5"/220), Brown's Madeira (6'3"
, and Notre Dame's scary duo of Hubschmann (6'5" and freshman superfreak Yeatman (a monster at 6'6"/260). The heart of this defensive unit is Belisle. He doesn't have the pedigree or flash of Princeton's Cocoziello or Syracuse's Panarelli; all he does is abuse his man every week. Literally. The constant physical punishment he's able to dish out is awesome to watch. The D's weakest links, as discussed above, are the short-stick defensive midfielders. After an offseason-long casting call, the players most likely to emerge at the two SSDM slots are soph George Calvert (another player who has switched positions) and Michael Howe, a freshman from Sean Greenhalgh's alma mater, Holy Cross (St. Catherines, Ontario). Glynn may also play a significant role. Without a single player with college SSDM experience, I dread the thought of playing teams with strong first-line midfields, like Syracuse's Rommel-Brooks-Perritt line.
NEWCOMERS. Although Tambroni has brought in another strong class, you may not see more than one or two freshmen getting anything other than mop-up duty in 2007. (Is there any more powerful evidence of Cornell's newfound depth?) SSDM Howe is the only regular. Another freshman likely to get significant minutes: Andrew MacDonald, an LSM from western Mass; he had a fantastic offseason. Others who could get a taste: LSM Pierce Derkac (Virginia) and attackmen Ritchie (Long Island) and Hurley (Minnesota). Hurley, to my eyes, looks like a future star. He's a tall, aggressive lefty who loves to explode to the goal.
RECRUITING. After two huge salmon runs of recruits and transfers, it's inevitable that next year's freshman class will be a bit smaller. Of the few confirmed Class of 2011 recruits, the highlights are two Suffolk County players, stocky but brilliant goalie Mat Martinez from Bâbylon High School and cat-quick attackman David Lau from state champs Cold Spring Harbor. (Could the latter be the son of George Lau '78?) There are some nice video highlights of CSHHS games on YouTube. Check out videos posted by jao2000; Lau is number 7.
Quick hits:
Best sideline sight: A fourth assistant (volunteer Eric Genova). Finally.
Strangest sideline absence: A full-time offensive assistant.
Trap game on schedule: Colgate, one of the most dangerous of lax's mid-majors, on Feb. 27 (tomorrow). Look out.
Rare near-NYC appearance: vs. Notre Dame at Hewlett High School, Hewlett, NY, March 3, 1 p.m.
Only regular season game on a nationally available channel: Princeton, April 21, 3 p.m., CSTV.
Ivy forecast: A two-horse race, with Cornell edging Princeton. OK, a 2.5-horse race (Harvard).
Ivy trend: Dartmouth going toe-to-toe with Princeton on the recruiting trail.
Hottest non-Duke issue: The new official's "mechanic" calling for a buncha semi-random stick measurements.
2007 quarterfinals and final four locations: Princeton and Navy (quarters), Baltimore (final four).
2008 final four location: Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Thank you to RB, PG, DG, SG, and others for contributing their insights.
It started when Joe Boulukos' frantic, last-minute dodge ended in a weak bounce shot instead of a game-tying goal in last year's first-round NCAA playoff game, sealing the team's first home playoff loss in 31 years and first postseason upset loss under Tambroni. So began a trying offseason.
A bunch of unspecified injuries and illnesses knocked out starters and key reserves from practice and scrimmages and compromised the development of several young players. By now, most of the lacrosse world knows that sophomore middie Max Seibald -- the most physically dominant midfielder to emerge in the Ivy League since Yale's Jon Reese came up in the late 1980s -- didn't play in any of February's scrimmages. Perhaps just as troubling, Cornell's best defensive player, senior goalie Matt McMonagle, wasn't rested for a single minute of the offseason due to health problems plaguing the team's promising new back-up, junior Jake Myers, a transfer from Syracuse.
Then there were the dismal scrimmage showings. Unlike last season, when Cornell was catapulted into the regular season by a series of sharp scrimmages against some of the nation's best teams, the 2006-07 offseason saw Cornell get cuffed by midweights and torn apart by heavyweights (at one point in Cornell's final scrimmage at Johns Hopkins, Cornell was down 11-1). No one should have expected a team with an injury-depleted roster to look watertight in preseason games, but Cornell lacked the fire that distinguished scrimmages in recent years. The offense, particularly the extra-man offense, was torpid, and no players emerged to fill the two big holes left by Cornell's graduated short-stick defensive midfielders, Dave Bush and Cameron Marchant. Preseason opponents with top-notch middies like Hopkins' Paul Rabil easily toasted Cornell's shorties, and the transition goals generated by Bush's speed evaporated.
A fall article in the Daily Sun added to the gloom. In an October 16 item by Olivia Dwyer, Coach Tambroni, usually a sober public voice, tore into his players after the Pumpkin Stickout scrimmages in Syracuse, publicly questioning the team's desire, work ethic and (indirectly, if Dwyer's reporting was accurate) even its leadership. I've never read anything like it from any other Cornell coach, even Mike Schafer at his crankiest. Tambroni has always lived by the Gospel of Lithium (don't get too high when you're up, don't get too low when you're down), and his players have followed his lead. This offseason he may not have practiced what he preaches.
Are these signs of a team beginning to fray around the edges? If opponents like Massachusetts can so easily expose Cornell's weaknesses, will the Big Red's rise to national prominence stop here, always a step or two short of the final four?
No way.
This team has too much talent, too much experience, and thanks to two consecutive solid recruiting classes, too much depth. Yeah, a slow start is possible -- maybe even likely. But hey, butt-ugly scrimmage performances and slow starts have been a Cornell lacrosse trademark since Y2K (the 2005-06 offseason was an exception). I don't know if it's realistic to expect Cornell to overcome the recruiting advantages of teams like Virginia, Johns Hopkins, or Syracuse and become a perennial final four team, but barring injuries, I expect to see Cornell in the NCAA semifinals sometime soon.
OFFENSE. Last year, most of Cornell's offense came from two sources: 1) match-up problems created by putting the dodging, strength, and right-or-left-handed-shooting-on-the-run of middies Boulukos and Seibald on the field at the same time, giving Cornell the ability to isolate weak defensive personnel or free up good looks for left-handed attackman David Mitchell, who enjoyed a break-out year with 43 goals; 2) transition and unsettled situations created by the defense and the superb play of SSDMs Bush and Marchant. But now Boulukos, Bush, and Marchant are gone -- and if scrimmages were a reliable barometer, so are the goals. The answer to both problems, at least in part, may come from an upperclassman who didn't even set foot on the field last year, midfielder John Glynn. An injury casualty in 2006, Glynn is playing at full speed and showing signs of fulfilling the promise he showed as a high school star at Lindenhurst (Long Island). Tambroni seems to be experimenting with playing Glynn as an all-purpose, old-school, two-way middie, taking advantage of his tenaciousness on ground balls and stick skills in the same way that Massachusetts uses hybrid middie Jacovina. Don't be surprised to see Glynn sparking Cornell's transition game, and perhaps even possessing the ball almost as much as Seibald on the first-line midfield in Cornell's "half-court" offensive sets. Like Seibald, he'll even pitch in on Cornell's chronically weak face off unit, taking about one-quarter of the draws. But no matter how well Glynn performs, the key to Cornell's offense is Seibald. As explosive as Boulukos but perhaps more controlled, Seibald's potential appears to be limitless. Even on an offense with a boatload of seniors, he's the fulcrum -- if he's healthy. Shoot, he scares defensive game planners so much that he'll probably be an effective decoy while he heals. The only other offseason mystery on offense: The third attackman, joining seniors Mitchell and Eric Pittard, likely will be senior Henry Bartlett from the Philly suburbs, who deserves some kind of award for patience. Sophomore Chris Finn also will see plenty of time.
DEFENSE. When Cornell's coaches update their résumés, the first sentence might be: "Took a raw bunch of non-blue-chip players and molded them into one of the best groups of long poles in the nation." Sure, it helps to have All-American goalie McMonagle guarding the gate, making the calls, and throwing outlet passes. But how can you not marvel at what the D has become? Four of their starters came to Ithaca with no experience at their current position: senior defenseman Mitch Belisle (ex-middie), junior defenseman Danny Nathan (another ex-middie), long-stick middie Ethan Vedder (ex-goalie), and sophomore defenseman Matt Moyer (ex-LSM). Perhaps the second best player from the killer Class of '09, the bulked-up Moyer is the latest metamorphosis project. With great wheels and LSM instincts, I wouldn't be surprised to see him graduate as Cornell's all-time points leader as a defenseman. The other soph close defender waiting for his moment to shine is Nick Gradinger, who's trying to work his way through some chronic health issues. If he's able to approach 100 percent, he's an instant starter. Cornell could use every bit of his 6'4" and 235 pounds, because the Big Red's opponents this year will feature a Murderers' Row of attackmen the size of NFL tight ends: Syracuse's Hardy (6'5"/235 pounds), Colgate's Lalli (6'5"/220), Brown's Madeira (6'3"
, and Notre Dame's scary duo of Hubschmann (6'5" and freshman superfreak Yeatman (a monster at 6'6"/260). The heart of this defensive unit is Belisle. He doesn't have the pedigree or flash of Princeton's Cocoziello or Syracuse's Panarelli; all he does is abuse his man every week. Literally. The constant physical punishment he's able to dish out is awesome to watch. The D's weakest links, as discussed above, are the short-stick defensive midfielders. After an offseason-long casting call, the players most likely to emerge at the two SSDM slots are soph George Calvert (another player who has switched positions) and Michael Howe, a freshman from Sean Greenhalgh's alma mater, Holy Cross (St. Catherines, Ontario). Glynn may also play a significant role. Without a single player with college SSDM experience, I dread the thought of playing teams with strong first-line midfields, like Syracuse's Rommel-Brooks-Perritt line.
NEWCOMERS. Although Tambroni has brought in another strong class, you may not see more than one or two freshmen getting anything other than mop-up duty in 2007. (Is there any more powerful evidence of Cornell's newfound depth?) SSDM Howe is the only regular. Another freshman likely to get significant minutes: Andrew MacDonald, an LSM from western Mass; he had a fantastic offseason. Others who could get a taste: LSM Pierce Derkac (Virginia) and attackmen Ritchie (Long Island) and Hurley (Minnesota). Hurley, to my eyes, looks like a future star. He's a tall, aggressive lefty who loves to explode to the goal.
RECRUITING. After two huge salmon runs of recruits and transfers, it's inevitable that next year's freshman class will be a bit smaller. Of the few confirmed Class of 2011 recruits, the highlights are two Suffolk County players, stocky but brilliant goalie Mat Martinez from Bâbylon High School and cat-quick attackman David Lau from state champs Cold Spring Harbor. (Could the latter be the son of George Lau '78?) There are some nice video highlights of CSHHS games on YouTube. Check out videos posted by jao2000; Lau is number 7.
Quick hits:
Best sideline sight: A fourth assistant (volunteer Eric Genova). Finally.
Strangest sideline absence: A full-time offensive assistant.
Trap game on schedule: Colgate, one of the most dangerous of lax's mid-majors, on Feb. 27 (tomorrow). Look out.
Rare near-NYC appearance: vs. Notre Dame at Hewlett High School, Hewlett, NY, March 3, 1 p.m.
Only regular season game on a nationally available channel: Princeton, April 21, 3 p.m., CSTV.
Ivy forecast: A two-horse race, with Cornell edging Princeton. OK, a 2.5-horse race (Harvard).
Ivy trend: Dartmouth going toe-to-toe with Princeton on the recruiting trail.
Hottest non-Duke issue: The new official's "mechanic" calling for a buncha semi-random stick measurements.
2007 quarterfinals and final four locations: Princeton and Navy (quarters), Baltimore (final four).
2008 final four location: Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Thank you to RB, PG, DG, SG, and others for contributing their insights.
Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2007 12:41AM by Hillel Hoffmann.
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: Josh '99 (---.net)
Date: February 26, 2007 11:12AM
Excellent preview. Thanks, Hillel. Also:
Hee!Hillel Hoffmann
Bâbylon High School
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: redhair34 (---.resnet.cornell.edu)
Date: February 26, 2007 02:02PM
Thanks Hillel for the great preview. What's the story with Boykin? Wasn't he touted as an impact player? Is he more of a project?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2007 02:09PM by redhair34.
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: RichH (216.195.201.---)
Date: February 26, 2007 05:44PM
Ridiculously outstanding as always, Hillel. Thanks a bunch!
Oooo...saucy. I haven't heard of this. Anyone care to elaborate on this new "feature" for lax? Imagine if this happened in hockey....Mike Gilligan's head might very well explode.
Hillel Hoffmann
Hottest non-Duke issue: The new official's "mechanic" calling for a buncha semi-random stick measurements.
Oooo...saucy. I haven't heard of this. Anyone care to elaborate on this new "feature" for lax? Imagine if this happened in hockey....Mike Gilligan's head might very well explode.
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: Rita (---.dhcp.insightbb.com)
Date: February 26, 2007 08:06PM
Thank you Hillel!
Besides introducing the players on this year's team, your article provided a lot of insight about positions and things to watch for in such a way that a novice like me could understand.
Besides introducing the players on this year's team, your article provided a lot of insight about positions and things to watch for in such a way that a novice like me could understand.
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: Liz '05 (---.pn.at.cox.net)
Date: February 26, 2007 09:34PM
RichHHillel Hoffmann
Hottest non-Duke issue: The new official's "mechanic" calling for a buncha semi-random stick measurements.
Oooo...saucy.
As in...hot sauce? [insert fire-breathing smiley]
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: David Harding (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 26, 2007 11:43PM
...cat-quick attackman David Lau from state champs Cold Spring Harbor. (Could the latter be the son of George Lau '78?)[/q]George is listed in the Cornell on-line alumni directory as living in Syosset.
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.usb.temple.edu)
Date: February 27, 2007 10:42AM
redhair34
What's the story with Boykin? Wasn't he touted as an impact player?
The list of freshmen who are most likely to get playing time this year is driven more by need at given positions than relative talent. This team has a lot of excellent, experienced offensive midfielders -- enough to populate two dangerous lines (in the Binghamton game it was Seibald-Glynn-Clayton and Lewis-Romero-Espey). Freshmen like Boykin and McCready (another talented guy) may emerge as stars at some point, but as o-middies they're not likely to get more than garbage-time PT this year unless there are injuries. They also have to compete with the Corbolotti twins, juniors from northern California, and Drew Webb, a soph from Texas. They all have potential as well.
RichH
I haven't heard of [the new official's "mechanic" calling for semi-random stick measurements]. Anyone care to elaborate on this new "feature" for lax?
[[i]If there's a lax referee in the audience, please correct me if I get this wrong[/i].]
To combat a perceived increase in the frequency and flagrancy of illegal sticks -- pockets that are too deep (and draw strings to hide them), head wall necks that are too pinched, sticks that are too short -- the NCAA has instituted a change in a mechanic. It's not a rule change, but a change in the way rules are policed on the field.
In addition to stick checks that coaches may request, officials now will check a minimum of 12 sticks per game, six per team. These stick checks may be done at any time, but so far they tend to be happening immediately after goals in the first three periods of games. When they are called, refs check one stick per team -- typically the goal scorer and one defensive player. The penalty remains the same -- stick is removed, player gets either a one or three-minute non-releasable penalty (depending on nature of violation). If the measurement takes place after a goal and a goal-scorer's stick is illegal, then the goal gets wiped out too. Some crews were catching a lot of illegal sticks in the preseason, but the number of violations seems to going down. There have been a few early regular season games that have been impacted.
Don't get mad at the refs -- they HATE this new mechanic. In the games I've seen, I think they've been doing a great job of trying to minimize disruption of the flow of games.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2007 01:51PM by Hillel Hoffmann.
Colgate-Cornell game this afternoon (video update)
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.usb.temple.edu)
Date: February 27, 2007 12:36PM
An update on this afternoon's Cornell-Colgate game at Schoellkopf at 4 p.m.:
The Cornell Athletics Web site is sending mixed signals about audio and video availability. Here's the scoop. There will not be audio play-by-play of this game, as far as I know. However, in addition to a Game Tracker, it's likely that there will be live video available -- probably with ambient sound, just like the Binghamton game (kinda cool with the clacking of stickchecks and all that). Watch for a link to appear later this afternoon. If it's posted, I'd use the link that appears on the "schedule" portion of the home page.
I'm not going to start a new thread because I won't be able to do updates or change the thread title. I hope someone else will do so.
The Cornell Athletics Web site is sending mixed signals about audio and video availability. Here's the scoop. There will not be audio play-by-play of this game, as far as I know. However, in addition to a Game Tracker, it's likely that there will be live video available -- probably with ambient sound, just like the Binghamton game (kinda cool with the clacking of stickchecks and all that). Watch for a link to appear later this afternoon. If it's posted, I'd use the link that appears on the "schedule" portion of the home page.
I'm not going to start a new thread because I won't be able to do updates or change the thread title. I hope someone else will do so.
Re: Colgate-Cornell game this afternoon (video update)
Posted by: Chris '03 (---.hsd1.ct.comcast.net)
Date: February 27, 2007 03:14PM
CU athletics release says the game us on WHCU: [cornellbigred.cstv.com]
This release says no radio for Binghamton and nothing save for maybe stat tracker for ND: [cornellbigred.cstv.com]
This release says no radio for Binghamton and nothing save for maybe stat tracker for ND: [cornellbigred.cstv.com]
Re: 2007 lacrosse preview
Posted by: Jacob '06 (---.caltech.edu)
Date: February 27, 2007 03:50PM
Anyone going to be watching the game on some-access? I can only get to a mac right now so unfortunately I can't.
Midseason report
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.hsd1.pa.comcast.net)
Date: April 10, 2007 12:40AM
Who was the dickweed above who said a slow start was likely?
If you're my age or older, this season is starting to feel sort of familiar. Exactly 20 seasons ago, Cornell sprinted out of the blocks, emerging from the first half of the 1987 season undefeated after mugging its first few Ivy opponents and getting an attention-grabbing road victory against a highly-touted non-conference opponent (back then it was Syracuse). The '87 team also had a great goalie and an aggressive defense that sparked a dangerous transition game.
But the 2007 team has two things the 1987 team lacked. Instead of one All-Universe player who created almost all the offense (attackman Tim Goldstein '88, a transfer from Hofstra), this offense is so deep and adaptable that it can easily overcome one or even two injured or ineffective starters in any given game. When Clayton sat last weekend, for example, they promoted Espey from the second-line midfield and plugged in Tom Corbolotti to replace Espey with no drop in efficiency or productivity. And unlike this year's squad, the 1987 team wasn't all that experienced. Now Cornell takes the field with seniors all over the field, each playoff-tested.
That 1987 team didn't lose a game until the championship final at Rutgers, when an inexplicable 4th-quarter turnover by goalie Paul Schimoler led to Hopkins' game-winning goal. Will Cornell's experience and versatility get them over the hump this time? I like Cornell's chances, but I might just be high on oxygen-deprivation from holding my breath all spring waiting for some Inevitable Bad Thing to happen. When you talk to people who've been emotionally invested in Cornell lacrosse for a long time, the collective anxiety is freaky. I guess that's what happens when you haven't seen a final four in two decades.
Midseason awards
Offensive MVP: (tie) midfielders Brian Clayton and John Glynn. Smart, tough, versatile, egoless, aggressive, clutch, hitting all the corners -- who would have predicted that these words would describe two 2007 middies not named Seibald? Glynn is a miracle who plays the game with joy and verve, and Clayton can do no wrong this year after bouncing back from a quiet season on the second line -- a demotion he handled like a mensch. Let's hope Clayton's undisclosed injury isn't serious or chronic.
Defensive MVP: defenseman Mitch Belisle. A rock. First-team All America in my book.
Unsung hero: attackman Henry Bartlett, who waited three long years to get his chance. Who knew this team had two guys who could find space near the crease, catch, and finish?
Weakest link: no surprise -- short-stick defensive midfielders. In the Duke game, freshmen Michael Howe was replaced by Danny Nathan, who returned to his original position after Nick Gradinger returned to fitness. Nathan is an improvement, but George Calvert, for all his guts and effort, is an accident waiting to happen.
Best freshman: Hard to say, 'cause they never play, but long-stick midfielder Andrew MacDonald looks good.
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
Worst matchup for Cornell in the early rounds of the playoffs: Syracuse (if they make it).
Best sight: More than 4,000 people at Schoellkopf for the game against Penn, a team that doesn't travel with many fans.
Worst sight: Football lines on Schoellkopf's turf during lacrosse season. Tacky.
Strangest sight: The physique of '08 freshman recruit, goalie Mat Martinez, No. 55 in this picture from a Bâbylon High School football game: [babylonhits.com]
Best non-Cornell players I've seen live this year: junior midfielders Jordan Levine and Steve Ammann, Albany.
If you're my age or older, this season is starting to feel sort of familiar. Exactly 20 seasons ago, Cornell sprinted out of the blocks, emerging from the first half of the 1987 season undefeated after mugging its first few Ivy opponents and getting an attention-grabbing road victory against a highly-touted non-conference opponent (back then it was Syracuse). The '87 team also had a great goalie and an aggressive defense that sparked a dangerous transition game.
But the 2007 team has two things the 1987 team lacked. Instead of one All-Universe player who created almost all the offense (attackman Tim Goldstein '88, a transfer from Hofstra), this offense is so deep and adaptable that it can easily overcome one or even two injured or ineffective starters in any given game. When Clayton sat last weekend, for example, they promoted Espey from the second-line midfield and plugged in Tom Corbolotti to replace Espey with no drop in efficiency or productivity. And unlike this year's squad, the 1987 team wasn't all that experienced. Now Cornell takes the field with seniors all over the field, each playoff-tested.
That 1987 team didn't lose a game until the championship final at Rutgers, when an inexplicable 4th-quarter turnover by goalie Paul Schimoler led to Hopkins' game-winning goal. Will Cornell's experience and versatility get them over the hump this time? I like Cornell's chances, but I might just be high on oxygen-deprivation from holding my breath all spring waiting for some Inevitable Bad Thing to happen. When you talk to people who've been emotionally invested in Cornell lacrosse for a long time, the collective anxiety is freaky. I guess that's what happens when you haven't seen a final four in two decades.
Midseason awards
Offensive MVP: (tie) midfielders Brian Clayton and John Glynn. Smart, tough, versatile, egoless, aggressive, clutch, hitting all the corners -- who would have predicted that these words would describe two 2007 middies not named Seibald? Glynn is a miracle who plays the game with joy and verve, and Clayton can do no wrong this year after bouncing back from a quiet season on the second line -- a demotion he handled like a mensch. Let's hope Clayton's undisclosed injury isn't serious or chronic.
Defensive MVP: defenseman Mitch Belisle. A rock. First-team All America in my book.
Unsung hero: attackman Henry Bartlett, who waited three long years to get his chance. Who knew this team had two guys who could find space near the crease, catch, and finish?
Weakest link: no surprise -- short-stick defensive midfielders. In the Duke game, freshmen Michael Howe was replaced by Danny Nathan, who returned to his original position after Nick Gradinger returned to fitness. Nathan is an improvement, but George Calvert, for all his guts and effort, is an accident waiting to happen.
Best freshman: Hard to say, 'cause they never play, but long-stick midfielder Andrew MacDonald looks good.
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
Worst matchup for Cornell in the early rounds of the playoffs: Syracuse (if they make it).
Best sight: More than 4,000 people at Schoellkopf for the game against Penn, a team that doesn't travel with many fans.
Worst sight: Football lines on Schoellkopf's turf during lacrosse season. Tacky.
Strangest sight: The physique of '08 freshman recruit, goalie Mat Martinez, No. 55 in this picture from a Bâbylon High School football game: [babylonhits.com]
Best non-Cornell players I've seen live this year: junior midfielders Jordan Levine and Steve Ammann, Albany.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2007 09:00AM by Hillel Hoffmann.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: ugarte (38.136.14.---)
Date: April 10, 2007 11:20AM
I understand that goaltender is a high-stress, high-skill position, but how much in-game rest do you need if you stand in the crease once a week for an hour? I would understand if Tambroni wanted to give the backup some minutes but I don't think McMonagle needs the rest. Even the time from Saturday to today was probably plenty.Hillel Hoffmann
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
Bâbylon High School
Hee!
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Re: Midseason report
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.usb.temple.edu)
Date: April 10, 2007 12:18PM
ugarteI understand that goaltender is a high-stress, high-skill position, but how much in-game rest do you need if you stand in the crease once a week for an hour? I would understand if Tambroni wanted to give the backup some minutes but I don't think McMonagle needs the rest. Even the time from Saturday to today was probably plenty.Hillel Hoffmann
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
The concern is losing him to injury. Lacrosse goalies are highly susceptible to minor but accretive injuries (translation: after every game their bodies look like a sack of bruised flesh that has been attacked by a hundred gibbons with hammers). Most goalies can live with that, although rest certainly helps. Unfortunately, they're also susceptible to injuries that are harder to manage over the course of a long season, such as broken thumbs. McMonagle plays an unconventional style -- both in terms of how he uses his body and how he holds his stick -- that leaves him even more prone to physical abuse and fractures than most goalies. He is so valuable to the team as a stopper, defensive leader, and fast-break initiator that it seems crazy not to make him sit during the long garbage-time stretches that have become such a regular part of fourth quarters this season.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2007 12:21PM by Hillel Hoffmann.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: ugarte (38.136.14.---)
Date: April 10, 2007 12:33PM
Sure, against Binghamton and Colgate. But Yale, Penn and Harvard? Step on those throats until the final whistle!Hillel Hoffmann
The concern is losing him to injury. Lacrosse goalies are highly susceptible to minor but accretive injuries ... it seems crazy not to make him sit during the long garbage-time stretches that have become such a regular part of fourth quarters this season.
Not to mention that we need the margins of victory to help with the Swami.
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Re: Midseason report
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.usb.temple.edu)
Date: April 10, 2007 12:42PM
I'm with you, but I think it's more humiliating to lose by 10 or so when a bunch of freshmen and backups are out there for a whole quarter, kicking your starters' asses while the other team's starters are jumping and screaming on the sideline like they just won in overtime (as Cornell's did when Max Dorne scored late against Pennsylvania).ugarte
But Yale, Penn and Harvard? Step on those throats until the final whistle!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2007 12:48PM by Hillel Hoffmann.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: JasonN95 (---.nyc.deshaw.com)
Date: April 10, 2007 01:15PM
Hillel Hoffmann
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
I thought red-shirting was permitted by Ivy rules, or is that just in football?
Perhaps the coaches are worried that McMonagle isn't seeing enough quality, difficult shots while Cornell's starters are in so they leave him in when the bench is out there hoping that he'll get some. Sort of artificially inproving the quality of the opponent and creating in-game practice for Matt.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: Josh '99 (---.net)
Date: April 10, 2007 01:47PM
I've gotten the impression (though I've never seen this in writing) that the Ivy League doesn't allow redshirts except for medical reasons (a la Vinnie Auger or Jeff Hamilton).JasonN95Hillel Hoffmann
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
I thought red-shirting was permitted by Ivy rules, or is that just in football?
Perhaps the coaches are worried that McMonagle isn't seeing enough quality, difficult shots while Cornell's starters are in so they leave him in when the bench is out there hoping that he'll get some. Sort of artificially inproving the quality of the opponent and creating in-game practice for Matt.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: Hillel Hoffmann (---.usb.temple.edu)
Date: April 10, 2007 02:28PM
Myers has a bunch of nagging injuries -- probably enough to qualify. But that's part of the mystery too. Could he play even if they wanted him too?Josh '99I've gotten the impression (though I've never seen this in writing) that the Ivy League doesn't allow redshirts except for medical reasons (a la Vinnie Auger or Jeff Hamilton).JasonN95I thought red-shirting was permitted by Ivy rules, or is that just in football?Hillel Hoffmann
Biggest mystery: Is back-up goalie Jake Myers, the junior transfer from Syracuse, trying to red-shirt? There doesn't seem to be any better explanation for the failure to rest Matt McMonagle during all these blowout wins.
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: Beeeej (Moderator)
Date: April 10, 2007 03:54PM
Hillel Hoffmann
Lacrosse goalies are highly susceptible to minor but accretive injuries (translation: after every game their bodies look like a sack of bruised flesh that has been attacked by a hundred gibbons with hammers).
I'm totally calling my next band A Hundred Gibbons With Hammers.
___________________________
Beeeej, Esq.
"Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
- Steve Worona
Beeeej, Esq.
"Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
- Steve Worona
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: JasonN95 (---.nyc.deshaw.com)
Date: April 10, 2007 05:49PM
Oops, bad typo, that should have read "I thought red-shirting was not permitted by Ivy rules, or is that just in football?"
Re: Midseason report
Posted by: ugarte (38.136.14.---)
Date: April 10, 2007 06:08PM
So everyone figured. The rest of the comment doesn't make sense otherwise.JasonN95
Oops, bad typo, that should have read "I thought red-shirting was not permitted by Ivy rules, or is that just in football?"
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