Panthers to field more balanced lacrosse team
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Goalie Chris Lyon is one of two senior captains for Sweet Home. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

There's a blend of old and new faces on Sweet Home, which should provide for a more balanced boys lacrosse team than coach John Faller has fielded in recent years.

"I think we have a good mix," Faller said. "We have good scoring from the attack and midfield and much more balance than the last couple of years. It's just a matter of the team coming together and mixing the young with the old."

Faller returns seven starters from last year's 8-10 team, including senior co-captains, midfielder Eric Schnirel and goalie Chris Lyon. Both were Class B second team all-stars as juniors. The team's biggest loss from last year's team is 51-goal scorer Evan Witul, who is playing at Division III Mercyhurst in Erie, Pa.

Schnirel, coming off helping the basketball team win a section title, returns for his third year on the lacrosse team. Faller thinks Lyon (63 save percentage through four games) has good reflexes and will be one of the top goalies in the section.

Other returning starters are senior Sean Burns (six goals, five assists this season) at attack, sophomore midfielders Matt Zon and Taylor Heald (seven goals this season) and sophomore and junior defenders, Steve Phillips and Craig Stallard, respectively. Burns, Zon and Stallard are returning Class B honorable mention selections.

New starters include sophomore Colin Cardinale, the team's leading scorer through five games (eight goals, six assists), as well as sophomore Chris Covel (five goals, three assists) at attack, sophomore Nick Cavalieri joining Zon and Schnirel's midfield line, sophomores Eric Galdys and Matt Cuddihy teaming with Heald on the second starting midfield line, and junior Nate James on defense. Junior Eric Danheiser will also see plenty of action at attack.

Junior Rich Baudet is one of five Panthers who can face off well. Others are Zon, Heald, Galdys and midfielder Donny Daniels. The team's best faceoff performance came in a huge 10-4 road win over Section V's Victor on March 29. Victor is one of the top teams in Class B in Rochester. Sweet Home won 15 of 17 draws. Cardinale had four goals and three assists.

"I've liked our faceoff work," said Faller. "I think they'll hold up against most teams."

Faller also lauded the ground ball work of long stick midfielder, junior James Cardinale, whom he refers to as the "ball magnet."

"He scoops up every ground ball and gets it up to the offense to clear it," said Faller. "He's a big plus for us at that position."

Sweet Home is 3-2 with the Victor win being the team's best performance so far, Faller said. However, the Panthers followed with an ugly 8-4 loss to Clarence on April 3.

"We showed our potential against Victor and it gave our kids confidence, but the Clarence loss showed that if you don't come to play every game, that's what could happen," said Faller.

Sweet Home's other games were wins over St. Joe's, 9-6, and West Seneca West, 10-6, and a 9-5 loss to Williamsville North.

Sweet Home's season last year ended with a 15-14 loss to Iroquois in the Section VI Class B quarterfinals.
  Sweet Home 2007 Schedule
4-17 Frontier...................... 5 p.m.
4-19 East ............................ 5 p.m.
4-21 at Nichols................ 11 a.m.
4-23 at East Aurora.......... 7 p.m.
4-25 at Hamburg ............... 5 p.m.
4-27 Lake Shore................ 5 p.m.
5-1 at Amherst .................. 5 p.m.
5-3 at Grand Island .......... 5 p.m.
5-7 at Lancaster ................ 5 p.m.
5-9 at Iroquois................... 5 p.m.
5-11 W.S. East ................... 5 p.m.
5-15 South.......................... 5 p.m.
e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com