Season Preview 2011 The New Hope Solebury Lacrosse team enters the 2011 season after just completing their most successful campaign in the school’s history. With a final 2010 record of 9-7, 2009 record of 5-12, 2008 record of 0-19. This spring season promises to be an even better year, with more wins than all three of the previous years combined.   “We saw an improvement of 96% (based on production GF and GA) from 2009 to 2010. From 2010 to 2011 we improved by 52%, and this year we are projected to improve by 25%,” says Coach Ryan.    The lions only lost two seniors last year, and this year the team is comprised of a group of 7 seniors.  “This group of seniors has seen it all,” says Coach Ryan.  “When you come from an 0-19 season where the team scored 2.5 goals a game, and then you continue to play and stick together as a group, you have what we have here today in New Hope- a solid program.”  Coach Ryan reflects on the team’s overall commitment to improvement. “The first year of this program we had 12 players quit and decide that lacrosse was not for them.  This group stuck it out and we now have a bond with each other (player to player, and player to coach) that has been forged in 230 contests (summer league, fall ball, box lacrosse, indoor lacrosse, and spring lacrosse) over the course of four years.  I have witnessed these players put the ball in the back of the net upwards of 2,500 times and that doesn’t include this coming spring’s season.”  When asked about the spring season, Coach Ryan says with a grin, “Well we are playing skilled lacrosse now, we have sound strategies in place that utilize our best assets, we have strong athletes, and there is a desire to win where there once wasn’t even a thought of winning.  This team and these young men have learned and improved and in the harshest of conditions, and always under the threat of losing.  There is nothing they can’t accomplish this year.  I am just proud to be a part of it.” Season If you are going to talk about the NHS lacrosse team you have to start with its foundation and that is the defense. The Lions return four starters from last year, Patrick Carvalaho, Patrick Dignan, Matt Reilly and Tommy Sutton.  Two of these players missed most of the season due to knee injuries: Reilly lost in game one and Sutton lost in game five, but that didn’t stop the D from having its best season in the school’s history, holding teams to 6.3 goals per game. On the offensive side of the ball, NHS returns three 30 goal scorers from last season: John Cimbalista, Jeff Cimbalista, and Carter Robinson.  These three players are backed and supported by three seniors: Jonathan Otto (28 points in 10), Alex Coleman (24 points in 10), and Matt Gregory (17 points in 10). “The challenge we have today is playing within ourselves, working within the framework of the system, and maintaining our poise and persistence under fire.  It’s nothing new for athletes and it is something we continually work on as a group. We have strived to create an environment that fosters disciplined creativity. We work hard on situational awareness with the emphasis being on good decision makers. We are a team first comprised of individuals who respect one another, and that is all I could ever hope for as a coach.” Attack The Lions come into the season with many options at the attack unit. Set to break all scoring records for goals scored, assists, and total points is John Cimbalista.  He anchors the unit that is comprised of: Jonathan Otto(Sr), Matt Gregory(Sr), Connor Lemmons(Soph), Connor Hayden(Fr), Danny Sutton(Fr), Sam Cabelas(Fr), Cabot Asplundh (Fr), and Collin Curran(Fr). “There is no doubt that this unit has firepower.  It’s a matter of finding the right combination that makes the offense go.  We will be working with the line up all year to get the most out of each player.” Midfield The Midfield is the Backbone of every team.  “You can’t have a good team without a strong midfield and NHS has one of the strongest I’ve seen in almost a decade of coaching high school athletics.  Every team would like to be in our situation.  We are fortunate to have two offensive midfield lines, and a strong defensive midfield line.  That is a huge advantage for us.  When you can put out two different offensive midfield lines, other teams can’t quite match up with you.  Add to that the fact that our D middies are also a threat to score, and we should be able to grind teams down in the fourth quarter.”  The midfield unit is comprised of Carter Robinson (Sr), Alex Coleman (Sr), Julian Kaminoff (Jr), Bobby Maglies (Jr), Jeff Cimbalista (Soph), Cole Anderson (Soph), Chris Pauley (Soph), and Bishop Castor (Soph). At the Face off X we have Tyler Nangle who will battling our opponents top faceoff guys all year long.  Nangle currently holds the school record for ground ball(GB’s) average per game in a season , and also GB Avg per game for career with 4.31 GB’s per game respectively. Defense Like every year before, the Lions enter the season with a defense that is clearly the strength of the team.  With the new comer between the pipes, Max Wolf, this unit looks to be the best ever.  Pat Carvalaho (Sr), Tommy Sutton (Sr), Matt Reilly (Jr), and Pat Dignan (Soph) will lead the team with toughness and tenacity for take-away checks and ground balls that has never been seen here before. Others competing for spots on the varsity roster are: Nick Sghatti (Jr), Christian Snyder (Jr), Alex Vitart (Soph), Ryan Sumichrast (Soph), Adam Rouselle (Fr), Cooper Dorele (Fr) and Alex Tardelli (Fr).  Nick Tardelli (Soph) will back Max up between the pipes.  “Many questions remain unanswered on the defensive side.  We are still looking for a player or two to separate themselves from the rest.  We are searching for the all important fifth position pole on the unit.  Today that person has still not been identified.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Preview 2010 Optimism is at an all time high in the lions den.  The New Hope Solebruy Lacrosse team looks to improve on a 5-12  2009 season which saw statistical improvement of 56% on Offensive side of the ball, and a 40% decrease in goals allowed on the defensive side. Coach Ryan says ”It has been my experience that when a program gets on track, you can expect improvement from year to year, however; it is usually by a factor of half of what it was the year before, so we should see a statistical improvement of 47% this year.  The question is where will that improvement manifest itself?” The Lions saw four seniors graduate last year, but returns much of its core. Coach Ryan says about the team this year “When you look at this team on paper, through the use of statistical modeling; you find a team that is capable of winning 80% of its games. The X factor is errors.  If we make fewer errors than our opponents, and put forth more effort than they do, we are capable of winning 100% of our games!.” Lions This Season NHS returns sniper and 09 scoring champion, John Cimbalista.  John enters the season holding records for consecutive games with at least 1 point (17 games), and consecutive games with at least a goal (11 games)and he looks to continue those streaks into 2010 and beyond.  Cimbalista is joined by the teams second leading scorer (not lost to graduation) Alex Coleman, who had 26 points last season.  With the leadership and experience of these two players NHS will look to improve 09’s number of shots per game (25), and the  shooting percentage(27%) in 2010. Key to the teams success this year will be the defensive unit, and their ability to cause turnovers, pick up ground balls, and create transitional opportunities.  This group returns a unit that has held opponents to 18 shots and 8.6 goals per game in 09.  “Patrick Carvalho, Tommy Sutton, Matt Reilly, and Bobby Maglies give this team toughness and athleticism that has become the team’s personality, and the younger guys are feeding off of that.”says Coach Ryan. Attack: The Lions come into the season with some weapons on the offensive side of the field.  With the addition of Jeff Cimbalista to the group comprised of his brother John, and 3rd year man Jonathan Otto. With this group you find instant chemistry and production that just can’t be replicated. Coach Ryan says of the attack “The offense is clicking in transition and there is stability and consistency the likes of which no lacrosse team here at NHS has ever seen.” There is a battle for the all important fourth attack position and it remains unclear who will win that spot.  “Seamus Foster, Max Wolf, Connor Lemons, or even one of our middies could challenge for that spot” Coach Ryan continues” the fourth Attackmen is very important to any team, as he usually matches up against the weakest long pole on the opposition.” Midfield: The Lions will be anchored between the boxes with some strong midfielders. The team finds four guys on the offensive side in: Coleman, Robinson, Gregory, and Nangle, and on the defensive side they find and equally as strong in: Maglies, Anderson, and Archibald.  The team is hopeful to get contributions from some of the younger players at midfield like: Lemmons, Pauley, Vitart, Fluenzida.  Coach Ryan talks about the youth of the Lions midfield “when our younger guys are able to step up and contribute offensively or defensively, it will be great for our program.  There is nothing better than being able to get up and down the field on teams.” Defense: Like last year the lions enter the season with a defense that seems to be the strength of the team. “I find it difficult to imagine that this unit is actually stronger than it was last year.” says Coach Ryan ”You don’t have to imagine when, in reality; the unit is better!” The lions return three starters who collectively picked up 22% of the team’s ground balls last year. Carvalaho, Sutton, and Reilly are a strong unit.   The team is still searching for it’s fourth defensemen and there is no lack of talent in the competition for the all important fourth spot.  “Sghatti, Dingnan, Vitart, Moss, Hutwelker, Pauley, Snyder, Scumicrast all have a shot at the spot, it will be up to the individuals to hash it out all year long” In the cage we have 3 time captain, and two time MVP(West Point bound) Michael Heffernan who is capably backed by Michael Hutwelker. “We really are in a good spot with our goalies, there is nothing better than having two capable guys who can jump in the net and save 55-60% of the shots thrown at them.”