Published: August 27, 2008 09:53 pm            

H.S. BOYS SOCCER: Another promising season in Lockport

Talented Lions are perennial NFL favorites.

LOCKPORT — Lockport High School’s thirst for boys soccer excellence is quenched year after year by a deep well of up-and-coming talent and a coach who carries a big pail.

Entering his fourth year as Lions boys varsity soccer head coach, Jeff Hulshoff has proven to be a great judge of talent and character each year as he rebuilds his team, despite seemingly irreparable losses to graduation of key starters.

This fall is no different for Hulshoff, who boasts an impressive career varsity record of 43-14-3. His losses to graduation not only include league Most Valuable Player defender Nathan Bechtold, but three league all-stars, midfielders Mike Pass (first team) and Evan Breloff (second team) and defender Dan Greco (first team).

With those types of losses, most teams wouldn’t stand a chance at repeating, but this is Lockport after all, where an abundance of youth soccer programs — Kenan and elsewhere — and an outstanding LHS junior varsity program under Mike Finnerty have helped maintain a level of varsity excellence that began with former coaches Harvey Mattes in the mid-1970s and continued in the 1980s and 90s with Ray Marshall.

So it’s no surprise that Hulshoff expects nothing short of another league title for his defending Niagara Frontier League champions, who finished 14-5-1 overall last year.

“With the return of last year’s league-leading scorer, junior Matt McCoy (23 goals), juniors Jim May, Chris Paradise, Andrew Granchelli and Mark Senay; along with seniors Angelo DiMillo, Jay Dry, Dan Sciandra and Andrew Smist, we should once again be a solid favorite to win the league championship as well as sectionals,” Hulshoff said.

Topping the Lions in 2008 are their three captains, seniors DiMillo, Dry and Smist. They’ll lead a host of talent, including forward McCoy, defender May (second team all-star) and midfielder Granchelli (second team all-star).

The starting Lions keeper this season is sure-handed Chris Paradise, who sparkled in the nets a year ago, earning third team All-NFL honors.

Sciandra has taken an early-season unsung, but vital role for the blue and gold, moving back from striker to defender to help solidify Lockport’s defense.

“He gave it up for the team — to make the team better, like Bechtold did a year ago,” Hulshoff said.

The Lions open their season at 6 p.m. Friday with a non-league game at Churchville Chili. Lockport hosts North Tonawanda at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in their NFL opener.

The annual LHS Soccer Tournament will be held Sept. 4-6 with boys and girls varsity and junior varsity teams from Starpoint, Williamsville North and Nichols participating.

• Starpoint

With the loss of two first team all-ECIC III players from a league championship squad, third-year coach Todd Conklin will be relying on a bevy of young players, led by junior striker Rich Barrett.

Junior keeper Tim Clark, “will help keep us in games,” Conklin said.

“Our program lost one of its best senior classes ever last year, however, we have a great group of young players joining a core that saw significant time last season,” the coach said. “We’ll feature a lot of skilled attacking players and are hoping to play an exciting style of soccer.”

• Newfane

Senior co-captains Nate Stern, Garth Seefeldt, Adam Irr and defender Matt Leathers top an experienced Panthers team that finished 12-5-1 in 2007 (second in the N-O).

Stern (first team league all-star midfielder), Seefeldt (forward) and Irr (midfield) are four-year starters for the Royal Blue and white.

“It starts fast for us this year with games against Holley and Wilson to open the season,” said Panthers head coach Bob Roach.

• Royalton-Hartland

The Rams will tune up for their N-O season by taking on Pioneer in the opening round of the Eden Tournament, which begins Friday and concludes Saturday.

Looking to rebound from last fall’s 0-10 league campaign, the Rams will open their league slate at Medina on Sept. 9.

Senior midfielder Billy Costello and junior striker Andy Gow are serving as co-captains for the Rams squad which also returns experience in seniors Matt Heschke (defender), Mike Slattery (midfield) and Brett McDonell (midfield/defender).

Other key starters include juniors Richie Klee (midfield), Joe Monti (defender) and Brent Russell (forward).

“We’re young and inexperienced,” coach Scott Hughes said. “Hopefully our speed and conditioning will help keep us in games.”

• Wilson

The Lakemen and first-year coach Chris Alex have high expectations heading into the Niagara-Orleans League season. N-O teams have had great success in sectional competition with several teams advancing to the state tournament the past few years.

“We’re looking very positive and well-rounded,” Alex said. “We have a solid core of seniors who will look to continue the Wilson soccer tradition and go after another league title.”

Leading that charge will be senior strikers Mike Taylor and Odane Todd along with senior midfielder Josh Huesinger. A trio of juniors will lead the defense in Adam Jones, Zac Carlisle and Garrett McIntosh. McIntosh will play sweeper.

        

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