Undefeated Soccer and a Growing Cross-Country Team

The 'College Sports Notebook' is published each Friday. Please send items of interest—including local athletes competing at out-of-town colleges—to marcmaturo@aol.com.

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UNDEFEATED ATHLETICS AT STAC

The unbeaten and untied men's soccer team at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill has more than one thing going for it.

"We're like a family and we don't know how to lose," Albertus Magnus High School alum Andre Tartara, a junior goalie, said Wednesday afternoon during a relaxed but well-organized practice session.

Eighth-year head coach Graham Brown's Spartans are off to a high-flying start with five victories, having added a pair of wins over the weekend at the Double Tree Classic in Burlington, VT.

Sophomore Brendan Flynn had two goals in a 3-2 triumph over St. Anselm's. Tartara, who missed last season with an injury, stopped his third penalty kick (he is now 3-for-3 in that category) in a 3-1 win against St. Michael's.

"We're glad to have him back," Brown said. "We missed him, it was a big loss."

Brown was asked whether STAC's sparkling start was any sort of a surprise. "No, not at all," he said. "The last two years we were getting better and better and [we] had a good recruitment. We just needed to add a couple of pieces to get the team to jell. We should be hard to beat."

Among the Spartans' key newcomers is David Cowpar, a defender from Limerick, Ireland, with international experience. Coach Dan McHenry reached out while Cowpar was playing in the states.

"The rest is history," Cowpar said.

Also providing needed firepower for STAC is a tandem out of Nanuet HS—sophomore wingman Danny Davren and sophomore forward Joe Connolly—and center midfielder Sean Riley, a transfer from Bryant College in Rhode Island.

Coach Brown is looking forward to Saturday's East Coast Conference showdown with NYIT, which is coming off a 2-2 double-overtime tie against Lafayette.

"It's a huge game," says the coach, adding that his team has another special distinction when compared to other ECC teams. "Look at the rosters. We're the only team in the league that's really local. The other teams have at least 10-12 international players."

Saturday's game is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. at the Nardi Soccer Complex located at 360 Willow Grove Road, Thiells (Exit 14 northbound off the Palisades Parkway).

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OFF AND RUNNING

At Nyack College, the Warriors' men's and women's cross country teams can boast of a number of standouts as they race to success in the Central Athletic College Conference.

Coach Wendy Muckell of Nyack, in her fifth year at the school, has hopes to eventually field a track program as well.

"But that's probably within 3-5 years," she said.

For the moment, the harriers are holding up the banner and will be in action Saturday at the Dickinson College Invitational in Carlisle, PA in a long-course competition (the men are running 8,100 meters; the women 6,000). Already under their belt are races at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie and the Lebanon Valley College Invitational at Annville, PA where senior captain Sharon Fetters led the charge.

Fetters finished 13th overall in a field of nearly 100, with junior teammate Deb McCarthy of Nyack close behind in her first season on the team.

"She did very well, about one minute behind Sharon," Muckell said. "That's unbelievable for a rookie."

On the men's side, senior captain Aaron Baldwin is showing little or no effect as he comes off foot surgery.

"He's been able to maintain his speed," Muckell explained, adding that Baldwin just competed an 8K in under 30 minutes. "We're just blown away."

Muckell also recognizing Stuart Guild, a sophomore sensation.

"He just gets faster and faster," Muckell said. "We're happy with him."

STAC RUNNERS

STAC coaches Nicole Ballou and Lou Maturo, in their third season at the helm, are especially pleased with a number of runners.

Although only a freshman, Tappan Zee graduate Kyle Curran is already showing promise and keeping up with his veteran teammates on training runs.

"I like that he's hard-working, dedicated and willing to be coached," Maturo said. "Everyday his form gets better. You can tell he's all in and wants to get better. He's not flashy but determined."

On the girls side, Pearl River graduate Keeley Bateman, a freshman, is very good.

"She's already, again, like Kyle, keeping up with the veterans," Maturo noted. "She pushes the girls during practices. She finished two seconds behind my junior, Sarah Callagy, at Van Cortlandt Park at the Fordham Fiasco."

At Van Cortlandt Park, newcomer Mike Galonski set the pace for the men, with senior Vinny Modaferri, a Clarkstown South grad, close behind, followed by Nanuet's Einar Brissing.

The STAC harriers return to action Saturday at C.W. Post on Long Island, site of the East Coast Conference championships in November.

"We have primarily a freshman team," Maturo said, also mentioning Matt Buell of Staten Island and Pascack Valley H.S. grads Chris McKenna and Michael Kraus.

Garvenchy Nicolas is an upstate transfer.

"He's already a phenomenal athlete, Maturo said." He hasn't posted spectacular times yet, but he will—he's tall, he's motivated and he's positive. He's fit, in good shape."

Maturo also discussed walk-on Jon Laszlo who starts training Thursday.

"He's a good get," he said.