NYSSWA: New York State Sportswriters Association

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Leading off today: The New York Red Bulls and Adidas have unveiled the rosters for the second annual Red Bull High School Cup, which will be played June 21 at Giants Stadium following the MLS match against FC Dallas.

The game brings together the top New York and New Jersey senior soccer players, who were selected after nominations from media, coaches and administrators. The New York roster:

Goalkeepers — Alex Aurrichio (Half Hollow Hills West), Ryan Goettel (Cicero-North Syracuse).

Defenders — David Neumann (Arlington), Greg Bennett (Kenmore West), Pat Cantwell (West Islip), Marlon Letlow (Roosevelt).

Midfielders — Matt Kristek (Vestal), T.J. Popolizio (Shenendehowa), Byrant Knibbs (Pine Bush), Matt Labriola (Chaminade), Joshua Faga (McQuaid), Scott Zorn (Churchville-Chili), Biko Edwards (MLK), Craig Santangelo (Sayville).

Forwards — Will Ogden (Byram Hills), Lawrence Papaleo (Syracuse CBA), Nathan Bourdeau (Bakldwinsville), Matt Schuber (Webster Thomas).

Coaches — Martin Jacobson (MLK), Micky Cohen (MLK).

Media needing more information can contact Andrew McGowan, (201) 583-7038 or Brian Tsao, (201) 583-7016 of the Red Bulls organization.

Oriskany coach steps down: Bob Reid is stepping down as Oriskany’s head football coach after 18 seasons. Reid, 43, who graduated from Oriskany in 1982, will remain the boys basketball coach, The Observer-Dispatch reported.

Reid was 70-79, including 4-5 last fall. Besides coaching basketball for 10 seasons, Reid has also coached varsity track and modified baseball.

Taking one for the team: Just in case you missed this story out of Provo, Utah, last week, here's a recap of my favorite sports injury of the year. I'll preface it with a warning: Kids, please don't try this at home.

Ryan McGeeney served seven years in the Marines, including six months in Afghanistan, but 10 minutes of photographing the Utah state high school track championships proved to be more dangerous to him. McGeeney, 33, had his right leg pierced by a javelin while working for the Standard-Examiner at BYU's Clarence Robison track stadium but kept on working.

"They don't have javelins in Afghanistan," McGeeney joked after returning from a hospital ER to continue shooting photos. "That's where I'm lucky."

Dave Wilkey, executive director of the Utah High School Activities Association, said McGeeney crossed marked boundaries to enter the field of competition.

"Right before it hit, the official started to say, 'Look out! Look out!' and I started to look over to the javelin right when it went through," McGeeney said. "There was the kind of tight feeling in the skin where I could say, 'Oh yeah, it went through me,' but it wasn't real painful."

An EMT cut most of the javelin off, leaving about 18 inches of the tip in McGeeney's leg before he was transported to the hospital for 13 stitches. McGeeney called a co-worker to report the injury and got out his camera to document the damage.

The thrower, Provo High's Anthony Miles, won the event with a mark of 171 feet — three inches longer than the throw that hit McGeevey.

My real reason for recounting the injury is that it gives me an excuse to drag out one of my favorite track and field stories.

I covered the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials for Gannett News Service. It was in New Orleans, and I'm told I had a wonderful two weeks there, although I'm afraid I don't remember the evenings too clearly. Anyway, the meet was held at a refurbished high school stadium that had an artificial turf infield. As you might imagine, that surface was already spongy even before meet officials put down an extra layer of rug to protect the primary surface during throwing events.

Most people remember that meet for the ill-fated Dan and Dave decathlon showdown or for Butch Reynolds' multiple trips to court in a bid to overturn a drug suspension. As for me, I remember the meet for the hammer-throw follies.

With all that padding on the infield, the implements didn't just land and then skid a few feet. Instead, the landed and then took two or three good-sized bounces — high and long — that made marking throws only slightly less risky than driving an Indy racecar while blindfolded.

To this day I still don't know how no one got hurt — or killed.

11/24/24: PSAL cracks down, imposes hoops forfeits

11/22/24: Bayport-Blue Point football extends streaks

11/19/24: Some thoughts following the playoffs weekend

11/15/24: Plainedge football pulls off last-play win

11/8/24: Court restores Syracuse ITC to grid playoffs

11/6/24: West Islip girls soccer advances on PKs

11/5/24: Newburgh forfeits sectional football opener

11/2/24: Top-ranked 'D' football team's season over

10/31/24: Herricks' Walia wins state tennis singles title

10/28/24: S-WR senior making the grade in 2 sports

10/27/24: Copiague football ends its record losing streak

10/26/24: Herkimer gridders claw way back to .500

10/25/24: Girls lacrosse schedule proposal nixed

10/22/24: NYSPHSAA Exec Committee meeting preview

10/19/24: Albany CBA wins Sec. 2 football showdown

10/18/24: Baldwinsville cracks 'USAT' eSports rankings

10/16/24: Wisc. hits schools hard for paperwork glitch

10/14/24: Bethlehem girls, Macchia win Eastern States

10/13/24: Iona Prep slips past Hayes in 'AA" showdown

10/11/24: La. QB throws for 817 yards in overtime loss

10/10/24: Report: N.Y. girls to join transgender protest

10/7/24: More eight-man teams left stranded in Week 5

10/5/24: 18 ranked N.Y. football teams fall in Friday action

10/4/24: Longest U.S. football futility streak continues

10/3/24: Syracuse.com's twist on fantasy football

9/30/24: M-E edges Waverly in battle of No. 1 teams

9/27/24: Report: Sec. 3 athletes flock to NIL Club

9/25/24: Ex-Kellenberg QB sets off an NIL drama

9/23/24: NYSPHSAA warns about potential NIL isssue

9/21/24: South Park's Nunes shatters N.Y. rushing record

9/20/24: Storytelling in H.S. sports is alive and well

9/19/24: Longtime SWR coach Paul Koretzki, 84, dies

9/17/24: Western N.Y. teams embracing Guardian Caps

9/15/24: N.J. shows us N.Y. football has a ways to go

9/14/24: Another UPrep game, another fan incident

9/13/24: Ohio wrestles with aftermath of shootings

9/11/24: Mass. school forfeits over male opponent

9/10/24: Regents table vote on expanding mixed competition

9/9/24: Shot clock experiment will change lacrosse

9/7/24: Garden City sets L.I. football record

9/6/24: Lawsuit takes aim at N.C.'s NIL ban

9/5/24: New York's Week 0 football intrigue

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