Syracuse University lacrosse players Brendan Loftus, Greg Niewieroski and Kenny Nims aren't the only area natives participating in the NCAA lacrosse tournaments this weekend.
While Loftus, Niewieroski and Nims —all natives of Watertown — want to direct the Orange to its 10th Division I national title, Carthage product Mario Ventiquattro hopes to contribute to a deep tournament run for Ohio State. The unseeded Buckeyes (10-5) travel to No. 8 Cornell (11-3) for a first-round matchup at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU.
Ventiquattro has supplied 22 points in 15 games as a sophomore attacker at OSU. He's also scored a team-best seven goals with a man advantage.
Since Rob Cross's playing days are behind him, the Black River native plans on getting the University of Maryland Baltimore County even closer to the culminating final four weekend. A former Carthage standout, Cross is in his second year as an assistant coach for the Retrievers. UMBC (12-3), which won its first tournament game in 2007, heads to No. 2 Virginia (12-3) for a first-round game at 5 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.
Lowville's Drew Bezek anchors Le Moyne College's defense as the Dolphins aim for their fourth Division II national championship. Le Moyne (14-1) hosts Bryant University (14-3) at 3 p.m. Friday in Syracuse. Bezek is one of only five players to start all 15 games for the Dolphins, and he was named the Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.
St. Lawrence University head coach Mike Mahoney has the Saints in the Division III tournament for a third straight year. The Brasher Falls native led the Saints (11-2) to a slim victory over Union and the Liberty League championship on Sunday. SLU will host Western New England College (14-4) in the second round at 2 p.m. Saturday in Canton.
Two former Section 10 standouts have played vital roles for St. Lawrence this spring. Senior Brian Chamberlain is the defensive midfielder on the Saints' efficient faceoff unit, which includes All-America candidates P.J. Santora and Ben Buskey. A former Canton player, Chamberlain has appeared in all 13 games and gobbled up 43 ground balls. Kyle Benton, a Brasher Falls native and junior midfielder, has produced seven goals and eight assists in 12 games.
For Western New England, Lowville freshman Brian Hanno has appeared in two games for the Golden Bears. He's one of four goalies on the roster.
Watertown native Jim Berkman is one victory away from becoming the NCAA's all-time career wins leader. The Salisbury University coach will lead the Sea Gulls (18-0), the defending national champions, into a second-round matchup with Ohio Wesleyan (10-6) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Salisbury, Md. Former Carthage standout Kyle Burto has registered 19 points in his senior season at Salisbury, which is gunning for its eighth national title.
Also suiting up for the Division III tournament is Massena product Neal Hopps. Hopps is a sophomore midfielder at SUNY Cortland, which lost to Salisbury in the title game a year ago. The Red Dragons (15-1) take on Springfield College (11-6) at 1 p.m. Saturday in a second-round matchup in Cortland. Former Carthage and Syracuse star Casey Powell is in his first season as one of the Red Dragons' assistants.
In the NJCAA tournament, which will crown its champion Sunday, No. 1-seeded Onondaga Community College features several former Frontier League players. Former Immaculate Heart players Jordan Loftus, a second-year attackman, Ed Prevost, a freshman attackman, and Zach Fazio, a freshman defenseman, will help the two-time defending champions protect their title.
Adam Rivers, a former Watertown High School standout, is a second-year defensive standout for the Lazers, who play tournament host Nassau Community College at noon Saturday in the semifinals.
Jimmy Scott, a former Times All-North honorable-mention pick, plays defense for Herkimer County Community College, the second seed in the tournament. The former Carthage player is a freshman for the Generals, who face CC-Baltimore County-Essex at 3 p.m. Saturday.
WOMEN
HANNO, SODERQUIST BEGIN QUEST
Watertown native Jennifer Hanno is two wins away from claiming a Division II national championship with Limestone College (S.C.).
Hanno is a sophomore defenseman for the Lady Saints (17-1), who are the top seed in the South Region. They will face No. 2 West Chester University (16-1) in the national semifinals at 3 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Park in Houston. Hanno has participated in 14 games this season, including three starts, and chipped in one goal.
Fellow Watertown native Emily Soderquist will experience a longer road to the Division III title as a freshman midfielder at SUNY Cortland. The Red Dragons (14-5) host Union (14-3)in a second-round game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Ewing, N.J. Soderquist has contributed six goals in just eight games this season.
In the NJCAA tournament, which holds its semifinals and finals this weekend, Herkimer County CC takes on CC-Baltimore County-Catonsville in a semifinal at 2 p.m. Saturday. Former General Brown athlete Jolene Quinta is Herkimer's top scorer. The Generals have finished third twice and fourth once in the national tournament in their four years of existence.
