Getting There...

...While we are only four games into the season, it looks as if the team is definitely starting to come around.  Although we know we have areas to improve on, another impressive win this past Wednesday versus Norwich has the team building some nice momentum as we head into the middle of our non-conference schedule.  The final score from Wednesday's game was 14-2, and although the game got off to a slower start than we would have liked (1-0 at the end of the first), our offense eventually began clicking and didn't look back.  The offense was led by Brendan Damm, who finished the day with four goals and one assist.  Freshman James Higgins earned his first points as a Cardinal as he netted two goals and added one assist to finish with three points.  Senior Ryan Hastings added two goals of his own, while Brett McClelland, Nick Travers, Anthony Pafundi, Anthony Tralongo, Cole Anderson, and Tom Duggan all finished with one goal each.  Although the play was slow to start, the team did a great job staying focused and running our system offensively.  Defensively, the team did an awesome job shutting down any opportunities Norwich had.  It was sad to see the shutout slip away, as Norwich scored their first goal with only 5 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but overall, no one could complain about the way the D played...

...Our next game is this upcoming Wednesday versus Morrisville at 4:00 p.m. at the Fieldhouse.  Morrisville is always a tough and gritty team who gives us a challenge every time we play them.  No game this weekend means we have some extra time in practice to prepare for the upcoming game next week.  With a little extra time off, we were even able to switch things up today.  After a shortened practice, the gridiron stars of the past were able to relive some high school memories as we ended early to play some small sided football games.  Watching from the sideline (due to an injury), it was hilarious to watch the inner child of everyone come out as the days of backyard football games came back to everyone.  I witnessed at least four Ray Lewis pre-game entrances, and the pure excitement from playing some pick-up football was definitely a sight to witness.  The talent pool varied to say the least.  From my view, I think I have to give out the MVP from the game I was watching to either junior midfielder Anthony Pafundi, who had a handful of td's and was going all out to say the least, or Freshman midfielder Qusarn "Q" Caldwell.  Aside from the few bombs he threw, which were impressive, the play that most impressed me was his run that made a junior on the team, who will remain nameless, look foolish as he whiffed on the tackle attempt...

...The little football game gave us the chance to lighten the mood a bit, but we were back at it working hard at 8 a.m. practice today.  Scrimmaging for the most part, we were still focusing on polishing aspects of play on both the defensive and offensive ends of the field.  I hope that everyone can make it to the game on Wednesday.  We always appreciate anyone and everyone that can make it out to these home games which we know isn't always easy, especially during the middle of the week.   Well, the next few days promise to bring some warmer weather in the region, so I hope everyone enjoys the weekend and as always, I'll leave you with a little country tune...

There's an old saying...

"It's not how you start, but how you finish"...Well, this may be true, but if you ask me, just because you start well, doesn't mean you can't end well.  The team is definitely starting well this year after our first week of games has come to a close and we are sitting at a nice 3-0 record.  Our first game last Wednesday, versus RPI, had a final of 7-5 in favor of the Dirty Birds, and this past weekend we finished strong versus Farmingdale, 16-6, and FDU 20-10.  Each win had different key players and brought our team one step closer to reaching our potential, which we know we haven't hit yet.  Now lets take it game-by-game shall we...
...The first game is always one filled with a little added jitters and butterflies in the player's stomach, especially for those playing their first collegiate lacrosse game.  After waiting four weeks to get to play a game, the team's emotions were at an all-time high as we were eager to get the season rolling.  Luckily for us, the rain and snow held out, and for a February night in Albany, the conditions were perfect for a season opener.  From the get-go, we knew this was going to be a great test.  RPI is always a well-polished team, and their first possession almost led to an early goal.  However, our defense stiffened up, and held the RPI offense to only 5 goals and minimal quality opportunities.  Offensively, the cards got going starting with goals from senior captain Brett McClelland and senior Joe Kramer.  Brett and Joey both finished with hat-tricks, while Brendan Damm rounded off the scoring with one.  The game was definitely a great way to start the season, and gave the team some needed confidence as we prepared for a long weekend...
...Farmingdale is always a scrappy and hard fought game.  We know every year they circle us on their schedule and they are looking to come away with a W.  Discipline and playing our game would be essential if we wanted to win, and that's exactly what we brought.  The first half was closer than we wished, with the score 4-3 in our favor.  The second half we came out flying, and after a quick goal by the Rams, we began to pull away with the win.  Offense was led by our attack unit, as Damm, Lawrence, and Kramer all finished with three goals each.  Shout out to Brady Helmer for his first goal as a Plattsburgh Cardinal.  Top to bottom, it was a great game.  Best part, we were home on beautiful Long Island, so the crowd was filled with friends, family, and alumni of the past supporting us.  We were able to head home for the night which is always a nice benefit of playing on the island.  I think its fair to say the upstate boys are alwayss impressed with all that L.I. has to offer...The next day, at Town Hall in Hicksville, the parents and families put on an awesome dinner and raffle to support the team.  The spread was impressive to say the least, and it was great to get the cardinal family together and meet the new parents and families of the program.  I'll probably repeat this multiple time throughout the season, but our programs parents and families are the best around.  We get spoiled for sure, but they do a great job in making this team of 50 players, into a family of hundreds...
...After a bus ride to New Jersey and a nice stay in the Madison Hotel, we finished our long trip with a dominant win against FDU, in which we were able to get everyone some playing time.  To say we came out to a fast start is probably an understatement, as the score at the end of the first quarter was 10-1.  Brendan Damm led the way with 4 goals, while Tom Duggan and Cole Anderson scored their first goals in Cardinal red, and Brendan Schecker netted 2 for his first collegiate points.  After a tailgate, we boarded the bus and began our venture back to the Burgh, which went surprisingly fast.  On a sidenote, I suggest the movie Argo, great watch even on a bus...
...Tomorrow we face Norwich at the Fieldhouse here in Plattsburgh with the opening faceoff set for 4p.m.  It will be another nice non-conference challenge for us as we continue preparing ourselves for SUNYAC play only a few weeks away.  Hopefully we can get a large crowd together for our home-opener, which would be nice after a long road trip this past weekend.  I'll be sure to post another blog after the game tomorrow, but until then, have a nice day and go cards!

I'll leave everyone with a team favorite....or at least a favorite of the country fans on the team....

It Won't Happen Again...

Alright, I guess I can start off by apologizing for the lack of posts during the past few weeks.  I would like to say that my absence of writing is due to the overload of school work, but I'll save that excuse for a later time...in honesty, time kind of just caught up with me.  It happens every year, four weeks of preseason seems like an eternity from the beginning.  Nothing but a month long of practices with running, lifting, pressure grounders, bowdoin breakouts, more pressure grounders, cold weather and some more pressure grounders.  But, as always, time flies and finally, we get to test our skills and preparations against someone other than ourselves this week...

...The preseason went as most do.  Shaking off the rust and getting back into the flow of things, a few days into practice we were able to really get rolling.  Obviously, the first practices won't be perfect, and there's always a little adversity to deal with.  For any alumni out there, I think it's fair to say one of the biggest is the weather and the dreaded gym when weather doesn't permit us from getting out on the turf.  Personally, there's a love/hate relationship with the gym.  When it's 10 degrees out and windy, the last thing you want to do is run around on a field and get smacked with a metal pole.  However, after a few drills in the sand-covered gym, a part of you wishes you were outside.  In a perfect world (called Florida) it would be 65 degrees and sunny out in February, but that's a tad unlikely for good ole' Plattsburgh.  Anyways, for the last 2-3 weeks, we've been able to get outside and really get the ball rolling.  Working on game-like situations, 6v6, and full field scrimmages, we have been able to incorporate team philosophies and work on our chemistry both offensively and defensively.  With only two more practices left until our first game this Wednesday at RPI at 4:00, the next few days will be really important to put in those last pieces to make sure we're ready to go...

...The whole team is itching to get going and play in a game.  A month of drills, conditioning, and hard work has everyone ready for the opening faceoff.  Our first game, which is at RPI, will be a nice non-conference rematch from last year's game, which the cards won 9-7.  RPI is coming off of a season of highs and lows, as they had victories versus some top teams in the nation, but loses against weaker opponents left them out of the playoffs for 2012.  Fair to say, as a team that is often in the running for top 20 in the nation, RPI will be ready to go when we arrive at their place, especially after they lost their season opener this year in OT.  For us, we're looking to get off to a fast start and keep going.  We have a very challenging schedule this year which, with the addition of Stevens Tech game for March 9th, includes four Top 20 teams.  We know we have a ton of talent, most of it returners as well as some key new players, and we're eager to prove that this year will be one to remember.  We're taking this season one game at a time, and it starts with RPI this week.  I will do my BEST to update this blog as often as I can, and post updates and game reviews at least once a week.  If anyone has any suggestions or ideas they would like to see on the blog, please let me know.  On that note, I hope to see everyone there this Wednesday supporting your Plattsburgh Cardinals!

For anyone looking for some quality Monday night t.v., I suggest watching this mini-series on NatGeo...tune in at 10:00 p.m...God Bless our Troops

                                                                          

New Year...Same Goal

...Hello Plattsburgh family!  I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season and a happy New Year! Crazy how fast it comes and goes, and for us students, it really makes our relatively long break go by way too quick, but I know everyone is excited and ready to head back to the nest to start our 2013 season...
...There isn't too much to mention in this post, so it won't be a long one.  First, and I know it's late, I wanted to make sure that if anyone wants to order team gear, that goes for family members, friends, hell maybe even a co-worker, the order forms are due January 20th.  I know the link has been posted through our twitter account, but if you would like to or are interested in purchasing any of the sweats, shorts, or shirts, you can go to Lacrosse Team Gear, then head to team apparel and click on the Plattsburgh logo from there.  If you have a twitter account and you follow the team account, there's a direct link there.  So if you're interested, hurry up!  Times running out and we have some awesome gear this year...
...Secondly, after multiple attempts, Coach Cavanagh has set up the first annual Plattsburgh Men's Lacrosse team golf outing for this summer.  I know a lot of the kids on the team talk a big game when it comes to golf, so this is a great time to prove your skill and help support the team and its future.  Players were given pamphlets with specific information about the event and here's a link to it... Golf Outing Pamphlet... but just for some general information, the outing will be at Crab Meadow Golf Course, in Northport on beautiful Long Island.  I know this is a commute for some of you upstate players and fans, but I promise it will be worth the drive!  The event is set place to take place on August 12, with a 7:30 a.m. start! ...
...Well with the season upon us in only a few weeks, the team and myself couldn't be more excited to finally get going.  The schedule is up on the website, you can view it here 2013 Team Schedule ... In my four years here I can honestly say that this is the most competitive schedule we have faced and that's exactly what we needed to prepare ourselves for the conference games we have.  By facing challenging teams such as RPI, Connecticut College,  Mary Washington, Clarkson, and other non-conference foes, we can prepare ourselves for the games that will get us into the playoffs and the SUNYAC championship where we plan on being this spring.  With the amount of talent this team has and the work ethic we've shown, the potential we have is awesome, but we know talent alone won't achieve our goals.  It's definitely bitter-sweet that this is my last season playing, but I'm looking forward to finally get going and playing with the team and getting to see everyone at the games and tailgates....
....On a side note, I just drove 10 hours down to North Carolina with my friend Mike Regan, aka our self-proclaimed #1 fan for the last 3 years, to visit the Ritz-Carlton of College, High Point University.  In honor of the southern culture, and the fact I'm going to his concert next week, here's a personal favorite by Corey Smith, an awesome country singer from Georgia. See ya'll soon...

Halloween Special

...How's everyone doing on this unusually warm fall day? I hope everyone's October has been great and I know everyone is getting ready and excited for Halloween.  Personally, not my favorite holiday.  Ever since the age where it became awkward asking for candy because you were taller than all the parents handing out candy, I feel like the holiday has gone downhill.  But hey, that's just me...

...So since my last post of roughly 20 days ago, the squad has been quite busy.  First, I want to give a big Thank You for anyone who helped out the St. Baldrick's event.  Once again, it was a huge success and that is in large part due to our parents and all fans who donated, participated, or just attended the event.  To date, we have raised over $8,000, and you can still donate! So if you're feeling generous, help us get to that $10,000 mark and donate for a great cause!...

...Now onto the lacrosse side of our fall, which is why we're all here anyways.  I think it's fair to say that the team helped defend America's dominance over our northern neighbor when we faced McGill in our annual fall ball match-up.  After five weeks of beating up on each other, the team was ready and eager to show what we have accomplished in just a few practices.  Top to bottom, the team played awesome and took a big step in the right direction.  The final score was 14-7, a convincing win for the Cards.  If memory serves me well, the offense was led by senior midfielder Nick Travers, who finished the day with three goals.  Along with that, Ryan Hastings, Brendan Damm, and Anthony Pafundi netted two goals each.  Overall, the players, as well as the coaches, were very pleased with the performance of the team and I think only made us more excited to get the real season going...

...After the game, the squad still had two more morning and night practices, as well as the Alumni game.  I know I speak on behalf of all the seniors when I say we'll all miss the 6a.m. fitness practices very, very much...okay maybe not, but I think it made us realize how all to fast senior year is going by.  That Saturday, the old timers of the lacrosse program came up for the annual Alumni game and, confident as always, gave the current players a good challenge.  I'm not to sure of the final score, but either way, it was awesome seeing the guys that I played with throughout my career.  The game really shows the building of a tradition within the program, and the stronger our alumni base becomes, the more the program will grow.  On a side note, I'm calling a guaranteed Win in next years Alumni Game with my class helping the alumni squad out...

...After the alumni game, the team, parents, alumni, and friends enjoyed an awesome tailgate as always.  Once again, the parents and fans of this team really go above and beyond, and on behalf of all the players, thank you for that.  So now that fall ball is over, its safe to say most players have been catching up on backed up school work, or more likely on some sleep, although I naturally wake up at 5a.m. now so, that isn't possible for me.  For now, the team has some community service activities coming up, including the polar plunge.  This is always a great event, and nothing is more enjoyable than jumping into Lake Champlain in November...just like Long Beach in mid August, kind of...

...My first and last fall season has come and gone, and quite rapidly as well.  Looking at my class schedules, I was a tad shocked and surprised to see we just finished our 9th week of school, yikes.  Guess I should start that 30 page paper.....Once again, the team is pumped and ready to go for the spring.  Although I won't make any Joe Namath like predictions, I will say that the team has some pretty high expectations this year, and I can't wait to get the season rolling...

As promised, Junior Attackman Timmy Lawrence put together the photos from our hike up Poco Moonshine and made a pretty cool video, and the quality of the images kicks in at the 18 second mark....

And being the video lacks a little in the sound department, and the fact that we live in the greatest country in the world andddd since we just beat a foreign team, here's a little American pride....Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!

We're Baaack

...Hello Plattsburgh lacrosse family and fans, and welcome back!  It's a beautiful Friday here in the Burgh before Columbus day break and I am about to attempt to write my first blog of my young career.  But, before I introduce myself and let everyone in on what's been going on, let me first give a big thank you to Mike Santisteban.  Mike, besides the fact that he was our dominant fogo, ran the blog for the team as well as made all the youtube videos, from spring break to season highlights.  He did a great job keeping our fans in touch with the team and up to date on all games and events which is a huge part on building our lacrosse community. I know its been a full month into the school year without a post, but I promise I'll keep everyone posted from here on out, and now for the new guy...  My name is Mike Lind, a senior defenseman and captain from Garden City, Long Island (sorry upstate fans, another Long Island perspective).  I'm a history education major and, sadly enough, already looking into my future grad school program to continue my goal of one day becoming a high school teacher.  I am the youngest of six children and to save your time, I wont go through all of their stories and background, but I will give you their names in order; Kirsten, Eric, Eileen, Kathryn, Janine, myself, and my parents Mary Ann and Albert.  My time at Plattsburgh has been extremely enjoyable, and although I came in as a middie and miss scoring goals ( all four of them) the time I have spent being part of this program has been awesome.  I'm excited to take the realm of the blog for the remainder of the year, and I hope I can live up to the legends such as Dan DeFrancesco, who I am sure will critique my every post...
...Getting back into the team, we have been extremely busy so far this fall.  We are just about to wrap up the third week of our fall ball season, and the players' sleep patterns have been altered to say the least.  Due to time restraints on the turf, we have been having late practices, which wouldn't be to bad if it weren't for the 6am workouts.  Although the lack of sleep and the hard workouts have been a mental and physical drain for the squad, the team has done well coming together and knowing that everything we do now will help extend our season this upcoming spring.  As a team, we couldn't be more excited with the talent and personality we have this year, and I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say we wont be satisfied till we have that SUNYAC champiosnhip...We have two more weeks of fall ball left, with the McGill game coming up next Friday, the 12th and the alumni game the following week on Saturday the 20th, which is always fun and  great getting the old-timers back in the burgh...
...Aside from practice and training, the team has been plenty busy with community service and other events.  Certain members have been helping out with the new youth team established here in Plattsburgh.  The kids love it when the college players come, and although it seems like just a nice thing to do, the building of a youth program is huuuge for making Plattsburgh into a lacrosse community.  These young kids are some of our biggest fans, and maybe one day will be future stars, but for now they're doing their part in getting lacrosse popular in the North Country.  Aside from that, we have participated in the Buddy Walk, a great annual event to bring awareness to Down Syndrome, the Bed Race to try and raise money to multiple charities, and we were also invited to join in on the parade festivities in honor of the Battle of Plattsburgh.  Once again, the team, headed by head coach Ryan Cavanagh, has been working hard in their main fundraiser, St. Baldrick's.  This is a great foundation to raise money and awareness for children suffering from cancer.  Our team has set a goal to raise $10,000, and anyone who is interested in donating can do so through our St. Baldrick's page: http://www.stbaldricks.org/search/everythingresults/searchValue/cardinals+clip+cancer/submitEverything/Search/ .  The team and other members of the campus will also be shaving our heads on Oct. 12th, at Olive Ridley's.  If you have already donated or helped out in any way, thank you!  All events were for great causes and the community really appreciates seeing the athletes out there helping out...
...I know this was a little of a long post, but the team really has been quite busy so far this fall.  I will post more frequently from here on out, and I hope everyone can attend the McGill or Alumni game.  We truly have one of the best fan bases out there, and I thank you guys for that.  Lastly, the guys this morning, departing from the campus at roughly 4:30 a.m., hiked up Poke-O-Moonshine, a peak roughly thirty minutes away from school.  Although it was an early morning, I think it's fair to say we saw some of the best views some of our eyes have ever seen, especially for us Long Island folks.  Attackman Timmy Lawrence set up his go pro to take pictures of the rising sun every five seconds, and the final product came out awesome.  Hopefully by next post I can have those up for you to view in a video format.  But for now, enjoy the extended weekend, and once again, Welcome Back!

We left it on the field...

Oh man this sucks... On the eve of the SUNYAC Championship, I sit here in my room wishing I was instead down in Cortland in a hotel room. Things do not always go the way you want them to sometimes, and this happens to be one of those times.

Having little time until the highly desired rematch, we took full advantage of what could of been our last full practice. That afternoon, from start to finish, we knew we would give ourselves the best opportunity to win if we worked extremely hard in the areas we saw we needed improvement after the first game. The offense worked on dodging hard and running our 'O' the way the system had been placed from day one. The defense worked on clearing and rides. The foshos worked on ground balls and scrappy battles at the X. Not one minute in my mind was wasted and it showed on Wednesday. We finished up the day with a long film session where we basically were able to see and understand our mistakes and missed opportunities.

 Not having practice Tuesday morning allowed most of the guys to attend their classes and send out emails to their professors informing them of the sudden disappearance. We were really fortunate this time around to have the entire team travel with no one having to be left behind. Coach Cavanagh worked his magic and I think it really did make a huge difference. The "flock" is only as strong as its weakest player, and those guys who might not have their opportunity right now still are able to contribute on the sideline in tremendous fashion. I mean you ask guys about Big Cheese and you know instantly what is going to be said about his presence on the sideline. Dirty Birds were officially flying low baby and off on our way to Geneseo, New York.

The bus ride Tuesday afternoon was nothing close to enjoyable, but behind the movies playing and earphones blaring were the thoughts of this game. I know personally, all I could think about was what I was going to do differently. I had it all mapped and planned out. The images and ideas kept running through my mind like a song on repeat. Gratefully, we did not return to the monstrosity of a hotel that we stayed in the previous trip (sorry coach). With a good night rest and an enjoyable breakfast and lunch, the stage was pretty much set. There was nothing else to do but play, and we knew it . The locker room was quiet and packed with tensions and anxiety. Speaking for myself but I am sure most of the team would agree that this was going to be the biggest game any of us had ever played. Yeah, a lot of us have played in high school championships, but this was different. I have played in a few championship high school football games, and in the biggest one of them all, I had to step up and play my starting position on defense while also fulfilling my job as the second string quarterback after our starting quarterback got injured. All I can say is that those feelings as a junior in front of 4,000 people honestly did not skim the surface of how I felt in that old locker room Wednesday afternoon. Looking around seeing everyone dialing in, starring either down at the ground or up at the ceiling, I was pumped...

The game could not have gone any better in terms of external factors. We were focused, humble, and ready to shut them up. I just think it came down to opportunities and with huge missing pieces to our success all year such as junior Tommy Kilderry (suffered a concusion the last game), freshman Nick Parrella (ejected form the last game, carries a one game suspension), sophomore Charlie Dullea (who has been out with a torn hamstring, but due to the loss of Parella attempted to give it a go), and Joey Krammer (who did eventually play, but suffered a high ankle sprain that limited his mobility greatly the game before). We were walking in man down, but we were determined and were going to fight to the end. The game started the way any team would want. The opening face-off led to a fast break pass to Joey who was robbed in front by the goalie. Even with a turn over we were still able to go up on the board first. All game it was back and forth, back and forth. At the end of the day we had some shots that we wish would have been a little better, some defensive plays that we wish would have not happened, and some face-offs that I wish I could have contested better. Having said all that,  NOTHING that happened during that entire game was due to a lack of focus, preparation, desire, will, or heart. We left it on that gross grass field and every player and coach knows it. It just was not enough that day.

The history throughout this conference is unbelievable, and it is more inspiring and personal when you wear the letters across your chest of the team who is the underdog, year after year.
Here are some facts listed in the SUNYAC website.

Top 15 Countdown: Things You Really Need To Know

1. 2012 marks the 11^th annual SUNYAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship.

2. This is the second time in tournament history that Plattsburgh has qualified for the tournament (previously appearing in 2009).

3. Cortland and Geneseo have qualified for the tournament every year, while Oneonta will be making its ninth appearance.
4. Cortland has served as the number #1 seed in the tournament nine times and Geneseo has been the #1 seed twice.

5. The #1 and #2 seeds have advanced to the finals every year of the tournament.

6. The #2 seed has won the Championship four times (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009).

7. The championship game has featured a Cortland v Geneseo matchup eight times (2003-2010). The first tournament in 2002 was Cortland v Oneonta and the 2011 tournament was Cortland v Potsdam.

8. Cortland has won eight tournament titles and Geneseo has won two (2004 and 2007).

9. Cortland is the league’s hottest team entering the SUNYAC Tournament. The Red Dragons are undefeated this season at 16-0 and rank second in the nation. 
10. Oneonta’s only SUNYAC playoff win was in 2002 against Oswego.

11. Plattsburgh has never won a post-season game.
12. Geneseo is 10-8 in SUNYAC post-season play including 1-0 against the Cardinals.

This program will change these facts one day, I am sure of it...

I just have to take a deep breath from that. I am for a loss of words when I even try to explain what those last minutes truly felt like, looking up at the score board, knowing it was over. How badly I would have wanted to get one more chance at a tie game, 6-6, when we were trailing by 1, and just give my team that possession in what ever fashion and just giving us that shot to win it. I know it would have been different. I know Tucker wishes he could have made one more check or hit earlier in the game that might of caused a change. I know Caufield wishes he was on that field and not on the sideline. What I really know though is that will never happen, but it sure does feel good to dream.

Well enough.. So what is going on now? The semester is coming to an end very soon and the work just seems like it is never going to end even when the semester is long over. I am currently compiling all the film we have so I can begin an end of the year highlight film. I still have a list of things to blog about such as the careers of the three seniors, individual and team accolades, end of the year awards, switch up game, and then I guess my short time at being the author of this blog will be over. I will also have a blog where I post a bunch of photos as well, probably when the video is complete, just so you all can have some to enjoy, and that will probably be it. I hope to have another post before the semester ends but I cannot promise.

I cannot believe it is basically over... Have a great night, and hope to hear from me soon

-Mike Santi #12