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Men hope experience leads to improvement
By STEVE LEE, Times Staff Writer SAINT LEO -- Redshirted as a freshman because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Tony Rosso rebounded to lead Saint Leo in scoring last season. With 10 goals and four assists, Rosso earned All-Sunshine State Conference second-team honors. Saint Leo coach Fran Reidy said he expects even more from the forward this season. "Even as good as he was, he's better now because he's not wearing the brace," Reidy said. "He's not afraid. "I think last year he was sort of looking out for the tackle." Rosso will be a key in the Lions' revamped attack. Reidy plans to add a forward in a 4-3-3 formation in hopes of igniting the offense. Last season, Saint Leo scored and allowed 36 goals in 18 games. Joining Rosso up front will be seniors Federico Polo, coming off a six-goal season, and Ryan Smith. Up front, however, is not the only area where experience could go a long way in the Lions' goal to improve on last season's 8-8-2 record (2-4-1 in the SSC). The Lions have returners in goal and in the back. Goalkeeper Charlie Long, a former Gulf standout who played two seasons at Newberry (S.C.), started 17 of 18 games and had a 1.77 goals-against average with three shutouts last season. Though sophomore keeper Steve Gray and newcomer Jeremy Chambers have had their moments during early practices, Reidy said Long's "experience is a key factor." Anchoring the defense are sophomore Neil Laxdal and Juan Palacio, part of a trio of senior Argentines (Polo and midfielder Claus Hagedorn, coming off a three-goal, 10-point season). Freshman Brent Stanze is the third defender, and junior Dane Fernandez is in a battle with freshmen Robert Pollock (Hudson) and Philip Lahey for the fourth spot. "We will be better defensively, and that makes for better production from the keepers," Reidy said. "We allowed two goals a game last year, and for us to be very successful, we need to cut that to one goal or less a game." While Hagedorn and sophomore John Semeraro are returners, they still are in a battle for three midfield spots. Freshman Giuseppe Politi and Giancarlo Conte are in that mix. Although there are just five seniors, this is one of Reidy's most experienced teams in his 15 seasons at Saint Leo. That stems from several juniors and sophomores who started or saw extensive playing time last season. With several freshmen vying for playing time, Reidy said he believes the Lions can challenge for their fist SSC title. "One through 25 (players), this is the closest it's ever been," Reidy said. "It's one of the most serious teams I've had in a long time. They're focused."
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
