I got tired of scrolling down to read the new comments, so it’s officially time for a new post. The golf clubs have not yet been put away for the winter, so I won’t be on here every day, but I will throw something up occasionally.
We have a little time before the first day of practice. Section 1 gets under way on Nov. 8.
There’s lots of news to report, I just have to make some calls and catch up, so keep an eye on this space. I do know that Andrew Trust will be coaching the Clarkstown Mall Rats or whatever they are going to be called this season. How about the Clarkstown Budget Crunch?
“It was an open posting so there were a handful of applicants for the job,” said Clarkstown North athletic director Tess Brogan.
Tony DeGaitani, who formerly headed up South, was among those considered before Trust was recommended.
I’ll save my thoughts on the league alignments for a rainy day. Here’s a teaser … yawn. And we probably need to check the rosters to see who’s coming back at some point in the next month. I did see Mamaroneck and Suffern go head to head yesterday … in field hockey. The Tigers won 2-0. Nobody was left crying on the turf.
Anyway, excellent job keeping the conversation going. This blog still ranks among the most popular we have, and that’s a credit to all of the good folks that decided to stay in all spring and summer and keep things going. I’m springing for the Vitamin D supplements.
91 Comments
I see we are starting up where we left off (crying on the turf comment, LOL). Very funny. But when Mamaroneck crosses the Chappan Zee Bridge… ok I’ll leave the Chapanese language to the professionals.
Suffern was as close to winning a state championship as you can get without winning it. Hopefully those ghosts do not haunt them this year because they will be the best team in the state this year. Unless there is some up and coming team somewhere in NY that nobody knows about, Suffern should win the state and will probably walk away from section 1 failry easily.
Clarsktown Mall Rats is a good name. Clarkstown Opportunists? Finally Clarkstown had a legit reason to combine the two high schools to form one hockey team. It should make them stronger (how could it not) but coaching those combo teams is not easy. I wonder if Clarkstown will be able to take the second seed ahead of Mamaroneck this year. Besides Naclerio, Mamk loses nothing, and have a very strong sophomore class. Should be interesting.
I am guessing it will be Rye and Pelham in D2, although I am hoping someone else gets in to the mix.
Does anyone know anything about White Plains this year? Better…worse? Whats the deal. I’ll assume New Rochelle will be the same, they’ll beat up on the weaker teams and lose to the better ones. Is prunesti playing? Was Coach Tozzo able to create a schedule that will accomodate him?
first day of practice october 25th
Welcome back, Mike. Looking forward to your reports and insights this season.
here we go boys
Suffern should clean up in Sec.1 but win states, they seem to have a problem with finishing big games (ex: last season at frozen 4 up 3-1 with a minute left)(yr before that 23-0 and dont get out of sec),good god what a choke,until Schelling realizes you cant win the way he coaches it will be more of the same.
Dont tell me about his record during the season either ,its always real good until it really counts.
Combining North and South is a terrible idea… High school sports are supposed to be about the Kids… and all this does is hurt the kids… totally against it, even if in the short term, on paper, it will make a stronger team, but what happens in 5 years, when less kids play, because they realize, there are 1/2 the spots on the team.
And as for the coach… clarkstown need to really look at who would be best to handle this new combined team. I don’t think Andrew Trust is the right person for this job.
Who would you suggest for the coaching position?
Wow, it only took four comments before we started forechecking the coaches. How about we go back to clubbing baby seals and leave the personal agendas out?
i hear Prunesti is playing and i can almost garuntee Tozzo did everything in his power to accomodate him. i havent seen the schedule yet, i think they are on the BOCES website…
Who is coach of the year in Westchester/Putnam? Who won the poll?
Rye vs. Pelham tonite at the Hutch. Its only Fall hockey and both schools have good football programs this year (both currently in the state rankings A- Rye #7 and B- Pelham #15) with some varsity hockey guys likely playing football now. And both coaches like to use the Fall league to see what they have coming up from modified. Still, something better to talk about than coach bashing.
Mamaroneck opens it’s fall midget season friday night at “The Jungle” vs. the Freeport Arrows at 8:00P.M.
Why am I tired of hearing Hommocks being referred to as the jungle?
No problem with Andrew Trust selection as coach.
They’ll try to accomodate as many as possible, but to go from 80 modified and varsity players into 2 teams will be a challenge. Most likely the lesser ability kids will not try out. In a few years the Clarktown program will be 40 kids, half of what it is now.
I don’t like this. I say this as someone who began playing as a beginner high school hockey player. I couldn’t make basketball (they only keep 12) but joined the hockey club team with other football players, high school band members and assorted burnouts. Many of us still play hockey 20 plus years later, long after we stopped playing football, doing band, and chemistry….
clarkstown north fan
I have no idea who is in contention for the Clarkstown merger team coaching position nor would it matter. I couldn’t disagree more about your statement that Trust is not the guy for the job. Yes he may only have 2 years under his belt at the High School level but he is fair coach who cares about his players at the same time has strong desire to win. I have been around a lot of coaches over the years and I would say if they hire him it wouldn’t be mistake, and in the long run he will end his career as a great coach. And in the short term his players will leave the program better players and most important better people. Good luck Clarkstown
Pelham-Rye game ended in a 2-2 tie. Good game from both teams, and hard, intense play for a fall league game. It was easy to tell how badly each team wanted the win. Both teams pulled their first goalies with no goals, and second goalies were clearly weaker. Rye didn’t seem to be missing anyone, and who kept talking about some prep school player? I didn’t see anyone special out there. He wasn’t even on the Rye first line. Pelham on the other hand was missing their key first liner Reilly and co-best defenseman Landis. Great game, but after seeing both teams play I have to say that I can see Pelham taking the win this year when they play if it comes down to skill.
rye goalie is much better than pelham goalie so if they both got pulled thats a huge advantage for pelham
Itsabreeze-
There is no one in contention. It is already set in stone that Trust is the head coach. I believe they are still trying to work out who will coach the merged modified team and who the assistant coach(es) will be on both the Varsity and modified, but Trust is definitely the varsity coach for Clarkstown this year (Which, by the way, has no official nickname. They are simply Clarkstown.)
Coaches come and go. I do know when trust had willows and Schumann, he never took them off the ice. Not sure hoe itsabreeze knows he is such a great guy, and will have a great career. Coaching high school sports is not a career. It’s a passion, and done for love of the game. Some do it for ego, and some do it for a little extra money, but most do it because they love the sport.
Rocket fuel. Only Trust knows why he dose it. and just my observation the Past two years serves my vote of confidence no underlined motive here. As for playing players the whole game, I can’t say I blame him not many coaches that have players like that would have did it different. But he will figure it out with experience. Good Luck CLARKSTOWN
Easy Rye and Pelham people, its too early for all this. Rodgers played extremely well as did Ryes first goalie. Pelhams first kid was fine. Hard to assess it as Pelham was doing its best to keep Rye from getting any decent offensive chances like they usually do. Pelham had many younger players out there and ran four + lines and Rye rolled many players out there too. Too close to call right now
I don’t believe coaches should be slammed on blogs, but they are adults, being paid (sometimes this is pensionable), and they are in charge of fairly expensive taxpayer funded programs.
If things are stinky for a long time they should not be immune from some criticism. Of course it should be constructive, never personal.
I hope Coach Trust is good. I hope that 2nd year Coach Desantis at Nyack/Tappan Zee is good also.
The greater Clarkstown and Orangetown areas need for them to be good. In the 10 plus years of the Palisades Mall ice rink you could argue that the high school hockey teams this rink serves have not improved. I’d like to see these young coaches change that.
Some schools are hockey schools, some are track, some football. Just because a crummy rink was dropped in the palisades does not mean the high school teams will be better.
Tz and pearl river lose some of their best talent to don bosco, Bergen catholic etc.
I think it is extreme to blame a coach for kids not getting better. A coach can be a motivating factor, but Hockey is a sport that a kid really has to go out and play and train hard on his own if he would like to be a top talent. Coaches are key figures but unless the kid is playing travel, going to clinics or doing privates he is probably not getting better regardless who the coach is.
Wasn’t at the Ice Hutch last nite, but it sounds like it played out about as expected. Any meaningfull game between these two teams will be a tight, grinding defensive battle. It has been that way for years (except for that one regular season game at Playland in 2008 where the older Rogers went crazy leading Rye to a big lead that Pelham (with Flory) slowly chipped away at to finally close with a respectable 2 goal loss. And both teams have had their share of snipers in the recent past.
Both current teams have lots of defensive depth. Neither team seems to currently have a dominant individual “go to” offensive talent. Doesn’t mean someone won’t develop that dominant, offensive leadership as the season progresses. But, both teams do have forwards who understahnd how to move the puck (Reilly’s line for Pelham and Rosenfield, Rogers for Rye). These two DII Sectional favorites are more evenly matched than Suffern and Mamo in DI. Expect those 4 teams to stay in the state rankings all season long.
I’d term as a pretty good coach someone who can turn a beginning modified player, 7th grader, and by that kids junior year, have him become a productive 2nd or 3rd line high school player. Also make sure your goalie needs are well covered.
That is 4 to 5 years to build a hockey player. Of course this requires the varsity coach to do some long term planning and identify his players in the middle school years. Do that for 2 to 3 players a year.
Sprinkle in some seasoned travel players to carry your top lines, and every program has a couple of travel players, and you can be respectable.
I don’t think this impossible.
AL Bundy.. This is how it should be and some programs understand your logic. There’s no doubt in my mind every battle is won long before its ever fought. Hopefully Trust can form alliance with the travel and modified program and clarkstown will compete for sure. MY guess is the UN will have a better chance getting there differences resolved but never the less I believe he can do it and that’s one of reasons I support Him. Good luck coach Trust and clarkstown
good luck to Coach Trust coaching the new Clarkstown team. seems like a good, young coach that has the potential to be a great coach. 2 years ago when he had willows and shuman on the North team, ANY coach that had the talent of those 2 players would have played them 95% of the game.
and as far as last year, i thought he was an early candidate for coach of the year when he led a willow-less, shuman-less & mcindoe-less North team to a 4-1 record in the first 5 games, including key wins over Iona Prep & John Jay, when everyone was saying how bad North would be without those two. while North struggled in some games after those first 5 games, North didn’t have too bad of a year last year—i believe they finished with a .500 record.
hopefully trust can continue to build the clarkstown program back to a powerhouse status. best of luck to clarkstown.
With dougherty coming back to his favorite blog, can Ned B. be far behind?
Rockland must be trust’s mom.
And when he had willows and Schumann and an all state goalie, they went nowhere. After a season of stat building, hopefully he learned something.
rcds
wed, 12/1, rye town/harrison, 5:15
sat, 12/4, at wyoming seminary (kingston, pa), 7
wed, 12/8, hamden hall (hamden, ct), 5
fri, 12/10, at st. george’s (middletown, ri), 7
sat, 12/11, at portsmouth abbey (portsmouth, ri), 2
wed, 12/15, iona prep, 5
fri, 12/17 – sun, 12/19, brooks/pingree tourn.
wed, 1/5, harvey, 4
fri, 1/7, at kingswood-oxford (west hartford, ct), 7:30
wed, 1/12, st. luke’s (new canaan, ct), 5
fri, 1/14, portledge (locust valley, ny), 4:45
sat, 1/15, hoosac (hoosick, ny), 3
wed, 1/19, at harvey, 4
fri, 1/21, at princeton day school (princeton, nj), 5
wed, 1/26, clarkstown north, 5
fri, 1/28, at brunswick (greenwich, ct) , 7
wed, 2/2, kingswood-oxford (west hartford, ct), 5
sat, 2/5, at worcester academy (worcester, ma), 3:30
mon, 2/7, at portledge (locust valley, ny), 5:30
wed, 2/9, at KING (stamford, ct), 4:30
mon, 2/14, fieldston, 5
wed, 2/16, at rye, 7:45
wed, 2/23, greenwich, 5
Thanks RCDS. We get to make reference to “Kingswood-Oxford” again!
Naclerio and Basmajian have been doing well playing for the Apple Core Jr B empire team i would like to see those two go somewhere.
RCDS 1/15 at 3:00 v. Hoosav is at home
A pre-season request for Mike…PLEASE remove the Twitter updates on the side of the page. Last year’s ending, while a valuable learning experience, is in the rear view mirror and we all just want to move forward. Lose the Twitter!
A question for those participating in the current poll…33%of you think someone will dethrone Suffern in Division 1 this year? Who might I ask is going to be that team?
Mamk Fan- Need to get to Jr A (AJHL, Eastern or preferably NAHL or USHL out west) to have a good shot at an NCAA varsity spot (even DIII). Look up the rosters on the school websites. Not many, if any, Jr B teams mentioned as the player’s last team before college. Empire Jr B just a stop on the road. Not much different than good midget hockey. Dorgan, Gluck, Molinaro, Cambria and Belger have moved up to A this year from B last year. Lets see how things go for them. If Basmajian and Naclerio want to eventually play NCAA varsity, they will likely need to play Jr A somewhwere next season.
Prunesti and Santini are two others who moved up this season to Jr A- Apple Core (Eastern) from Junior B (Empire). Mamo’s Jackson and SHI’s Halpin (both 2 yrs removed from HS hockey) are on that Apple Core Jr A team, also moving up from Jr B last season. Same for Iona’s Cambria. Not much stats yet for those AC Jr A guys, as they are only 3 games into the season. Dorgan (last year Apple Core jr B) leads his Jr A Wilkes Barre (AJHL) team in scoring thru 7 games. Gluck (Jr A Little Flyers- AJHL) in the mix as a goaltender. Iona’s Molinaro has only played a few games for NJ Rockets- AJHL Jr A. Time will tell for all these guys. Good luck.
On the international front, Rye’s Katsuta playing for Waseda University. More than 1/2 his teammates are on the U 20 Japan national team. Practice daily from 4 AM to 6 AM, then training table meal before subway ride to school. Hard work. Tournaments throughout Asia.
I have said it before and I will say it again, if it is not USHL, NAHL OR EJ then it is not real Jrs. These other leagues just do not cut the mustard as far as real “A” hockey goes. The Atlantic Junior A League just bottom feeds from the EJ. The kids who can’t make it in the EJ play in the Atlantic. That is why the EJ is scouted and a large majority of its players receive scholarships and the Atlantic has very few scholarships.
yup Cold as ice, you are right. Like the poster Mamk fan says he would like to see Basi and Naclerio “go somewhere”
Like where? they are playing in that league theres really no place to go
To old school.
If anyone has a shot at suffern, it is mamaroneck. However, it would be a big upset like it was when suffern was undefeated a few years ago. Not probable, but possible.
cold as ice- how about a little love for the AJHL? If you look on their website, it seems like the better connected teams get the top 1/4 to top 1/3 of their rosters a NCAA commitment. Agreed that the DI commitments are few and far between and the DIII schools can’t give athletic scholarships, just need based ones. But, the AJHL is a way for a good player to play somewhat locally and get exposure to some nice DIII programs. I saw more than a few NESCAC commitments olnm that list. That conference is probably the best DIII one in the nation. And most if not all of the schools in that conference have some of the highest admissions criteria in the country. A kid with an A- average and high 600s on each of his SATs has virtually no shot to get in those schools as a regular applicant; but playing AJHL hockey could get him over the hump at admissions and even some need based grant if his family qualifies. There are a lot of smart hockey palying kids who would die to play for an attend college at places like Williams, Amherst, Middleburry, Tufts, Bowdoin, Hamilton, Wesleyan. Not much different than the Ivy league.
Are Santini and Belcher playing for their schools this year?
Who is coaching Iona Prep now? I heard Tim C can’t do it.
Itsabreeze & Mike Dougherty,
I have no side adjenda here… I simple stated an opinion that I did not believe Andrew Trust is the right guy for the job of handling a combined Clarkstown team. ITSABREEZE, I really am interested in how you know Trust will be a GREAT COACH and Mike Dougherty, your mother will not be happy with the fact that you prefur to club baby seals over checking coaches… just kidding.
About Trust, I had the oppertunity to be sitting in the stands at game where the walkways go under the stands, and I learned alot about Trust listening to him, comment about what he thought about his team, and how that coaching this *&%$%& team wasn’t worth the money he was paid, and this was prior to a game in the middle of the season, and that is just a small part of what he was saying. HONESTLY I was appauled to hear his comments, I wasn’t sitting near any of the Clarkstown North Parents, and was glad that they didn’t have to hear his comments. I have never meet Andrew Trust, and prior to this experence, I was under the impression talking to others that he was a decent young coach learning the game. I happen to know about 8 of the kids from north, and I know that, talking to them, that most of the team have very little respect for him, because of his coaching style… and because on numberous occassions he told the team one thing, and then did something totally differently during the game. The North Kids respected the Assist Coach Ken Holvig, and he appeared to have a great understanding of coaching hockey at the High School Level. As for suggestions for who should be head coach… I really have no aggenda… and honestly I hope Trust proves me wrong, for the KIDS sake, and to be fair I have heard that Trust can be very fair, and that he had given one of his players a second chance, after some argument with that player, and that the player was totally out of line, and most coaches would have thrown the kid off the team for what he said to the coach. For that, I commend Trust.
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY, like all high school sports is about teaching the game, and helping young men/women grow into better adults. The only adjenda in high school sports needs to me that. Focusing purely on winning at any cost, benifits no one.
AS FOR CLARKSTOWN’s merger…. I still hate the idea on principal, but having spoken with some of those players I know, I will have to hold judgement on weather or not this helps Clarkstown’s overall hockey program.
North fan every coach has a bad night hopefully thats what you heard. In the end the merger is bad for all involved less kids involved in the sport. Many programs in the area strugle to put 18 -20 kids on the roster you hate to see that many get cut do to the merger. Seems we have many experts on jr. hockey cant we all just wish the kids who try to chase their dream well. The facts are what they are verry few kids will play NCAA hockey at any level from our section or any other sport for that matter, and even less will get schollarships. Wake up people not every kid on a D1 roster gets money in fact most do not. Coaches have limited money to award less than half those kids get anything and the other half get some help the free rides are few and far between.
L/P,
Unfortunately, that is not the only night, of bad comments, it was simply the first that made me aware. But, from what I understand, he is the coach now, and that is done…. so hopefully he’s learned, and I can’t agree with you more about the merger.
Clarkstown North Fan…. You’re incohearent rant on Andrew Trust is very interesting. What rink did you say you were at? It does seem like you have some sort of agenda. He’s been nothing but honest with his players and his players parents. Slamming him, is not only unfair, but it’s also inaccurate. You’re statement that he gave a kid a second chance last year is interesting….how would you know that? Did he share that info with you?
You say in your rant, that he “on numberous occassions he told the team one thing, and then did something totally differently during the game.” The you say “and to be fair I have heard that Trust can be very fair” Which is it?
If you’re a coach….and I think you are…you would know that every good coach goes into a game with a plan. Sharing that plan with his or her players is important. A good coach also adjusts to what the game situation dictates. That is not dishonesty, that is coaching.
Clarkstown north fan. My guess is you have never coached before and for that matter played hockey or a sport and I don’t mean this in a bad way. You say you over herd Trust talking about his own team in that way leads me to believe this. If you were ever in a locker room after a period of poor play you would understand, I have see coaches foam at the mouth, break things, choke kids and use langue so bad they could make a rapper sound like girl scout, and most of these coaches were considered great coaches by most. My own feeling is anybody who would want to coach these days is either crazy or has the love of being told what to do and how to coach by players and there parents just because they played or watched travel hockey or they formed a opinion based on hearing a conversation that may or may not be taken out of context. All I have done is give my support to someone I seen coach for two years and think will be a good coach, that’s all, as I said no agenda. if you know someone you feel would make a better coach lets here about him or her not about what about you don’t know.
I think Ned Vigny would be a great coach!!!!
Oops I mean Ned bigby
To fanotgame—- This is not a debate on DIII schools and there academics. Again I stand by what I said: The AJ gets the scraps left over from the EJ and is not a real “A” league. Kids who can’t make EJ teams go to the AJ a say they are on an A team when it really is not “A” hockey. The difference in play is stark and the gap between college commitments is stagering. Give the AJ some love? I would rather give it to the EJ. Also the EJ has two local programs in the Hitmen & Applecore if a kid wants to stay “locally”
Ned Bigby has moved on to bigger better things…..Girls softball!
cold as ice- get your point. Agree if I were committing time/$ to Jr A hockey, my first stop would be Hitmen or Apple Core before heading on to Rockets, Bobcats or Hartford. Just pointing out that the AJHL does serve a purpose.
Geez, I have been trying to post this ever since sec1fan admission of baiting me at the beginning of the month! It just wouldn’t post! Just to get some things straight. Rui played for Applecore for 2 years in HS and then switched midseason his senior year to play in the AJ for the NJ Rockets, where Bob Thornton is the coach. I touted Bob’s horn from the start and will keep tooting! He is all about the player and his desire to play at the next level. If you have the talent, dedication, and desire to play at the next level, he will help get you there, if you desire to be there! He was named the USHL Manager of Player Development this past December after being the scout for the Atlantic Division Although I know that the USHL is the top Jr. program but even in the USHL, it’s all about the MONEY! Those tryouts lead Rui to getting picked up by an expansion team (1st yr team) for the NAHL and he rocked the house and got offers from D1 & D3 schools. So the AJHL & NAHL did him just fine! He could have played another year of Jrs, which most likely would have been in the USHL, but he wanted to go to school and play out his dream. Here is the official announcement:
http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/082410aad.html
BTW sec1fan – I love the way you still love to bait me after all these years! lol lol
Rockland – Your own link states that all 4 players from the Rockets went D1! (previou blog, sorry couldn”t post then!)
cold as ice – you are just wrong about the Rockets and about Bob Thornton. As I stated above, he gets you where you want to be, if you want to be there, and deserve to be there! He is a true hockey guy!
http://njrockets.goalline.ca/news2.php?news_id=225724
BTW – 10/23/10 UConn vs Army @ West Point 7:05pm game time…whose coming?
Im liking what i’ve been seeing from JJ, Bostwick looks like the real deal. Not to mention the team can fight as well, I hear Webb is always looking for the fights. They lost a greats in Turecamo, Meyers, and Kaplan, but the team still looks to be contender. Trust me im a doctor
couldnt agree with u more legend, JJ is legit, expect big things possibly section title. They did lose some greats this year but JJ should be a dominant team in section 1
In all reality, suffern is significantly better than every other team this year. I’m not sure if a team has come into the season so heavily favored as suffern will this year. Mamk is the only team that can skate as good as them. But talent wise, suffern is alot better than mamk this year.
Legend and Hsedin
do you guys realize fighting is really not a smart thing to do in high school hockey??????????????????????
HMom,
All in good fun.I’m always smiling when I’m reading your posts or replying. You have a strong spirit and plenty of conviction in your views.
congrats on your sons achievement and enjoy his upcoming season. I’m genuinely bummed that I can’t make that game at west point. I enjoy college hockey and even more so when i’m familiar with a player or two.
Legend and Henrik- I like how the Jay program has rebounded. I think the Indians are in that group of DII contenders (with Eastville and SHI-if Pesce plays) right behind frontrunners Rye and Pelham. But, both the Garnets and Pelicans go three lines deep at fwd with players like Fraiser B, plus 5 solid D men. Rye also has a big, athletic goalie who has a good shot at the All State team.
yes jj had a nice rebound year, but lets not get carried away, first off I woudn’t exactly call the players you mentioned “greats”, solid players for sure that I would love to have on my team, but not big time section scoring threats
second, section championship is a bit of a longshot considering a jj team of similar talent lost in the semi finals to a team that lost 7-1 in the finals, but then again you never know
Rye and Pelham to host West Genny (undefeated DI state champ last season) over Xmas break at the Ice Hutch.
Any word on who the Varsity Coach will be at Iona this year ??
Scanlon,Nates,King,Hagan, Jimmy Clark tough practice schedule for a coach to make it.
The West Genesee games vs. Pelham and Rye should be good. However, I think WG lost a whole lot of their team from last year. But they are always good, but might not be the powerhouse they were last year.
Pelham & Rye are not hosting West Genny over xmmmas break. The two teams that are coming down to The Hutch to face the Garnets & Pelicans are Section 5’s McQuaid and Section 6’s West Seneca (not sure if it is West Seneca East or West Seneca West, which are two different teams, but it is definitely West Seneca, not West Genny).
What happened with Coach Collins?
looking forward to playing JJ twice loss of their goalie probably the bigest problem they have.
Lohud- Sorry, I was just passing along info I got from someone familiar with the schedule. Must have been a misinterpretation. The more I think about it, getting West Genny to travel to play 2 of 20 regular season games with Section One DII teams probably was a reach. Hasn’t West Genny had just 1 loss in the last 2 seasons playing a robust DI schedule?
Anyone know if White Plains will be any good?
Coach Collins job situation required he resign from the Iona Prep Coaching position . Apparently Iona is searching for a replacment…............
fanotgame-
Yes, West Genny always plays top competition in the state and they don’t lose too often. Not that it would be a waste to travel down here to play Rye or Pelham, but if they were going to come down to Section 1, I would think it would be to play Suffern as that is who their competition for a state title would be from this area. As it is, Suffern & West Genny are going to be at the same tournament twice this season (once up in West Genny and once in Massena), but they are not slated to face each other in the first round either time, so it would need to be a championship (or consolation) game for them to square off during the regular season.
Suffern has been going to West Genny’s tournament every year for a while now. I would love to see them return the favor and make the trip down here. Especially since Suffern is now beefing up their tournament this season (LP will be in it again, but this year they are bringing down a couple of section 6 teams-
Orchard Park and Kenmore West-to replace Burke Catholic and Northern Highlands).Turns- I would expect WP to be the #3 DI team in Section One. Not at the Suffern level or even quite at the Mamo level, but right there with the likes of Rye, Pelham and L/P. I think those 6 teams will separate themselves from the rest of Section One. The Tigers have a bunch of solid skaters. I think they may start an 8th grade goalie, though. Hard to rely on that kind of youth at that position for a long playoff run.
Yes, it is always tough to start an 8th grade goalie and rely on that kind of youth, but remember, the kid already has a half-year’s worth of Varsity experience under his belt including starting for the Tigers in the playoffs. I don’t know him personally, but I can only imagine that starting for a good team in two playoff games (one against Suffern which was like being thrown to the wolves, and the other the 1-0 win over ‘Pac) can get a kid ready for the rigors of Varsity Ice Hockey pretty quickly.
Suffern is going to massena for their tournament? Doesn’t mamaroneck go there as well in February with Pelham?
I really hope someone new comes out of the woodwork to challenge the usual suspects like suffern mamk Pelham rye. It kinda gets boring if it is always the same strong teams.
Is rye town going to be any good?
Will new Rochelle be able to give mamk or suffern a game?
Rocket Fuel- I think L/P and WP made inroads at the DI level the last 2 seasons. And SHI had a shot at DII last season with the brothers Pesce playing together, But, for this upcoming season, I see too much skating depth for the frontrunners (Suffern, Mamo in DI and Rye, Pelham in DII). Plus 3 of the top goalies in the Section play for the Mounties, Tigers and Garnets and the Pelican goalie, while not as recognised or experienced, will be just fine in their system. Expect those 4 teams to be in the state rankings all season, and, as long as the crazy seeding formula allows for it, playing each other for the titles at West Point.
why even play the season just have those 4 play in Nov. Last year 2 of those teams did not play at West Point. Not to blow the L/P horn but as you stated W.P. Sleepy J.J. all are playing better not to mention the Clarkstown merger for sure will make that team stronger and deaper and JFK is a year older. How is Rye going to score most of their O is gone sure those teams are the front runners but I don’t think I would bet they all four make the finals today.
While Suffern, Mamk, Rye, and Pelham are pretty much the constants at the top, there are always one or two teams every year that pull into the picture. They stick around up at the top for a couple of years and then fade back. It’s always been that way. You play the regular season to see who will be in that discussion with the big guns. Just like you don’t play the regular season to see IF the Yankees will make it to the playoffs, you play it to see who will join them and who has a chance to knock them off.
Years ago, Clarkstown South was always in the discussion, a little more recently it has been Clarkstown North, Mahopac, Fox Lane, NewRo and most recently WP & LP. Eventually the big four is bound to become the big five (Remember, Pelham cracked what was the big three many moons ago and just never faded away). It’s fun to see teams rise up and hope they can stick. I thought it was going to be Clarkstown North who had a pretty extended run as one of the top teams until a couple of years ago when they fell of the cliff with that 1-21 season.
L/P beat Mamo last year with their defensive depth and some timely scoring from two returning forwards. Still couldn’t compete with Suffern at West Point. Rebels graduated most of that D. Still have a goalie who can stand on his head in a big game and two snipers. Not sure that is enough to beat Mamo in the playoffs twice in a row (Chaps won’t take your guys lightly) and also will likely come up short against the loaded Mounties.
In DII, both Pelham and Rye will do it with numbers. Grinding out wins by going three lines deep with physical play. The Garnets graduated some flashy scorers. With a lot of big bodies that can skate, look for them to crash the net and get their goals down low. Different style, but still effective. Pelham may not have flash either, but they move the puck well. If Pesce plays, SHI still a threat. ETB has a few snipers who skate well. KPV has a strong dman. Not sure about the rest of that team. Jay will hang around in games and cause trouble. So, you are right that West Point is not a given for Rye or Pelham. But, I still see them as steady favorites.
John Jay may be ready to crack the D 2 group this season. I see Pelham and Rye still at the top. Pelham does move the puck well but that teams strength is the rock solid defense they play as a team. Rye has a solid core of returning experienced players and some smart players up front. Jay will be compete as will Sleepy. Sleepy has Pesce and he can change the game.
suffern at don bosco, thurs, 1/20, 6:45, ice vault
Hey Mike D, Is it true if you play for a Junior A or Junior B level hockey team you can’t play for your High School team?
jr hockey,
not true at all. however, the state of connecticut does have a rule, where you can only play on one team per season. in new york, you can play for 4 teams if you want, just a matter of coach/ad/etc. making the decision if you do or not..
That Don Bosco game will be a good measuring stick for Suffern. Their captain from last year’s team Connor Leen committed to Maine (currently #7 in DI) over the summer. A bunch of the Section One and other local school kids including Gluck, Duffy, Meany, Dimaggio, Hagan (committed DI St Lawrence), Hiller, Molinaro (Iona prep), Turrin (RCDS and recruited by places like Middlebury, Yale and Colgate), O’Conner, (Norwin and Mundinger alts) played with him on 2008 Empires. Another local kid playing DI. Gotta figure Leen’s current teammate on Hitmen-Willows is next.
Juniors, Thanks for the quick response, that’s good to know.
I’ve heard, though I may be wrong, that it is the practice of the Junior teams to require the players who play for them not to play for their HS teams? My concern is that there seems to be a good number of kids from Section 1 playing Juniors for Applecore, Hartford, Brewster etc. and it would be a shame if the kids couldn’t play for their HS team as well.
Any insights would be great.
I hope everyone had a great spring and summer, glad to see the same “faces” on the forum.
Here is, to another great year of debates, debacles, blowouts (both on the ice and on the board) name changes, Bigby’s rating system, fanotgame and Lohud Hockey spot on previews and post game analysis’s, RocketFuel and whatever comes off the top of his head at that moment, not worrying about any backlash, Chapanese, Bigby vs, Clarkstown S morning debates,
Old School Mountie the designated Suffern Historian, the level headed thinker Al Bundy, The Real Deal w/ Bill McNeil and his in depth reviews, no Readers Digest short version here, these are thesis long on usual and are the best reads IMHO.slacrosse the man who roots for all teams the same unless they are playing his team : ) its almost Hockey Season, soon, very soon! Welcome Back All!!!
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predictions?
Any news on if D2 plays Sec 2 in regionals again? If so will Queensbury come out of sec 2 again. They were very strong last year and have their entire 1st and 2nd line coming back with addition to a 1st team all stater
both D1 and D2 host section 9 in the quarterfinals this year. So the D1 winner will host Monroe Woodbury and the D2 winner will host Burke Catholic.
come on Low Hud NFA could pull off an upset over MW . yes it is more unlikely than the USA in 1980 but could happen
what are you talking about?