Starting on Wednesday and ending Sunday, New York state’s premier annual athletic showcase, the Empire State Games, will be held in Buffalo.
But this year’s Games are unlike any other.
That’s because, for the first time in its history, the Games were not held last year — as a result of state-mandated budget cuts.
But now they’re back, and so too is the proud tradition of the scholastic men’s lacrosse competition.
The Games have also been a fertile recruiting showcase for college coaches. While most of the players will be trying to gain notice, several participants have already committed, including three of the nine rising seniors Ohio State has received commitments from. That group includes Fox Lane goaltender Cameron Stephens of the Hudson Valley team as well as Carthage midfielder Derek Kehoe from the Central team and Hamburg defender Eric Chadderdon from the Western squad.
All men’s lax games this year will be held at Canisius College. Action gets under way at 9 a.m. on Thursday as Long Island faces Western. Opening ceremonies are Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the University of Buffalo.
Long Island is going for its fifth straight gold medal and seventh in the last nine years.
For a look at the complete schedule of games, click here.
To check out team rosters for all six regions, including Long Island and Hudson Valley, click here.
Also, gang. Paul Wilson from SportsFive.net informed me that they plan on having live blog updates on all the lax games. So be sure to check that out starting Thursday by clicking here.
All-time scholastic men’s lacrosse champions
(Silver, bronze medalists in parentheses)
2008 |
Long Island |
(CN/HV) |
2007 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
2006 |
Long Island |
(WN/HV) |
2005 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
2004 |
Central |
(LI/AD) |
2003 |
Central |
(LI/AD) |
2002 |
Long Island |
(WN/CN) |
2001 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
2000 |
Western |
(HV/LI) |
1999 |
Central |
(LI/HV) |
1998 |
Long Island |
(HV/WN) |
1997 |
Long Island |
(CN/HV) |
1996 |
Long Island |
(CN/HV) |
1995 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
1994 |
Central |
(LI/HV) |
1993 |
Central |
(LI/HV) |
1992 |
Hudson Valley |
(LI/WN) |
1991 |
Long Island |
(HV/WN) |
1990 |
Hudson Valley |
(LI/CN) |
1989 |
Central |
(HV/WN) |
1988 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
1987 |
Long Island |
(WN/CN) |
1986 |
Long Island |
(CN/WN) |
1985 |
Long Island |
(HV/WN) |
1984 |
Central |
(LI/WN) |
Posted In: Empire State Games
I think the Rye Empire team might have a tough time medaling.
I don’t know how the HV team did today at Hofstra, but the one thing that was clear yesterday was that they went for size over speed on the defense. When they played Shoreham on Saturday, they got sliced and diced by off-ball movement. I can’t say what will happen in buffalo, but a well disciplined offense will give them a lot of trouble.
Long time laxer ,
True about SWR game but HV made some adjustments and played far better in their win over an equally strong Farmingdale team.
Slacrosse,
I assume you realize this – but you are talking about HV’s play against high school teams. Of which their best players might playing on other teams. Think about that for a second. We are not talking about their play against regional teams. They played close games against local Long Island HS teams….That can not bode well…
P&G ,
Yup. Just making a positive comment on that particular game.
Will be a unique experience for them.
No predictions. VERY tough competition.
Leave everything on the field and have fun!
Go HV.
an equally strong Farmingdale team? lol. Two of their top three scorers are not on that team.
slac, maintain the cred, people spotted that the D was slow before tryouts were over and they’re in a little trouble there. Pack it in fella’s! Pack in!
They’ll be fine. lol.
Well…If they can split the two games on Thursday vs Adirondack and LI, maybe they can sweep two on Friday vs. NY and Western, which will possibly make the Sunday vs Central game a throw away/bonus and they will already be in the medal round.
If they lose two on Thursday, then they have to sweep the last three to have any hope of medaling.
If they win two on Thursday then they can split on Friday and win Saturday, or they have to win two of the last three in any order.
First game against Adirondack sets them up for a run or kicks them in the gut.
Look at the diversity on the Long Island roster, the most they have are three guys from Smithtown. One West Islip. One GC. They even had room for a Mastic and an East Northport. Completely diverse. It’s beautiful to look at just beautiful.
The most any other team has is Adirondack with four from Clifton Park.
Best of luck to the hv team, any given day… hopefully laxfan wont credit someone else for the goals scored by the boys on this team
IDK
Good analysis. Yeah win versus AD would be
NICE!
Check out the diversity on the other rosters, especially Long Island…that’s the way to do it.
Slacrosse, I’m curious, exactly what adjustments did the HV team make on defense? Can you talk about them? Just wondering.
curious,
You’ll have to ask Coach Schurr who’s running the D. Hey but thanks for asking anyway. Good to be “curious”.
I have seen all the Empire Teams play at some point this summer, Syracuse, Long Island, etc. Put LI West and Central at the top with Adk and HV a notch below. NYC is not very good, sorry no offense. I see LI gold Western silver Central bronze. Just predictions, take them lightly please. Enjoy the games. Reading all the rosters as I could find on the internet, many teams are not bringing guys so maybe it will even out. Saw some AAs from LI did not play either so that is not only in HV
So then, you can’t talk about them. You just threw that out there that they made adjustments.
lol.
Bring back No_Style_Points!
Any early picks on the HV-LI game on THursday at Emps???
My understanding about the LI Empires roster is that it is made up of almost entirely public school players, while the Under Armour LI underclass team was almost entirely Catholic school guys. So over there they are bemoaning the lack of even more diversity.
Good luck to all the HV guys this week. Let me know if anybody winds up in the Richmond dorm at the Univ. at Buffalo.
Lax Novice
Believe the lax kids are all staying at Canisius where they’re competing.
Good luck to all the HV boys at Empires. Have fun and try your best. Special kudos to the Pac boys, Anthony Bereardis, TJ Foley and Kevin Carey. Do us proud. Only wish we had some of our D there, but we won’t go there. Bring home a medal.
Nice interview wit Anthony Lombardo on msgvarsity…
http://msgvarsity.com/connecticut-westchester/lombardo-looks-to-impress-at-esgs-1.29325?p=
D-Pac
Those kids are playing great! Pac is gonna be tough in ’11 for sure!!
Forget LI. Adirondack comes first.
Dear Mr. L.,
I know it’s Empires time, but we need a Hotbeds thread as well.
Thank you.
Elephant Man – good interview there as well with Rob Caffrey…
http://msgvarsity.com/connecticut-westchester/caffrey-headlines-potent-hv-lax-squad-1.29364?p=
On the HV team are the long poles the same ones that the Valley broke down in the fourth quarter of the section game. IF not mistaken 24 shots to 3
dee-up,
Why be so cynical and demeaning? At least these players have made the effort to compete for HV…
I dk I see LI beating HV like 13-5
Lax -for -life i was not looking to be cynical , but point out that the ESG in Hudson Valley is flawed,,. The long poles that were taken in my opinion (as well as some who wrote above) where questionable. I have talk about the Valley , Rye game as Joe Lombardi did in he has never seen a quarter dominated like that. I had watched a few Rye games this year and their long poles had a tough time in many games , i’m sure they will get improvement. Just feeling there where other long poles that could of fit the bill never mind 3.
hey i wish the H.V well . There really needs to be a better tryout and selection process, some of the top guys do not even bother to turn out , thats a shame
dee-up (and other HV critics) – you mean that same Valley team that also dropped in OT to Fox Lane during the regular season in spite of 7 SOG in OT? Game to game, season to season, year to year means nothing – this is now, this is ESG 2010, this is our HV team – support them and their efforts. Man, are the volleyball or wrestling or archery blogs this ridiculous? And Put Valley had a great season, led by outstanding players and a top coaching staff. Pulled for them and all section 1 teams all the way, including the girls. I suggest we all do the same and get over ourselves and whatever shortcomings in one’s high school career from decades past that are morphing into negativity about today’s most outstanding athletes.
Whopps – meant 7 SOG in the final 5 minutes of 4th qtr – not the OT
Dee-up – that same Valley team that dropped in OT to Fox Lane? Point is, game to game, season to season, year to year means nothing – this is our HV team for ESG 2010. Support them or go home.
slacrosse
Looking forward to 2011 as well. I think the D will perform much better after having a year under their belt. Three guys, Hamilton, Verde and Fetzer, were switched from midfield to defense before the season started. The only guy that has been a defenseman all along was Parrillo. He anchored the D and should be picked up soon by a D1 school. He is a solid player and the leader of the defense. I remember watching the Putnam Valley game and Pac was up 7-1. He got hurt and had to come out. Before you knew it , it was 7-6. Pac ended up winning 10-7. The next game he didn’t play and they lost against Suffern. He is definately the glue that keeps them together.
On offense, look for Berardis(junior), Foley and Carey to have great seasons. Add in Bota, Gysek, Shea and Evans and the team can score.
The key to the season will be goaltending, face-offs and how much they can keep possession on offense. Guess that’s the way for most teams,lol.
Wut Valley, I appreciate your sentiments, but do not need to be lectured about what I must do for this team.
As you falsely contend, these are not the most outstanding athletes in the section and that is what people have been objecting to this year and years past with this organization. The contention is not only that the area’s best players did not tryout (again), but that the roster does not even represent the best players who did try out. For those readers especially, the numbers and make up of the team speaks for itself and an honest assessment of the roster raises eyebrows for anyone who is being critically honest.
You cannot manufacture enthusiasm for the team any more than you can demand that people respect it. They will or they won’t, they do or they don’t – which is a personal decision no matter what you or any supporter of the team believes is proper behavior.
I notice some posts here and there that are looking ahead to the LI game…do not look past Adirondack….
D-Pac,
Thanx for the detail. That Pac/LP game will be a war. Think Suff will be a real tough team in A as well.
Assume Parrillo and the other D kids you mentioned tried out for Empires?
Parillo was done early at Empires…head scratcher – good cover guy and handles the ball. Slacrosse, I see where you’re going with that Empires reference…not nice…and you never answered that guy’s question about the defensive adjustments because you couldn’t.
Here is Hotbeds complete schedule…
http://hotbedslax.com/documents/2010%20FINAL%20HOTBEDS%20SCHEDULE%20PDF.pdf
Good luck ESG, Adirondack is key.
Anybody have final rosters for Hotbeds ( P-Time,W-Rock ) or Champ Camp ( Superstar) ?
Actually there are some very pointed comments on the archery blogs.
Lax Novice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bullseye !!!! LOL.
hbeds sched,
Thanks for the info.
Relax. People have continually said how many kids didn’t try out, naming names, etc. So could have very likely included these kids as well? So NOTHING negative to read into it.
Would be shocked if LI doesn’t roll to another gold. Game vs Adirondack will set tone for HV. If they lose – no medal I predict. Thoughts?
Lax n stuff
Yeah see LI winning but hear WN is very strong with a number of high D1 recruits.
For sure a win over AD is key for HV.
LI should easily win the gold. Other spots are open.
Good luck to all six regions.
I wonder what it’s doing in Buffalo. Hope they’re inside. lol.
Curious and No Spin Zone, take another good look at the LI roster. WI has their own HS summer team and not one Manhasset player made the roster??? There are a lot of big schools missing from their roster that are playing LI Express and not Empires.
Shoreham Wading River has almost their entire HS team playing sumer ball together. HV got beaten up on picks inside off ball. SWR had a rhythm of a late season offense ready for playoffs and HV still hung in there.
It’s all on the Midfield of HV to medal. The D seems like it’s solid and the attack is decent as well. If mids play well, get in defensively and reel it in for quality possessions HV will have a shot at medaling.
Joe, are we getting live updates for the games?
slacrosse and Hbeds sched.
Yes, a couple of the boys tried out for Empires and yes Parrillo only made it thru the first round of cuts. No sour grapes, but he should be on the team . He is better than two of the Rye boys and one of the Somers boys. He is a groundball machine, a good cover guy and has a good head for the game. In the double ot loss to LP, he shutdown Caffrey. Even though he scored the game winner, it came on a fastbreak where Parrillo had to slide to another guy. It’s ashame he didn’t go to some of the prime showcases. It hurt not having any of the Mahopac coaches at the Empire cuts.
Today’s score picks –
LI 9, Western 5
LI 12, HV 5
HV Pride, Making the Long Island Empire Team is still a BIG deal in West Islip and on the entire Island. Several West Islip kids tried out but only one made it (Mike Sagl). IMO a few more were deserving but I didn’t actually see the tryouts so who knows.
Six West Islip kids did make the Show Case Teams (tryouts were held in conjunction with the Empire tryouts) Federico,Byrnes,Carrick and Turri (Rising Sr,s) and Moore and Santo (Rising Jrs.)
My comments are just looking to balance out some of the more outrageous personal “fan clubs”.
What D1 Schools will be “picking” up Parillo soon? As a rising senior at this point you should have an offer, or are on a very short list. Most of the D1 schools are done with 2011, with an exception here or there based on position.
No offense – but there might only be 4-5 D1 kids on the current ESG team, so if you are a D1 talent odds are you made the team this year given the quality of kids trying out.
Just trying to keep this real…
Are all the strong Nisky guys playing on the Adk team? This will be a very good test for HV. Need to Beat ADK and Central (probably twice) for a metal. Lets go HV! I think everyone here would have liked more guys to try out (me from a selfish HV pride point of view, cousin’s on LI) but these boys need to do what they think best. Shurr will get the most out of them (and adjust for speed off the ball, packing in tighter and giving up some more outside shots, more communication on earlier second slides, and honestly using that size they went for, and putting people on the ground when they get in shooting range) and the middies will run a lot more to cover the wings.
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