October 19, 2006
Long Beach State 2006-2007 Season Preview
49ers Hoping Improved Offense, Solid Defense Can Lead to Championship
A year after announcing their presence to the NCRHA with a solid
showing at the National Championships, the Long Beach State 49ers are
looking to secure a spot among the nationâ??s elite. They return the
same solid core on defense that allowed the fewest goals in the WCRHL
last year and have new additions on offense that should help them
compete with the powerhouses in the West.
â??We know that in order
to compete for a national championship, we have to be dynamic on
offense and defense,â? said senior defenseman Erik Aho. â??I think we are
ready to do that this year.â?
The 49ers return their
leading scorer from last year, Jason Case, who has shown a knack for
smart play that usually results with the puck going in the net. Josh
Hackworth, who showed explosiveness last year, also returns. So does
Grady Helman, a power forward with a heavy shot and a heavier body
check. They will see significant contributions from Ryan Burrows, Greg
Davis, and Thomas â??Tigeâ? Richardson. Burrows and Davis join the team
from Yorba Linda, California, continuing a hockey tradition that was
started by Yorba Linda natives Erik Aho, Matt Shaw, and Justin Barney.
Both Burrows and Davis are speedy skill players that will aid a team
that was deficient at speed at points during last season. Richardson
comes from San Diego and will provide grit and goals for the front line.
The defensive pairings
are the same as last year; Justin Barney and Matt Shaw are in their
second year as a defensive pairing and contributed a great deal of
offense last year. They look to concentrate more on the defensive side
of the puck this year.
â??Justin and I felt like
we had to score a lot last year, but this year we think we can rely on
our offense,â? said Matt Shaw, who led the team in goals and penalty
minutes last year. â??But we will still jump into the play when we see a
good opportunity.â?
The 49ers have the luxury of two top defensive pairings. Erik Aho and Conrad Conterno are in their 3rd year together and have formed a cohesiveness that is rare in college roller hockey.
The 49ers received their
biggest boost last year in net with the addition of Jeff Aoki, who
returns this year. Also returning is Zac Northcraft in the role of
back-up. The 49ers have added a goaltender as well; Eduardo Juarez
joins the team from San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico.
â??I think Jeff was a huge
part of our success last year, â??said Northcraft. â??The game he played
against Neumann College last year at Nationals was one of the best
games Iâ??ve ever seen.â? In 9 games where he usually went up against the
top teams in the WCRHL, Aoki posted a 3.78 GAA and a .840 save
percentage.
When Jeff needs a rest,
the 49ers plan on using Northcraft and Juarez without dropping off in
production; when Northcraft played last year, the 49ers only gave up an
average of 14 shots per game.
â??We needed to, otherwise
we would have lost,â? joked Justin Barney. â??No, we feel comfortable
going with any of our three goalies and still getting a win.â?
The 49ers will need to
have all three aspects of play running at a high level to compete in a
top-heavy division. UC San Diego capitalized on a disappointing second
half by the 49ers with strong play of their own last year to grab the
regular season championship, while Nevada utilized mid-season
acquisitions to win the WCRHL Regional Championship Tournament.
â??We know that we showed
flashes of what we could do last year,â? said Northcraft. â??This year,
we know we can show a whole lot more.