OSWEGO, NY — On Sunday, September 13th, SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley released new guidelines and restrictions regarding on campus activity for the Fall 2020 semester. One of these restrictions regards Oswego State Athletics as the college announced in a campus wide email that all practices, meetings, workouts, and gatherings will be suspended for the remainder of the semester. Since August 31st, the fall sports of Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Field Hockey, and Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country teams have been conducting practices and team meetings. This past week, Men’s and Women’s Tennis started their “non-traditional” practice season. This coming week, Volleyball would have joined the spring sports teams of Softball, Baseball, and the Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse would have started their four-week practice period.
With this change in policy, winter sports teams will not be able to prepare for their season until January 1st, the date set by the SUNYAC conference back on July 20th. This developing situation will continued to be monitored by WTOP 10 as the 2020 calendar year wraps up.
-
Men’s basketball: SUNYAC preview
OSWEGO N.Y. — The Oswego State men’s basketball completed their season last weekend. One of the most dominant season’s in program history saw them lose only two games all season and only one in conference play. Their first loss came to Nazareth on November 23 and their second coming February 11 to New Paltz. Between the two losses, seventeen straight wins. They finished the season ranked seventeenth in the country, at their highest they were ranked fourteenth. They finished with a record of 23-2, 17-1 in conference play.
On Friday, they are set to play the New Paltz Hawks once more. The two teams play for the third time this season, and the for the second in the Max Ziel Gymnasium. The first time the two sides met was January 29 in Oswego, The Lakers came out victorious 82-53. Devin Green led the Lakers that day with thirteen points, including 4-7 from three. Kaleb Cook and Christian Simmons both contributed eleven. The second matchup was just two weeks ago, this time in New Paltz. In a game that most thought Oswego would walk away with just as they had almost every other game this season, New Paltz shocked Oswego and grabbed a one point victory. Jeremiah Sparks led all Lakers that night with fifteen points. With a rematch on the cards, and both teams looking to win the season series, the winner of the final matchup gets to move on to the SUNYAC Final, to play the winner of Brockport and Oneonta.
The Lakers were led this season by Sophomore guard Jeremiah Sparks and Junior guard Devin Green, both averaging 11.4 points per game. Julien Crittendon and Christian Simmons were the only other two Lakers to average over 10 points per game, 11.0 and 10.4 respectively. Devin Green was the fourth best three point shooter in the country this year, hitting threes at a 47.45% clip. Sparks and Green were also the teams rebounding leaders at 5.8 rebounds per game each, with Brendon Mulson right behind 5.7. What made Oswego stand out this year, was their team defense. Oswego allowed a measly 59.4 points against per game, the fourth best defense in the nation. They also held teams to a 37.2 field goal percentage, the fifth lowest in the nation.
The Lakers, led by head coach Jason Leone, are looking to win the tournament and get a bid to the NCAA tournament. The winner of Friday’s matchups will play in the SUNYAC championship game on Saturday. All games are being held at SUNY Oswego. WTOP10 will have coverage of all three playoff games, and any potential NCAA games played at Oswego.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT HERNANDEZ, WTOP10 PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
SUNYAC BRACKET COURTESY OF SUNYAC WEBSITE
-
Men’s basketball dominates Red Dragons on senior day
OSWEGO, N.Y. – The Lakers men’s basketball team looked to continue their win streak to 17 this past weekend when they hosted the Cortland Red Dragons for senior night on Saturday evening. The first half ended up being controlled by the Lakers but Cortland held Oswego tough in the first half. After the first ten minutes the score was 13-10 Lakers until Jamal Achille became the offensive spark for Oswego and started a Laker 6-0 where lone senior Devin Green chipped in and added four points over that same stretch. After that run the Lakers exploded on offense going on a 41-18 run the last 10 minutes of the first half shooting similarly from the field and from three-point range (58.06% FG%, 58.33% 3PT%). Oswego got out ahead and had a 54-28 at the half.Cortland tried to start off the half stronger as reigning SUNY-AC player of the year Austin Grunder made a couple big shots to start for the red dragons. But it wouldn’t last long as Kaleb Cook took over during a four-minute stretch during the second half, scoring ten points, while Cortland could only get 4. By that point Cortland couldn’t get anything to go and Oswego would cruise to a 102-62 for their 7th game over 100 points in this season. The Lakers also keep their 17 game streak alive, not losing since the loss to Brockport at home in December. Jeremiah Sparks and Devin Green both had 14 points for the game in a great shooting game for Oswego, but the game was led on Oswego’s side by Kaleb Cook, whose ten point outburst in the second half helped him score 16 for the game. Cortland’s Austin Grunder ended up with another double double in this game and was the only Cortland player that was a positive in this game leading all scorers with 24. Oswego’s bench outscored the Red Dragons 47-18. and the Lakers dominated in the paint beating Cortland 48-10.
Coach Leone gets his 300th career win as a coach and the Lakers move to 21-2,(15-1 SUNYAC). The men’s team will travel to Brockport, NY to face Brockport on Friday, February 17 in a revenge game as Brockport was Oswego’s only previous SUNYAC loss.
IMAGE COURTESY OF ERIN BLANK, WTOP10 PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
-
Men’s Hockey gets revenge on Morrisville
MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Oswego State Men’s Hockey team took to the road Wednesday night for a revenge game with the Morrisville Mustangs. The Mustangs came to Oswego just after the Thanksgiving break for the Teddy Bear toss game and shocked the Lakers by beating them 3-1, in a game that would end up being the second loss in a three game skid. Now only three games away from the SUNYAC playoffs, every game matters for the Lakers who are looking to secure home ice advantage in the playoffs.
In what could have been a trap game for the Lakers, they showed what they were made of and it started with the games first goal halfway through the first period. Tommy Cahill found netting, with the assist coming from Daniel Colabufo. The Lakers did a good job killing penalties in the first period, killing off two. Once again, they Lakers ran into a goalie who was having a great game, at least in the first period. Morrisville’s Ryan Creenan had 21 saves in the first period, Cal Schell had seven.
The second period it seemed as thought the Lakers figured Creenan out. It took just under ten minutes for the first goal, but from there they were off to the races. The Lakers second goal came from Shane Bull, with assists credit going to Alex DiCarlo. Less than three minutes later, Jackson Arcan buried one, Tyler Flack getting an assist. The Lakers would find netting for a third time in the second period. Alex DiCarlo added to his team leading goal total, while Ryan Bunka and Connor Gatto each grabbed assists. With a 4-0 lead at the second break, Oswego looked good to win, but they weren’t done. Creenan only had seven saves in the second period, Schell had eight.
Not even four minutes into the third, the Lakers struck again. Connor Gatto grabbed his third goal of the year. Alex DiCarlo grabbed his third point of the game with the goal, Shane Bull also grabbed an assist. The middle part of the period was more tame, Oswego killed a Quinn Warmuth tripping penalty around the halfway point. Oswego took advantage of a late Morrisville penalty to put the cherry on top of the game. Jackson Arcan scored his second goal of the game, and sixth of the season. Shane Bull became the second Laker in the game to reach three points, with Ben Addison also tallying an assist. Oswego walked onto the bus with a 6-0 victory. Matt McQuade led the Lakers with four shots in the game. Schell finished with 26 games and his first shutout of the season. Creenan had 33 in the game.
The Lakers have two games left, both on the road. They take on Buffalo State Friday followed by Fredonia Saturday. With the win the Lakers reclaimed first place in the SUNYAC, one point ahead of Plattsburgh on an even number of games played. Fredonia and Buffalo State won’t be walk over games, both squads still playing for playoff spots and seeding.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY EMILY RUSINKO, WTOP10 PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
