PNCLL 2008 All-Conference

[nhoskins]

I don't cast Washington's votes -- that will be done by our Head Coach Fred Wilmot. But if I was voting Ryan Hanavan gets the nod from me for Coach of the Year. I agree that Brent and Jeff are terrific co-coaches and have done a great job at SFU this season. But it is also a fact that the Clansmen have a very, very talented cast of players for Hoskins and Cathrea to lead. What Ryan has done with a much less talented Vandals team is truly remarkable, and I don't say this as a "knock" on the UI players. I sat there two weeks ago and watched an Idaho team that had (at the time) never won a single PNCLL game ever go toe-to-toe with SFU for four quarters in a 14-7 loss. UI plays great team lacrosse, a trait that can only be a product of coaching. UI has a roster of players almost exclusively from their home state, where high school lax is much less developed and competitive against longer-established programs from Washington, Oregon and elsewhere.

What Coach Hanavan accomplished this season, and the incredible one-year improvement in Vandals Lacrosse make the COY award a no-brainer for me.

I have a ton of respect for what Ryan has done with the UI program in the PNCLL. Buillding up a program like Idaho took a lot of work and great coaching, but we're still looking at a two-win team. They're hopefully going to continue to improve (hopefully not at the Broncos expense!).

However, this year's team at SFU is the culmination of a number of years of heavy recruiting and rebuilding of a program from the bottom up by two very talented coaches. They took a 24th ranked team to 5th in the country, along the way upsetting a number of higher ranked teams, including Sonoma State and Oregon. It was a no-brainer to award Joe Kerwin last year for what he did for Oregon in the league and on the National level... I think that what SFU has done in the league and at the national level rivals what Oregon accomplished last year. Let's see if SFU can make the NC game... I don't see how coach of the year could go anywhere else.

I know SFU is considered a traditional power, but in terms of league and national recognition, they have had a terrible past few years while going through a significant rebuilding phase. The talent on this year's team speaks volumes to the work of the SFU coaches both on and off the field. I think that work and progress should be rewarded.

[Ballin']

I think that what SFU has done in the league and at the national level rivals what Oregon accomplished last year

a bold statement given that oregon beat csu 19-6 which was the worse loss for them in over a decade then beat byu the next week and both teams were #1 at the time the ducks beat them, but i agree that sfu has been a big suprise and i dont think that many people would have thought they would be #5 in the country

[Hi-Line Lax]

I'm with Nathan on the coaches thing... What Hanavan has done has been really awesome, but The Clan duo could be up for national coach(es) of the year because of the season they've put together. In the PNCLL we've always known how good SFU is/could be, there are just too a lot of other teams out there with short-term memory issues who needed a wake up call. They put together the right team, the right schedule, and executed it to the tune of a 12-1 season. Though the Duck wins over CSU/BYU were good last year, the Clan win over the Ducks this season was a bigger statement IMO.

[Dan Wishengrad]

We have never named a "Freshman of the Year" award in the PNCLL, although other conferences do this. If we added this category, there are some compelling candidates for the award. Here's my short-list for the favorites in DI:

Joe Cramer, Midfield, UW
Stewart Allen, Attack, GU
Chris Tessarolo, Attack, SFU
Chris Jurado, Goal, UI
Danny Hoffman, Midfield, OSU
Dean Stewart, Goal, SFU

And in DII:

Sunn Kim, Attack, WC
Lucas Simons, Attack, WWU
Jake Mehl, Midfield , CWU
Ian Bohince, Midfield, WOU
Daniel Stoot, Midfield , UPS
James Tupper, Midfield, PLU
Stephen Davenport, Attack, SOU

Both lists omit any worthy long-pole candidates, unfortunately, and other players who don't show up strongly on the stat sheets are not included either. Who are some other PNCLL Freshmen who made important contributions to their teams in '08? I'm biased in favor of Joey Cramer of Washington, of course, but who do the rest of you support for FOY honors?

[AndyP]

d1 - freshman goalie stewart - i think he's had the biggest impact on his team

idaho's freshman goalie has been turning heads as well

[Sean Forsyth]

I would count out Danny Hoffman as he has only played in 5 games and has 6 points, which probably points to an injury, because playing against him in high school he was sick.

I think Joe Cramer has had a great impact on his team, taking faceoffs for the Huskies and leading the team in ground balls, points and goals. Dean Stewart is obviously a quality goalie, but without Cramer the Huskies would be lost and I don't know if you can say the same about Stewart on SFU.

I guess its a moot point because the award doesn't exist, but I would be apalled if Joe wasn't a first team middie this year.

[AndyP]

sfu would be fine without stewart? they don't have a back-up goalie. in the noma game they had to throw an improv attackman in. i'd say they'd be in a bit of a pickle.

but then again, they could always put curtis BatManning in. haha

[Dan Wishengrad]

sfu would be fine without stewart? they don't have a back-up goalie. in the noma game they had to throw an improv attackman in. i'd say they'd be in a bit of a pickle.

It is Middie Mike Ripley who has repeatedly stepped into the cage for the Clansmen in '08. Dean Stewart has been flagged for a time-serving penalty numerous times (and in at least three straight games) this season. Ripley has experience in goal, and actually looks pretty solid in between the pipes, although I don't think this is what Coaches Cathrea and Hoskins particularly enjoy having Ripley have to do.

It's a safe bet that Jeff and Brent would prefer if it Stewart stays out of the penalty box entirely from here on out...

PS Omitting Dean Stewart from my list of FOY candidates was just a brain-cramp. Absolutely, positively does he deserve consideration. Correction made above.

[nhoskins]

I don't think this is what Coaches Cathrea and Hoskins particularly enjoy having Ripley have to do.

I don't think Ripley enjoys having to do it either!

And I thought it was Curtis IronManning? He debuts in theatres May 2nd

[AndyP]

I think we may be mistaken - I believe it's actually Curtis Macho Manning Randy Savage, former WWF wrester.

[TheBearcatHimself]

We have never named a "Freshman of the Year" award in the PNCLL, although other conferences do this. If we added this category, there are some compelling candidates for the award. Here's my short-list for the favorites in DI:

I would love this award to be a reality. With the rapid growth of lacrosse this will become more of an impact each year so I think that this award would be very fitting. Should this be brought up at the AGM to make a reality?? I know in the Pac-10 and major football conferences they have "Newcomer of the Year" awards, which would make say a Jamison Whitehead from 06 eligible.

I also like your list Dan, some very impressive freshmen around the league and you pegged most of them!

[Band]

Regarding the coach of the year award:

For what it's worth, I question the automatic nod for coach of the year to the coach of the most successful team. Perhaps the measure of what it is to be "successful" ought to be viewed more subjectively than objectively. More to the point: "success" is a relative term; a measurement based purely upon a team's record is not always likely to yield a correct choice for coach of the year.

I will let this brief argument stand as my recommendation for Ryan Hanavan. It is as biased as it is sincere and I apologize for neither quality.

[freddoi]

its late here and i find myself wandering the threads so i don't mind putting my self out of place with these opinions (sorry if i offend anyone, just ignore the following).

first i would like to comment that what sfu has done this year, although very difficult and praise worthy, is but a shadow compared to the incline that oregon produced last year. uo simply suprised EVERYONE last year repeatedly, week after week, and in a dominating fashion. that being said as far as coach of the year related to having the best team; sfu is doing great this year, but IMOP not comparable to oregon07. i also agree with 'band' when he says that perhaps accomplishing maybe not as much with a lesser team actually says a whole lot more. i definately recognize the results of years of recruiting and consistant coaching also.

fresh of year DI: having only seen one play, and the rest being statistical objects on my comp screen, i have this to say: i feel there are two options to choose from. cramer and stewart. i have not seen stewart, but there is definately something to be said about the goalie of the #5 team, regardless of class. however, cramer was/is far and away the guy to watch/lock off/gameplan for against uw. i can't see how sfu's incapabililty to have a backup goalie is a reason for awarding stewart this award, warranted or not. cramer could be a starting mid on several (if not many) teams in the mcla, and his points are fairly even between g/a.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

fresh of year DI: having only seen one play, and the rest being statistical objects on my comp screen, i have this to say: i feel there are two options to choose from. cramer and stewart. i have not seen stewart, but there is definately something to be said about the goalie of the #5 team, regardless of class. however, cramer was/is far and away the guy to watch/lock off/gameplan for against uw. i can't see how sfu's incapabililty to have a backup goalie is a reason for awarding stewart this award, warranted or not. cramer could be a starting mid on several (if not many) teams in the mcla, and his points are fairly even between g/a.

For what it's worth. . .I've seen Dean Stewart play several times. . .in High School and now for SFU - and his worthiness for league awards has NOTHING to do with the lack of a backup goalie at SFU. The kid is just plain fantastic between the pipes, and if you had watched SFU play, you'd agree that his play has been as good as any goalie in the PNCLL this season.

I know for a fact there have been at least two games this year the Clan would have lost if not for the unconscious goalie play Stewart provided. Come to Missoula next Saturday and you'll see this kid is as good in the cage as Joey Cramer is between the restraining lines. Both kids are absolutely fantastic players and either one would be an excellent choice for Freshman of the Year. . .and I would not be surprised to see either one as a first team PNCLL selection this season.

If such an award existed, of course. . .

[AndyP]

I wasn't saying Stewart should be recognized over Moore because they don't have a back-up goalie. I was responding to a previous poster saying Moore should be selected due to the fact that he has a bigger impact on his team.

That being said, yes I agree Stewart is crazy. I watched the guy rob at point blank an Oregon breakaway. A few weeks before that we witnessed him stop 2 back-to-back shots on the crease following a 2 on 0 Montana breakaway.