Competing the Z: A Tough Omission
by Jac Coyne
| Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | Coyne Archive |
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| Colin Houlihan and the rest of the Golden Bears didn't
show quite enough to include their tilt against No. 2
Stevenson this week, but you can bet they'll be back
soon. © Richard Orr |
'Competing the Z' is a Men's Division III pick 'em
competition between LMO's Jac Coyne and Dave Zazzaro, a D-III
coach for 17 years and a former member of the NCAA regional
committee. They will be picking five games every week during the
course of the season.
I really wanted to pick the game, but it just wouldn't have brought
much discussion.
No. 15 WNEC playing No. 2 Stevenson will still be interesting as it
will provide a rough comparison between the No. 1 and 2 teams in
the country (although there are so many variables as to negate any
true comparison), but I'm not sure if anyone could realistically
pick the Golden Bears to beat the Mustangs.
Oh, WNEC will still be around in mid-May and they will be a feared
opponent, but they were outclassed against Cortland and are
obviously still jelling. John Klepacki will undoubtedly make
adjustments and I don't expect the Bears to lose by 10 goals again,
but I can't see them winning on that road trip.
On a better note, you can bet that WNEC and Stevenson will show up
more than one other time in this contest.
After one week of action, Zazzaro has scampered out to a one-game
lead: 3-2 to 2-3. The swing game was Cabrini-Haverford. We disagree
on three games this week, so I could take over the lead or Z might
be able to clear some breathing room.
On to the games...
No. 15 Geneseo vs. No. 14
Nazareth (Monroe
CC), 1 p.m., Saturday
COYNE: That sure was an impressive win for
Geneseo over Union. I thought the Dutchmen might make the leap this
year - and they still could, I suppose - but the Blue Knights
stifled them, allowing just five markers. Now it's Nazareth on the
docket. My instant reaction is to go with Geneseo to follow up, but
I can't get last year's contest out of my mind. It was about as
even as a game could be statistically, but in the end it was Flyers
goalie Todd Dermody who was the difference. I think he will be
again. Naz by three.
ZAZZARO: This game is a one or two-goal game either way.
Both teams need this to build up their Pool C resume. Naz has a
speedy and capable attack, but is unproven on defense. Geneseo is
young at attack and midfield, but will be ready. This game will
come down to who has the courage to come back if down. The edge
goes to Geneseo, 9-8.
No. 8 Haverford vs. No. 19 St. Lawrence
(Manhasset,
N.Y.), 2
p.m., Saturday
COYNE: Last year when the two teams were
relatively even, Haverford pulled out the 9-8 win. Now the two
teams meet again with Haverford returning almost everyone and the
Saints decimated by graduation. We can get it out of the way:
Haverford will win.
But this will be an important game for St. Lawrence. The Liberty is
unlikely, again, to have any shot at one of the at-large bids, so
conference play is the only thing that matters. This game will act
as a shock to the Saints' system, letting them know they probably
aren't as good as they think they are, and refocus them for the
important business waiting at the end of the season.
ZAZZARO: Holy crap! Is this game really in Canton, N.Y.?
The Black Squirrels are going to think they are in Manitoba with
the temperature and distance they are going to travel. Oh, wait.
It's a neutral field game in Manhasset. It doesn't matter.
Haverford will keep warm by running up and down the field on the
young and soon-to-be-fast-improving Larrys. It'll be 10-5 Squirrels
over Saints.
No. 1 Cortland vs. No.
3 Gettysburg (at
Massapequa,
N.Y.), 1
p.m., Saturday
COYNE: I'm trying to think to myself, ‘What
does Gettysburg have that WNEC didn't?' They've got three wins
under their belt, which is certainly something, and Kyle McGrath
and Danno Lynch give the Bullets a more dangerous midfield than the
Golden Bears. But is that enough to crack the Cortland nut?
Maybe I'm giving the Red Dragons far too much credit for a one-game
resume, but Saturday's win was pretty tough to ignore. I'd love to
find a reason to call the upset, but this one has to go to
Cortland. By three.
ZAZZARO: I wish ESPNU were televising
this as it's Game of the Week because fans will be treated to an
intense game. Is Cortland middie Chris Deluca still injured? It
doesn't matter. Cortland holds on for a slim, 9-8 double-overtime
victory.
Coyne's pick
Springfield at No. 17
Stevens, 12 p.m., Sunday
COYNE: I may have outsmarted myself here. When I
sent this game to Zazzaro, I thought it was setting up to be the
contest where the horseshoe finally fell out of the Ducks' butt.
They had been winning close and not necessarily pretty, and
Springfield was talented enough to take advantage.
Stevens' annihilation of Eastern Conn. on Wednesday has me thinking
Gene Peluso's team may have figured something out. If you asked me
today, I'd say Stevens, but when I made my initial pick, it was
Springfield. Because we're playing Gentlemen's rules here, I'll
suck it up and stay with the Pride, on a last second shot that
deflects off a defender stick's and into the net for the 11-10
win.
ZAZZARO: Stevens is playing well and will be at home.
Springfield is always one of the most athletic teams year in and
year out. This is another tough call, but Stevens prevails keeping
Springfield winless, 11-7.
Zazzaro's pick
Washington College
at No. 10 Washington
& Lee, 3 p.m.,
Saturday
ZAZZARO: A conference pride game between the ODAC
and Centennial with Pool C implications. Both teams are strong
defensively and this will be close throughout the entire game.
Whichever team gets to eight goals first, wins. W&L, 8-6.
COYNE: I was glancing at this game for possible inclusion,
but I'm glad Z made the leap with it. This one provides us with a
frame of reference for both teams. The Generals are out to a nice,
4-0 start, but they have yet to play a team from an automatic
qualifying conference. Gene McCabe wouldn't admit, but I think this
was by design because W&L has a lot of holes to fill from last
year and a slow ramp up to the season makes a lot of sense. The
Shoremen are two steps up in talent and intensity from what the
Gennies have seen so far.
The scores don't look that impressive, but WAC's wins over Goucher
(8-7) and Elizabethtown (11-7) come against ascendant programs.
Maybe in the past the margin would have been bigger but, frankly,
after the last couple of years the Washington College brand doesn't
frighten the mid-majors the way it used to. The Shoremen will have
to scratch and claw their way to every victory, and I think they'll
do it against W&L this weekend. Flip Z's prediction.
Previous installments of Competing the Z
Weekend
of Feb. 27
