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2008 Season Preview

Embracing the philosophy that a rugged schedule in March will reap benefits come May, Ohio Wesleyan head coach Sean Ryan and his Battling Bishop squad will open the 2008 campaign by facing an early-season schedule with 4 straight games against nationally-ranked foes.

"We're playing four high-quality opponents in a row in Lynchburg, Salisbury, Gettysburg and Merchant Marine, and this out-of-conference schedule will allow us to prepare to defend our North Coast Athletic Conference championship," Ryan said.

“We feel that this team has the ability to not only compete at the national level but compete for an NCAA Division III championship in May," he added. "To accomplish this, it will take hard work, dedication, and a one-game-at-a-time attitude.”

The midfield, traditionally a Bishop strength, should again be a focal point in 2008.

[ Chris Eccles ] Seniors Chris Eccles (Secane, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) and Steve Fowler (Wilton, Conn.) return on the top midfield line. Eccles, a 2-time All-America and NCAC Player of the Year selection, could become only the second player ever to be a 3-time NCAC Player of the Year selection.

"Not only is he a game-changer, but he is one of the most dynamic players in NCAA Division III," Ryan said.

Fowler was an honorable mention All-NCAC choice in 2007.

Rounding out the first midfield line is sophomore Rob Young (Langhorne, Pa./Council Rock South), who started 4 games at attack last year.

Senior Trevor Jones (Flanders, N.J./West Morris Mendham), junior Connor McGowan (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and sophomore Chaz Narwicz (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) will make up the second midfield line and sophomores Ricky Scheetz (Dublin/Jerome), Robb Shrader (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and Sam Striler (St. Louis, Mo./Country Day) will open the season as the third line.

Sophomore Craig Aronoff (Potomac, Md./The Bullis School) takes over as the Bishops’ faceoff specialist after winning first-team All-NCAC honors last year. "He has the ability to not only face off, but play offense, defense, man-up and man-down," Ryan said.

Sophomore Dylan Brown (Merion, Pa./Episcopal Academy), who lettered in 2006 but did not play in 2007, and classmate Kevin McMahon (Wilton, Conn.) will be the short-stick defensive midfielders, along with senior Lee Roberson (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) and sophomore Andy Princehorn (Worthington/Thomas Worthington).

Seniors Andres McAlister (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga), a second-team All-NCAC selection in 2007, and Grant Ditty (Columbus/Dublin Scioto) return at the long-stick defensive midfielder spot, with freshman Tony D'Abarno (Venetta, Pa./Peters Township) also seeking to contribute.

The Bishop attack line which opens the 2008 season could be completely different from the one that finished the 2007 season, but that does not mean that scoring and depth will be problems for Ryan.

Sophomore Chris Ehlinger (Radnor, Pa.), the top returning scorer among Bishop attackers, started 8 games last year, but may not be a starter this year.

[ Harrison Iuliano ] Senior Harrison Iuliano (Mendham, N.J./Blair Academy), who started 8 games in the midfield last season, moves to his natural position on the attack line. Junior Karl Zimmerman (Utica, Mich./Brother Rice), a first-team All-NCAC selection in 2006, returns after missing several games with an ankle injury, and junior Nick Gallagher (Columbus/Dublin Scioto), an honorable mention all-conference pick in 2006, is back after missing the 2007 season. Sophomore Gavin Cunningham (Rye, N.Y.) also will see action on the attack line in 2008.

“They are all quality players who bring different assets to the game and our overall offensive scheme,” Ryan said.

Close defense should be another strong point for the Bishops this season. Junior Matt Frizzo (Birmingham, Mich./Brother Rice) was an honorable mention All-NCAC selection last year, while seniors Andrew Coutts (Cockeysville, Md./St. Pauls) and Brian Test (Alexandria, Va./Gonzaga (D.C.)) complete the starting lineup. Junior John Belleau (Fort Collins, Colo./Poudre) also returns, along with sophomores Lee Catt (Columbus/Upper Arlington), Eli Pierce (Columbus/Dublin Scioto) and Alex Razzolini (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois). Freshmen Scott Chester (Medina) and Alex Haggerty (Granite Bay, Calif.) will be in the picture as well. Chester was a first-team all-district selection in high school.

[ Ryan Perone ] In goal, senior Ryan Perone (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Prep) returns for his third season as a starter. Perone was a first-team all-conference choice in 2007. Freshman Jud Hall (Columbus/Upper Arlington), a high school All-America pick, will serve as Perone's understudy.

Ryan and the Bishops will play a demanding schedule. The Bishops start out by visiting Fontbonne. Lynchburg, a 2006 playoff team, provides the opposition in Ohio Wesleyan's home opener. The annual spring trip finds the Bishops visiting Salisbury, winner of 4 of the last 5 NCAA Division III championships; 2007 NCAA Division III semifinalist Gettysburg; and Merchant Marine, another 2007 Division III playoff team. A regional tilt against Adrian follows before a visit to Elizabethtown.

The NCAC title chase begins at Oberlin and continues with games against Wooster, Wittenberg and Kenyon before the before the annual skirmish with traditional arch-rival Denison. Contests with regional foes St. Vincent, Mount St. Joseph and Washington & Jefferson comprise the remainder of the non-conference schedule.

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