Overview: By most accounts, the Midshipmen had a pretty successful 2009, capturing their fifth Patriot League championship in six years and advancing to their sixth NCAA Tournament. But Navy lost twice to Patriot League rivals for the first time in school history and suffered a 14-5 loss to Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. "We did not come back in August feeling great about everything that happened last year," coach Richie Meade said. "So we have a lot to prove. That’s kind of the way we’ve approached the season."
Reason for optimism: A program with a rich tradition in organizing suffocating defenses, the Midshipmen return their entire first attack and midfield lines from last season. Attackmen Tim Paul (18 goals, 14 assists), Brendan Connors (21, 10) and Andy Warner (13, 14) finished 1-2-3 in points, and midfielders Patrick Moran (20, 3) Joe Lennon (14, 9) and the trio of Nikk Davis (3, 5), Brian Striffler (7, 4) and Basil Daratsos (4, 3) are another year wiser. "We have some experience offensively, which I think is really going to help us," Meade said. "We’ve got some size in the midfield and some experience at attack. It should lead to some continuity and some success."
]]> Reason for pessimism: Navy graduated its starting short-stick defensive midfielders (more on them later) and starting defenseman Andy Tormey, who led the team in groundballs (44) and caused turnovers (32) last season. Tormey was the emotional and physical anchor of a unit that surrendered just 7.6 goals a game last spring. Meade is leaning on junior Michael Hirsch (ACL surgery last April), sophomore Matt Vernam and senior long-stick midfielder Jaren Woeppel (the Patriot League’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year) to lead the way. "Losing Andy and the guys we lost was a little bit of a hit," Meade said. "But I think that the guys we are replacing them with potentially are more athletic. It’s just a matter of getting them all on the same page."Keep an eye on: As mentioned above, the Midshipmen bid farewell to Geoff Leone and Bobby Lennon, a pair of short-stick defensive midfielders who played all four years. Leone and Lennon not only shadowed opposing midfielders, but they also had the ability to start the transition game, carrying the ball from the defensive end to the offensive zone with little problems. Seniors Joe McAuliffe, Anthony Arena and Stephen Driscoll, junior Marty Gallagher and freshmen Bucky Smith and Jordan Seivold are expected to fill the void. "I think the guys we have just have to get used to playing," Meade said. "Bobby and Geoff were out there on every opportunity when they weren’t tired. The other guys have to be comfortable playing those minutes and have to be comfortable in the clearing game. We’re kind of working through that."
What he said: On the potential of this Navy squad, Meade said, "When I look at the team, I’m always asking, ‘What’s the margin of excellence?’ In other words, what’s the distance in between where we are right now and the potential of our team. And I think that distance is pretty big right now. We’ve got a lot of room to grow. I think the potential of our team is promising, but it’s a matter of making those strides in practice – and not during the season – and winning. Winning always helps that."
]]>Q: Which team should begin the season at No. 1?
Paul Carcaterra: "After watching Duke beat Team USA, which is supposed to be the best team in the world, it’s kind of hard not to like the talent at Duke. … Duke’s been a tremendous team in college lacrosse for the last five or six years. They’ve struggled to get over the hump and capture a national championship. With that said, I think they certainly have the talent to win a national championship. But I think the Syracuse team is interesting because although they lost five midfielders from a year ago, I think they’re replacing those guys with great talent, and I don’t look at the midfield as being as great of an X-factor going into 2010 as is finding a quarterback to replace Kenny Nims. If you look at their last two national championships, they had arguably two of the best quarterbacks in the country in Mike Leveille in 2008 and Kenny Nims in 2009. I think that’s the biggest question mark for Syracuse."
Q: Which team is a dark-horse candidate to make the Final Four?
PC: "Hofstra is a team that can really sneak up on you. I plan on seeing them upset some top teams. They’ve got some great goal scorers in Jay Card and Jamie Lincoln, two Canadian kids who can fill up the back of the net as good as any. And they’ve got athletic middies. I think Coach [Seth] Tierney is starting to keep some of the top talent on Long Island at home. The knock on Hofstra in the past was that they would never be able to keep the top kids on Long Island at home. But he’s starting to do that. It’s pretty remarkable. … They play a good brand of lacrosse from a spectator standpoint. They like to get up and down a little bit, and it’s exciting to watch, but they’re also well-coached. That's a team that can sneak up on people."
]]> Q: Which team might be ranked too high in the preseason polls?PC: "I think two teams have midfield questions. I think North Carolina is a team that will certainly make a splash in 2010, but their second midfield is a little thin and one of their best middies in Sean Burke is out for the season. They’ve got three great middies in Jimmy Dunster, Cryder DiPietro and Sean Delaney, but their second midfield is a little thin. That’s a team where a lot hinges on the development of their second midfield. And Maryland, they don’t have proven scorers at all in the midfield. They have a lot of question marks from an offensive standpoint. They always have great D-middies, guys that can make plays between the restraining lines, guys like Bryn Holmes. But the goal-scoring from the offensive midfield is yet to be determined. At the end of the day, the game is won at the midfield, and they need to grow as a unit to play at that top level."
Q: Which player is your favorite to win the Tewaaraton Trophy?
PC: "Going into the season, everybody is saying Ned Crotty from Duke. He’s the only college player in the country to make Team USA. He’s a tremendous offensive player and an All American at midfield in 2008 and then a first-team All American and Attackman of the year in 2009. So that says a lot about his overall game and his ability to adapt offensively. … Cody Jamieson [of Syracuse] is incredible. I don’t think people realize how good he really is. He came on late last year and was kind of out of shape because he wasn’t playing in the regular season and didn’t get the reps and training that the regular players were getting. In the Canadian box league [Major Series Lacrosse] which they play in the summertime and is the best of the best in terms of box lacrosse players, he won the Rookie of the Year, the MVP and the scoring title this past summer. That’s with guys like John Grant and everyone that plays the indoor game. His finishing ability is incredible. He’s really going to put on a show this year."
]]>Overview: The Greyhounds missed out on a third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid by the thinnest of margins, and the objective this fall and spring has been to take their future from the hands of the selection committee and into their own. To that end, Loyola is taking aim at winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference regular-season title, which would secure the team the league’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament and home-field advantage in next year’s season-ending ECAC Tournament.
Reason for optimism: Despite graduating two defensive starters and perhaps one of the best long-stick midfielders in recent memory (more on P.T. Ricci later), the defense is still solid. Senior Steve Layne registered 48 groundballs and 24 caused turnovers last season, junior Steve Dircks was poised to start last spring until he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, and senior Kyle Cottrell got some valuable experience last year. Junior Nick Disimile, sophomore Dylan Grimm and freshman Reid Acton will also contribute. "We’re going to be as good as our defense is," coach Charley Toomey said. "… We feel like we’ve got the strength of our team down low with our poles. They’re going to be able to match up pretty doggone well with attackmen from around the country."
]]> Reason for pessimism: The offense returns two starting attackmen in seniors Cooper MacDonnell (30 goals and eight assists) and Collin Finnerty (24, 13), but will sorely miss Shane Koppens, who quarterbacked the unit before graduating. Junior Matt Langan should start, and a pair of Calvert Hall graduates in junior D.J. Comer and freshman Patrick Fanshaw could see significant playing time, but Toomey is hoping that someone fills Koppens’ role. "The confidence to carry the ball, that’s going to paramount for us," he said. "The ball is going to be in somebody’s stick other than Shane’s, and we’re going to need him to make plays. There’s no doubt that we’re going to rely on our attack to be decision-makers."Keep an eye on: Toomey got a pleasant surprise from the team’s scrimmage against Drexel on Thursday as he watched the first midfield score four of the team’s seven goals. The junior trio of Eric Lusby, Chris Basler and Stephen Murray are working well together and being aggressive with the ball. But Toomey is somewhat cautious about heaping too much praise on the unit. "Honestly, I want to see them do it again," he said. "I want to see them do it in a real game. We were very excited to break down the tape and see them have some production for us. We didn’t get the production from our attack that we normally get, but we were very happy in the midfield. I would love to say that unit is flying under the radar, but I think I’m going to have to see it a few times to believe it so that it’s not an apparition."
What he said: Asked how he intends to replace Ricci, who led the team in groundballs (91) and caused turnovers (51) last season, Toomey said, "You don’t, quite honestly. What we’re trying to do is look at his numbers overall, and at the end of the game, P.T. Ricci had maybe five takeaways and eight groundballs. What we’re trying to do is put two poles and maybe three poles in a situation where we can get to those numbers. I don’t think any one guy is going to be able to do what P.T. Ricci did for us. I think with maybe the combination of three guys, we might be able to reach the numbers that we’re hopeful of. … We’re challenging our poles to be really good between-the-lines guys and pick up tough groundballs and create offensive opportunities out of it."
]]>Question: Which team got your No. 1 vote in the preseason poll?
Quint Kessenich: "I gave Duke my No. 1 vote based on the amount of talent they returned in comparison to the amount of points that Syracuse University lost. Syracuse lost three really good offensive players in Kenny Nims, Dan Hardy and Pat Perritt and one of their best defenders in Sid Smith. But I do think that Syracuse returns the best defense in the nation. And I’ve got them either second or third depending on how they fare on March 7 against Virginia. So they’re not that far off."
Q: What can be gained from Duke's 9-8 victory over Team USA in an exhibition on Jan. 31?
QK: "Very little. Duke was playing without four of their best players. Team USA had not practiced at all. Different rules. Duke had the advantage of practicing. What it showed me was the overall athleticism of a Division I player now. A good Division I player can compete with an elite professional player, and I’m not sure that existed 10 or 20 years ago. A kid one year out of Landon was running past a USA Team defender, which is kind of uplifting, I think, for all of college lacrosse and even for high school kids. A great high school player, he’s not that far off. Long-term, Duke’s biggest issue will be their goaltending situation. Sean Brady was their heir apparent and who I believe was very talented. He violated a team rule, and he got suspended. So they have some very inexperienced goalies. And Coach [John] Danowski’s biggest issue is peaking at the right time. They’ve always peaked in the ACC Tournament and they’ve never played their best game on Memorial Day weekend."
]]> Q: How did Bill Tierney's move from Princeton to Denver impact both of those schools?QK: "It totally changes the culture of lacrosse in Denver and gives them an opportunity to recruit out West. It just ramps up their program and shows a commitment by that administration to compete on a national level. Given the early recruiting calendar nowadays, I’m not sure that Princeton will ever compete for a national title under the same recruiting calendar right now. Coaches are recruiting sophomores now and getting verbals from juniors and the Ivy League is behind on that count. All the scholarship teams are hoarding all the good talent and the Ivy League is left to pick up the scraps."
Q: Which of the Maryland programs has the best chance to play on Memorial Day weekend?
QK: "I'll give you a little something on each team. Towson has the most difficult schedule in the country. [Coach] Tony [Seaman] has a ridiculously hard schedule. Loyola should be about the same this year. Maryland will be improved. Their question mark is finding some scoring from the midfield. Their team speed last year was deficient, and they’ve addressed that issue. Hopkins has a great attack. Their defense at times last year let them down. I think Navy’s going to be much better. Navy returns the majority of their team. I have Navy in the top 10, I’ve got Hopkins in the top 10, I’ve got Maryland in the top 10. UMBC takes a little step backwards."
Q: Which team is flying under the radar?
QK: "I think there are a few teams that fit that label. Harvard returns Jeff Cohen and Dean Gibbons, and they beat Duke last year. They’re just changing the culture there with [coach] John Tillman doing a nice job. Hofstra has a lot of returnees, and they’ve got a transfer from Denver, Jamie Lincoln. Albany has a great attack, and Stony Brook has some athletic midfielders. They play a wide-open system, and they score a lot of goals. They’re fun to watch."
]]>Reason for optimism: After leaning on the midfield to power the offense, it’s the attack unit that brings the most promise this season. Seniors Matt Latham, a Liberty graduate, registered 27 goals and five assists, and senior Chris Jones posted 21 goals and 10 assists as a starter. Junior Rob Grimm chipped in with 10 goals and 17 assists, and coach Don Zimmerman is encouraged by the progress of freshmen Scott Jones and Matt Gregoire (South River). "We’ve got good numbers," Zimmerman said. "We feel it’s a combination of guys with experience and younger guys who can come in, step in, learn and not be thrown into the fire."
]]> Reason for pessimism: UMBC was spoiled by goalkeeper Jeremy Blevins, a four-year starter who set a school record with 46 career wins. Sophomores Brian McCullough and Matt Holman (Gilman) and freshman Adam Cohen (Severn) are competing, but it appears that senior Kevin Kohri (Century) has the inside track to start the season opener against Delaware on Feb. 20. "I want to give all of our goalkeepers an opportunity, especially our senior," Zimmerman said. "I’ve always believed that seniors deserve every opportunity to go out and prove themselves. In this case, I think it particularly holds true."Keep an eye on: The face-off position suffered greatly from the graduation of Taylor Marino. Sophomore Justin Radebaugh (Boys' Latin), junior J.D. Harkey and senior Kyle Wimer contributed to a position that won just 41.7 percent of its face-offs. Harkey is back after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, and freshmen Joe Impallaria (Calvert Hall) and Neill Lewnes (St. Mary's) will contribute, but the onus lies with Radebaugh, who won 119 of 257 face-offs for a .463 percentage. "He’s more focused and playing with a better understanding of what his role will be," Zimmerman said. "He needs to continue to work hard and be in great shape and be ready to battle."
What he said: Losing Peet Poillon and Alex Hopmann and their combined 62 goals and 29 assists is no picnic, but it may be a blessing in disguise. The offense may have relied on Poillon, Hopmann and current senior Kyle Wimer (24, 18) too much, according to Zimmerman. "I think what we need to do is try to balance and come up with two midfield units versus throwing all of our eggs in that first midfield basket," he said. "That was a special midfield, no doubt about it. But down the stretch when it started to get warmer and when we were playing in the NCAAs, I think not having a solid second midfield hurt us. So what we’re trying to do is instead of having one dynamite unit, trying to balance it off and have two equal units."
]]>In 11 seasons in Washington, Russ Grimm helped the Redskins win three Super Bowls and was a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1980s. Dylan Grimm played in two games for the Greyhounds in his freshman campaign.
]]>Overview: The Tigers fell to Villanova in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament final, missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four years. But Towson was coming off a 5-9 campaign in 2008, and the team mixed in a fair amount of freshman and sophomore talent with the experienced veterans. Things don’t get any easier with the addition of Massachusetts and Penn State to the conference, but the Tigers have the potential to make some waves.
Reason for optimism: Towson’s defense will likely pace the team until a still-developing offense finds its rhythm. Sophomore defenseman Marc Ingerman made the CAA All-Rookie squad last spring, and senior Joe Wascavage and sophomore Michael Landy figure to start at the other close defense positions. The goalie spot is hotly contested, but senior Rob Wheeler (8.97 goals-against average and a .557 save percentage) is expected to start for the second consecutive year. "It’s probably his job to lose," coach Tony Seaman said of Wheeler, a Friends graduate. "He’s got another year under him, and we expect him to play better."
]]> Reason for pessimism: A face-off role that bid farewell to Mitchell Rosensweig (.559 percentage and a team-high 109 groundballs) was weakened by a season-ending knee injury to sophomore Ian Mills. Redshirt freshman Matt Thomas will likely start and sophomore Andrew Poulos and freshman Ryan DeSmit (Friends) will have to contribute to make up for Mills’ absence. "He’s gone for the spring," Seaman said of Mills. "That’s a big loss."Keep an eye on: The attack graduated Bill McCutcheon, who led the team in goals (23) and assists (15) last spring, but Seaman firmly believes that junior Tim Stratton (16, 8) can emerge as that unit’s quarterback. Add sophomore starters Matt Lamon (4, 9) and Sean Maguire (9, 1) and a promising duo in sophomore Steven Norris and freshman Matt Hughes, and Seaman likes what he has. "I think Stratton can step up and develop into that role," the coach said. "Matt Lamon’s a pretty good feeder, and Maguire and Norris are finishers. I hope they can complement each other."
What he said: The Tigers’ schedule is rated as one of the toughest in the country as it is littered with seven NCAA Tournament qualifiers (Hofstra, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Massachusetts, Navy, UMBC and Virginia) and three teams that finished second in their leagues (Loyola in the ECAC, Stony Brook in the America East and Bucknell in the Patriot League). Tongue firmly planted in cheek, Seaman berated himself for arranging a difficult schedule. "It’s a hell of a measuring stick," he said. "I want our schedule to be as challenging as it can get. You’ve got a big-time facility, you’re in a big-time area for lacrosse, and all of our games kind of make sense. … There’s just no Saturdays off."
]]>Junior Josh Amidon has drawn comparisons to Abbott for his all-field skills, junior Jovan Miller used his speed as a short-stick defensive midfielder for the past two seasons, and junior Jeremy Thompson posted 62 goals and 54 assists in two years at Onondaga Community College.
"I feel good about the players we have in the midfield," coach John Desko said. "We’re going to be young and inexperienced there, but I think we’re going to be good. I just don’t know when. … I feel good about their athletic ability and talent."
On the flip side, Syracuse’s defense could be one of the stingiest in the country. Although Sid Smith graduated, junior John Lade (53 groundballs) is expected to slide into Smith’s role as the team’s top shutdown defenseman. Senior Matt Tierney is underrated, junior Joel White is perhaps the best long-stick midfielder in the nation, and junior John Galloway anchors the back end.
"I think a lot of people have associated Syracuse with his scoring, and that’s true," Desko said. "But to keep people from scoring against us, that’s something we take great pride in. … It’s always comforting knowing that you have that kind of returning experience on defense."
]]>So the athletic department wooed away Princeton's Bill Tierney, a disciplinarian and the architect of six national championships with the Tigers. Eight months later, Tierney said the players have been receptive to his philosophies and coaching style.
"We're not trying to stifle individual talent," he said. "We're trying to make it a 'we' team. The guys are buying into the defensive philosophy, and offensively, we're asking guys not to be selfish."
]]> Tierney is encouraged by the Pioneers' experience in six returning starters, an addition in Cornell transfer and senior defenseman Nick Gradinger and potential firepower in an attack of sophomores Mark Matthews and Alex Demopoulos and junior Todd Baxter.About the only concern nagging Tierney is the seven cross-country flights the team will undertake this season. That's four more than Tierney has ever traveled with a lacrosse team in his 23-year career.
"These guys are used to it, but it can take a toll," Tierney said. "That's another thing that's going to new to me. ... It is what it is. Just have to handle it."
]]>Overview: Two victories away from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, the Mountaineers return eight starters from last year's squad, and five of those starters are underclassmen. Seventeen freshman gained significant experience last season, and the entire team is hungry to win a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and the league's automatic qualifier.
Reason for optimism: Mount St. Mary's strength lies in its defense. Senior defenseman Matt Nealis, a first-team All-MAAC selection, teams up with fellow classmate Russell Moncure. Junior Andy Miller and sophomore Mark Burns are competing for the third starter's position and junior Justin Schmidt is slated to be the primary long-stick midfielder. And junior T.C. DiBartolo is one of the best goalies people outside of the MAAC have rarely seen. "Our core is our defense," coach Tom Gravante said. "We're expecting bigger things from them this year."
Reason for pessimism: Outside of sophomore attackman Christian Kellett and sophomore midfielder Cody Lehrer, no other offensive player reached double-digits in goals. Only twice did the Mountaineers score more than 10 goals in a game last season. The team will need more production from other sources to make an impact in the MAAC.
Keep an eye on: Gravante is high on a pair of twins in Brett and Bryant Schmidt, both of whom were recruited by Johns Hopkins, Navy and Towson, according to Gravante. Brett Schmidt is expected to join Kellett and Lehrer on the first attack line, while Bryant Schmidt is likely to start in the midfield. "These are two very good, talented, athletic young men," Gravante said. "They have really shaken up the team in terms of raising the bar. These two are very special."
]]>In a bit of a surprise, the Tar Heels have named redshirt junior Chris Madalon as the starter in their season opener against Jacksonville on Saturday.
"I think the consistency that Madalon showed in the clearing game, making saves, his voice with the defense, it was terrific," coach Joe Breschi said as the team traveled to Florida late Thursday night. "It wasn't one of those things where we said, 'Oh yeah, he's the guy.' He earned it, and I think everybody was hoping and wishing for him to separate himself and he certainly did a nice job doing so. So he earned that position."
At 6 feet, 3 inches and 195 pounds, Madalon presents a different picture than Petracca (5-7, 175), Rastivo (5-8, 150) and even Zimmerman (5-8, 170). But Zimmerman was a four-year starter who anchored North Carolina. Can Madalon replicate his predecessor's success?
"I think the one thing Chris has is tremendous confidence in himself, and certainly his teammates have a lot of confidence in him as well," Breschi said. "So I don't see him putting too much pressure on himself. I see him as really embracing the challenges ahead and taking that leadership role defensively. Zim was a terrific leader and a four-year guy, and he's certainly going to be missed. But Madalon is 6-3, he's athletic. When he's outside the cage, he's a terrific clearer of the ball. He can really add an element to the riding game because he can cover more ground a little bit. So he has his strengths as well that kind of separate him from Zim in his own way. But the one thing he doesn't have is that experience. That's something he's going to have to gain."
With the graduation of four-year starter Joe Pike, Harvard is left with a big question mark between the pipes. Senior Sam Michel, sophomore Christian Coates and freshman Harry Krieger are battling for the starting position.
"I'd say it's neck and neck right now," Crimson coach John Tillman said of the competition. Christian probably had the experience advantage, but he broke his hand in the fall and could only practice a couple weeks whereas the other guys got in the four full weeks. So it's probably too early to tell."
Whoever wins the starter's role, he will at least be comforted by the presence of senior defenseman Billy Geist (McDonogh). Sophomores Paul Pate and Dan DiMaria and freshman Jason Gonos (St. Mary's) -- all of whom are competing for playing time -- could have a hand in revamping a defensive unit that bid farewell to Max Gottschall and Sam Slaughter.
"We may not be as experienced, but we may be more athletic, and that's not such a bad thing," Tillman said.
]]>"That's a good question," Fighting Irish coach Kevin Corrigan said. "We're trying to figure that out every day."
Notre Dame, which averaged 11 goals per game while completing an undefeated regular season last spring, does return senior attackman Neal Hicks (25 goals and 18 assists), but not much else. Sophomores Nick Beattie and Sean Rogers and senior Colin Igoe are the leading candidates to join Hicks, but Beattie recorded six goals and three assists last season, Rogers played in just one game, and Igoe sat out the season due to injury.
Still, Corrigan realizes that there's no point in trying to mold this year's attack into the one from last season.
"We don't try to be last year's team with different personnel," he said. "We're going to do some things that we did in the past, but we're not going to try to replace Ryan Hoff on the crease. That wouldn't make sense. Instead, maybe we can take our crease guy and move him around and create other opportunities."
]]>The league announced earlier Tuesday that beginning in 2011, the ECAC season will end with a tournament pitting the top four teams to determine which school should get the AQ to the NCAA Tournament.
"We are delighted to have this opportunity to showcase our league, which contains some of the top teams in the country," commissioner Rudy Keeling said in a statement posted on the conference's website. "We're also pleased that we can avoid deciding our automatic bid recipient through a tiebreaker formula, as has sometimes been the case, and instead have the student-athletes have an opportunity to earn the NCAA bid on the field."
]]> The semifinal round will take place on Friday, May 6, 2011. The two winning teams will then advance to the championship game on Sunday, May 8. The school that wins the 2010 ECAC championship will host the 2011 tournament. The site of the 2012 tournament will be determined through a bid process.The move -- first reported by Inside Lacrosse -- is believed to leave only the newly-formed Big East conference as the only league without a season-ending tournament. The Big East is slated to install a tournament format for the 2012 campaign.
The change should delight Loyola, which had the same league record as Massachusetts last spring but lost the conference title -- and the AQ -- to the Minutemen due to a head-to-head tiebreaker. The Greyhounds then watched as the tournament selection committee bypassed them despite the team owning a 9-5 record and one-goal losses to tournament qualifiers like Syracuse and Johns Hopkins.
]]>Someone forgot to tell Knarr that.
Knarr underwent surgery in September to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in three years. Unlike the operation during his junior year at LaSalle High School in Pennsylvania which involved grafting the ACL with tissue from a cadaver, doctors at Georgetown University Hospital used live tissue from Knarr's patellar tendon, which is generally regarded as much stronger as that from cadavers.
"He's recovered remarkably quicker from this last one," Urick marveled. "We haven't decided if Tyler's going to play, but right now, he's chomping at the bit. But we may take a cautious approach."
]]> Knarr may get some playing time behind anticipated starters Barney Ehrmann, Eric Bicknese and Chris Nixon, but his more significant contribution could occur at the face-off "X," where he has demonstrated a proficiency despite using a long pole.Urick said he should have known that Knarr, who has been cleared by the team's medical staff to play, isn't content to sit idly by. He's added a course in Arabic this spring because "he wanted to," Urick said.
"He doesn't mind challenging himself," Urick said.
]]>