SOUTHERN NEVADA LACROSSE ASSOCIATION DIVISION II

The Team to Beat: Green Valley

The Gators are a second-year program and will be making their varsity debut in 2010. And Green Valley is expected to make a big splash in its inaugural varsity season.

Green Valley is expected to be strongest on the defensive side of the ball, with returning starting goalie Matt Muniz and returning starting defenseman Tyler Hamilton back to anchor the back side. Offensively, sophomore attackman Mike Telles led the team in scoring as a freshman at the JV level. In the midfield, Oakley Erickson is back after being named the team’s most valuable player in 2009.

Contenders: Bishop Gorman, Henderson II, Arbor View

Bishop Gorman, the defending SNLA Division II champion, opted to remain in the region’s lower-tier league instead of being promoted to Division I after it graduated 10 seniors. Bishop Gorman does bring back half its starting linuep, including all three attackmen and two starting defensemen. Senior attackman Kyler Pollick will lead the offense and senior Dominick Sorrentino will lead the defense.

Henderson II will compete as a varsity team for the first time this season as one of three Division II programs that are associated with Division I teams. Of those, however, a lot is expected of Henderson because the program is deep with players, so there should be plenty of talent left over from those who don’t make the Cougars’ Division I squad.

Arbor View has a new head coach and a new attitude this season. Arbor View brings back six starters throughout the lineup and has looked improved in preseason. Its top three scorers are all back in sophomore attackman Alec Simoncelli, senior attackman Jon Hanover and senior middie Taylor “Mac” McIntyre. Junior defenseman Brandon Baker and senior defenseman Scott Morris should also make a big impact.

Sleeper: RedRock

The St. George, Utah-based Scorpions will continue to play in the Southern Nevada Lacrosse Association as a Division II team this season, and RedRock could do some damage. The Scorpions return 23 of 24 players from last season and will be led by senior middie Alex Dunlop, senior middie Austin Sharp and junior goalie Dallin Johnson.

Top Players: Brendan Baker, Def., Arbor View; Gareth Daniel, G, Arbor View; Alex Dunlop, MF, RedRock; Oakley Erickson, MF, Green Valley; Tyler Hamilton, Def., Green Valley; Jon Hanover, Att., Arbor View; Oscar Hunt, Def., Bishop Gorman; Dallin Johnson, G, RedRock; Kris Kalkowski, Att., Bishop Gorman; Chase Kolebuck, Att., Bishop Gorman; Taylor “Mac” McIntyre, MF, Arbor View; Scott Morris, Def., Arbor View; Matt Muniz, G, Green Valley; Kyler Pollick, Att., Bishop Gorman; Austin Sharp, MF, RedRock; Alec Simoncelli, Att., Arbor View; Dominick Sorrentino, Def., Bishop Gorman; Mike Telles, Att., Green Valley.

Preseason Top 8: 1. Green Valley, 2. Bishop Gorman, 3. Henderson II, 4. Arbor View, 5. RedRock, 6. Palo Verde II, 7. Spring Valley, 8. Faith Lutheran II.

Notes: Gene Ramos has taken over for Eric Scholer as head coach at Arbor View....There is slated to be eight teams in Division II and 14 teams overall in the Southern Nevada Lacrosse Association, the most ever for each category.