by Gary Danforth
Coach Mike Lilac Jr. will begin his thirteenth season at the helm of the Hoosick Falls Central School varsity boys basketball team, and this upcoming 2008-09 campaign will be a very competitive season for the Panthers. Lilac, who has rung up 177 wins in his first twelve seasons as hoop boss, will welcome back eleven players to the varsity roster to go along with three newcomers to varsity action. This current Panther varsity club won a share of the WASAREN League title under junior varsity mentor Chris Fleming two seasons ago. But what players do on the JV level does not always carry over to the varsity level. Players are a year or two older, but so is the competition. It is how the players respond to that maturational process which may make or break a team.
The league will be very competitive according to Lilac, who included his own team in the mix. “We should be right in the thick of the league race. We have eleven players back, including Kevin Woods, who was out all of last year. I think most of the coaches think Brittonkill-Tamarac is the favorite. The league is going to be pretty balanced. Tamarac has four starters back. Stillwater has a ton of kids back. Schuylerville is always going to be tough with the athletes they have. The defense which Hoosic Valley plays is always going to keep them in the game. Granville has lost only one starter and should be real tough. They could beat anybody.”
Leading the way for HFCS this year should be 6’5” junior Kevin McMahon, who was brought up to the varsity as a freshman for the team’s lone 2007 sectional game. McMahon led the Panthers in scoring as a sophomore. With another year of varsity football under his belt to toughen him up and last year’s first year of varsity hoop action behind him, McMahon should be difficult for opposing teams to stop. Woods, the starting quarterback from this past football season is a very good athlete. He should help depth-wise at both ends of the court now that he has recovered from a leg injury which kept him off the basketball court his junior year. Also back for HFCS is 6’6” senior Zack Hall, a real space eater who should help on the boards and occupy opposing front court players. HFCS has some other size up front in a pair of 6’3” players in seniors Anthony Goldstein and Joe Wirmusky. Senior guard Robert Shiland, at 5’7”, senior guard Tanner Finney, at 6’0”, senior guard Ethan Myers, at 5’10”, and senior 5’10” guard Nick Bartolotta will most likely all see plenty of action. Helping out on the boards and rounding out the Panthers’ roster is plenty of height and depth. Kevin Gorman, a 6’0” guard/forward, Nick Hunt, a 6’1” senior forward, and three juniors, 5’10” Hutton Rasmus, 6’1” Adam Ferrannini and 6’0” Andy DiDonato should give HFCS more depth on the hardwood.
HFCS will start its season for the third consecutive year playing in the Rensselaer Thanksgiving Tip Off Tourney. For the third straight year the Panthers will be opening the season against Western Athletic Conference member, the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Bulldogs on Wednesday, November 26, at 6 pm. HFCS is 1-1 against this team in their past two openers. The tournament concludes Friday, November 28.
Rebounding from Afar: Lilac’s overall won-loss record is 177-87 in his past twelve years for a .670 winning percentage. Two years ago HFCS was 12-9 and a year ago the Panthers finished up 9-12, only Lilac’s second sub .500 year with the other sub .500 year occurring in the 2003-04 season. This could be a bounce-back season for HFCS as in close games it is unlikely Lilac will be out coached, though the completion will be fierce with Schuylerville, Granville, Hoosic Valley and Brittonkill-Tamarac being Class B size schools. With away contests on Tuesday, December 9, at Mount Anthony Union High School in Bennington, VT, and at Granville on Friday, December 12, the Panthers don’t visit the River Road gymnasium for their home opener until Wednesday, December 17, when they host Hoosic Valley Central School. The HFCS student section, definitely one of the loudest in the WASAREN League, and directly in the stands behind the Panther bench, does a great job in supporting their team. This year they may be deafening. Let the games begin.