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PAGE 4 • Northern New York Newspapers August, 2012 NAC Realigns Into Four Divisions For 2012 By DAVE SHEA For the second time in two years, the Northern Athletic Conference will institute a realigment for the sports that are fielded by the great majority of its members: boys and girls soccer and basketball, baseball and softball. This time Section 10 Athletic Coordinator Carl Normandin believes that the NAC has it right. In the format used for the 2011-2012 school year, the NAC went from three divisions (Central, West, East) to a four-division look (Central, East, West, North). In the four division setup, Edwards-Knox moved from the West Division into the East and the North was formed by moving Canton and Norwood-Norfolk from the Central and Salmon River, St. Lawrence Central and Brushton-Moira from the East. For the 2012-13 school year, the NAC will return to three divisions with the Central, West and East. Edwards-Knox will restore the traditional eight-team Class D NAC West, and Canton returns to the Central, which will now house all of the Class A-B schools with the addition of Salmon River, which will play in the Central for the first time. “We are really glad to be back in the Central,” said Canton Athletic Director Bill Porter. “We never wanted to move.” Norwood-Norfolk will compete in the new-look NAC East in a division that now features Class C schools in Norwood-Norfolk, Brushton-Moira, Tupper Lake and St. Lawrence Central and Class D schools in Madrid-Waddington, Chateaugay, Parishville-Hopkinton, Colton-Pierrepont and St. Regis Falls. In girls soccer, boys and girls basketball and softball, the nine East schools will be subdivided for scheduling purposes into the North with Brushton- Moira, Norwood-Norfolk, SLC, Madrid-Waddington and Tupper Lake and the East with Chateaugay, Colton-Pierrepont, Parishville-Hopkinton and St. Regis Falls. The East will feature eight teams in baseball because Colton-Pierrepont plays lacrosse in the spring and eight teams in boys soccer because Tupper Lake plays football in the fall. “I really believe that this year’s alignment will work long-term as long as we don’t lose programs because of budgeting problems. It utilizes geography, school size and programs offered by schools,” Normandin said. “We now have all the Class A and B schools together in the Central, the East has a mix of Class C and D schools and the Class D West is back together,” Normandin added. “Salmon River disagreed with the move to the Central and we understand their position, but it is time for the largest schools of the section to be in one division.” Edwards-Knox Athletic Director Lori Brewer said that the school, the coaches and communities were all “delighted” to have the Cougars returning to the West. “Playing in the East was excellent competition but we have great rivalries in the West,” she said. “Our kids missed playing against the kids they have played against all their lives. They especially missed playing against Hermon-DeKalb in league play because the schools are so close.” The following alignments will be used based on the number of schools participating in soccer, basketball, baseball and softball: GIRLS SOCCER, B/G BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL West Division: Clifton-Fine, Edwards-Knox, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Morristown. Central Division: Canton, Gouverneur, Malone, Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Salmon River. North Division: Brushton-Moira, Norwood-Norfolk, St. Lawrence Central, Madrid-Waddington, Tupper Lake. East Division: Chateaugay, Colton-Pierrepont, Parishville-Hopkinton, St. Regis Falls. BASEBALL West Division: Clifton-Fine, Edwards-Knox, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Morristown. Central Division: Canton, Gouverneur, Malone, Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Salmon River. East Division: Brushton-Moira, Norwood-Norfolk, St. Lawrence Central, Madrid-Waddington, Tupper Lake, Chateaugay, Parishville-Hopkinton and St. Regis Falls. BOYS SOCCER West Division: Clifton-Fine, Edwards-Knox, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Morristown. Central Division: Canton, Gouverneur, Malone, Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Salmon River. East Division: Brushton-Moira, Norwood-Norfolk, St. Lawrence Central, Madrid-Waddington, Chateaugay, Colton-Pierrepont, Parishville-Hopkinton and St. Regis Falls. Go Team!! Ready... Aim... • Layaways Available • Major Credit Cards Accepted • Gift Certificates Available SAVE! For all your hunting needs, Come to us! New & Used Shot Guns, Rifles, & Hand Guns...Hundreds To Choose From Licensed Gunsmithing On Premises Sentry Gun Safes Full Line Of: •Muzzle Loaders & Accessories Boots Gray’s Gun Shop 73 Scott Road, Lisbon 393-4968 Mon.-Tues. & Thurs.-Sat. (9-9) Closed Lunch (12:30-1:30) • Wed. (9-5) • Closed Sun. “Home of the FREE oil changes”* *See Team Blevins for details www.blevinsautogroup.com TEAM BLEVINS 1213 US Hwy 11 Gouverneur, NY 287-1300
August, 2012 • Northern New York Newspapers • PAGE 5 Veteran Line Anchors Massena Football Hopes By ALAIN St. PIERRE MASSENA - The more things have changed, the less Massena Central football coach Anthony Diagostino hopes they remain the same heading into the 2012 NAC season. “Every year is different in high school football. It’s just the nature of the sport. You always have seniors who graduate and leave the program and you always have younger kids maturing and looking to make the step up to varsity,” noted Diagostino, who begins his fifth year at the Raider football helm with a roster 2012 Sandstoners Poised For NAC Gridiron Success By JOHN TURCOTTE POTSDAM – After a year’s absence, Friday night lights return to the Potsdam campus for the 2012 season. An electric usage problem forced the Sandstoner football team to play home games on Saturday afternoons last fall, but all systems are go this year for night football for a Potsdam team that could very well light it up offensively for 10th-year head coach Jim Kirka. “We’re usually a team that relies on one main running back, but we have a lot of guys who can carry the ball this year,” Kirka said. “Will Coleman is healthy again, good to go and will start at quarterback. Last year’s other quarterback, Shawn Clark, is looking very good at wide receiver. And our offensive line could be as good as we’ve had here. They’re big, strong and hungry.” Potsdam’s 2011 season ended in a Class A championship game loss at Malone as the Sandstoners finished 6-4 overall on the season. Kirka looks forward to a possible return to state tournament play as in 2009 and 2010. “I’m excited about this team. A lot of guys worked hard in the weight room this summer,” Kirka said. “I’m usually not optimistic, but I am this year. We have more team speed than we’ve ever had. But we have to stay healthy and live up to our potential.” Coleman, a junior, suffered a severe leg injury late last football season, and the brother of several outstanding former Sandstoner athletes went on to miss both the basketball and baseball seasons. But he’s now been cleared to compete and will be a key component of the always-strong Potsdam running game, which also features senior veteran tailbacks Aaron Lewis, Stephen Lewis and Garrett Kilgore. It also includes running back and return threat Oden Robertson, who started at St. Lawrence Central last season as a sophomore but has transferred to Potsdam. Andrew Ace and Ryan Mc- Faddin, up from the JV, give the Sandstoners two strong fullbacks. Clark, a 6-foot-7 junior, provides a nice target for Coleman at wide receiver, while at tight end, All-NAC player Josh Adams will be replaced by senior veteran Jacob Woods and Dylan Greer, up from the JV. David Adams, a transfer from Virginia, is very versatile and will see time at backup quarterback, receiver and on defense. Potsdam’s outstanding veteran offensive line includes seniors Kyle Martin, Aaron Deon and Preston Mason along with junior Matt Cincinnati. Seniors Ian Drummatter and Aaron Chandler are also top linemen and several Potsdam linemen will see action on both sides of the ball. Other returning players include seniors Kyle Weems (WR/DB), Joe Boysk (DL) and Corey Brown (DB) along with juniors Jacob Bryant (WR) and Dan Devine (WR). Potsdam, with a 33-man roster, has merger agreements with both Norwood-Norfolk and Madrid-Waddington and will thus compete again in Class A for the postseason. Best of Luck Team from FUN UNLIMITED Polaris Snowmobile, ATV & Ranger 2068 State Highway 812 • Gouverneur, NY 13642 (315) 287-4144 • www.fununlimitedpolaris.com NEW HOURS that features only nine players from last year’s team which won three of four games over the final four weeks to close at 4-5. “This is a totally different team. We don’t focus too much on last year but we use that 4-5 record to put a little fire underneath us,” he added. “Our numbers are up a bit and we have a good group of kids that work hard in practice. We’re excited about the season. We’ll see what happens.” The Raiders will be looking to build a contender for NAC and Section 10 Class A honors around a solid nucleus of offensive lineman led by third-year senior tackle Jordan Hart. Also returning on the line are seniors Sam Sprague and Kioweren Rourke along with junior Josh Blair and senior tight end Justin Bestor. Firstyear players looking to earn game time on the line include seniors Ben Light and Nick White along with juniors Sam Gerbert, Cody Hooper, Montana Jacobs, Scott Laneuville and Alex Romeo. Junior Ross Davis is second on the Raider depth chart at tight end. “At this point, our offensive line is definitely our strength,” said Diagostino. Expected to anchor the Raider running game is the veteran trio of seniors Jordy Mitchell and Isaiah Perry and junior Connor Paquin. Newcomers hoping to make an impact at runningback include juniors Asa Kershner, Gage Landon, Jeremy Malone, and JP Reagan and the lone sophomore on the varsity roster, Josh Manley. “We’ve got some good depth at runningback,” Diagostino noted. “We have a lot of confidence in the kids that are coming back and we’re expecting good things from the younger guys.” Senior Tyler Simms is the lone returnee in a young but capable corps of split ends that includes juniors Zachary Babcock, Andrew Harvey, Kyle Nicholson, Billy Orlando, Noah Serabian and Xavier Viskovich. The Raiders will also be counting on a new signal-caller this fall as juniors Josh Belisle and Rory Corcoran, who played a handful of games at the varsity level as a freshman due to a rash of injuries that depleted the varsity ranks, look to compete for the starting job. The Raiders will open the season at Tupper Lake tonight. They make their home debut the following Friday night against OFA. Regardless of what happens over the course of the regular season, the Raiders have an automatic berth to a playoff final in late October against Potsdam Central, the only other Class A team in Section 10 this fall. Just In Time For Dance & Skating Season! Tuesdays 11am - 5pm Wednesdays 12pm -7pm Thursdays 12pm - 7pm Fridays 11am - 5pm Saturdays 10am - 3pm Northern Ice and Dance Downtown Potsdam 47 Market Street, Potsdam • 265-0009 www.NorthernIceandDance.com
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