ShareIs 2017 the year for the St.FX X-Men?
2017-09-13
The X-Men will surely miss Scott "Does It All" Arlidge
Coming off a berth in the 2016 MUFLL Championship Game where the X-Men ran out of gas to the eventual champion Dalhousie Tigers, they are picking up right where they left off with one goal in mind.Coming off a berth in the 2016 MUFLL Championship Game where the X-Men ran out of gas to the eventual champion Dalhousie Tigers, they are picking up right where they left off with one goal in mind. Putting themselves back in the position to play for the right to be named the MUFLL Champion for the 2017 season.
Similar to 2016 the X-Men expect to be right where they were last year, in the championship game. They were able to breeze by most of the competition last year with a few scares here and there, but in 2017, they may find their journey to this year's championship game more challenging than in years past.
With the likes of goal-scoring attackman Connor Clarkson, set-up man Bryson Knockwood, face-off and transition expert Scott “Does It All” Arlidge, Defensive stalwarts Tyler Lecours and Devin Manning, and MUFLL Veteran Colin Crossman, now graduated, the X-Men find themselves looking to this year's crop of players to step up and fill these big holes vacated by these six seniors who have now moved on from St. FX.
“Although many of our top players at each position have graduated or moved onto the next phase in their lives, we are confident about the current players on our roster and the incoming freshmen, and as such, our expectation for the upcoming season is the same as every year.”
To obtain their goal the X-Men will have to look to a bright future with a strong incoming class of midfielders and a new look in-between the pipes.
Incoming Players:
- Tyler Mackinnon – Goalie
- Matty Connolly – Midfield
- Thomas Kyte – Midfield
- Thomas Johnston – Midfield
- Jackson Denelzen – Attack
- Charlie Jensen – Midfield
- Jack Killion – Attack
- Alex Graham – Midfield
- Liam Reid – Midfield
- Joseph Macdonald – Longpole
- Nick Beaton – Midfield
- Braeden Drysdale – Midfield
The X-Men shouldn’t have an issue fielding a deep team top to bottom with their lengthy incoming freshman class. Twelve rookies should make for a boisterous up-and-down type of team that will be an exciting watch whether they are up or down in a game. Surely some of these rookies will carve themselves a role on this year’s squad and contribute big minutes on the journey to championship weekend.
Key Upperclassmen:
- Jimmy Shea – Attack
- Kyle Rogers – Longpole
- Jack Killion – Attack
- Cody Marche – Attack/Midfield
- Gregg Nussey Midfield
- Jackson Denelzen – Attack
- Alex McGrath – Longpole
Things aren’t all on the rookie’s shoulder this year in Antigonish. There are some juniors and seniors who are chomping at the bit to step into some newly vacated roles. It never hurts when your team returns MUFLL’s 2016 second leading point getter and veteran attackmen Jimmy Shea (36G, 18A) and you have Jackson Denelzen and Jack Killion filling the two shoes vacated by MUFLL’s 2016 leading point getter Connor Clarkson (33G, 26A). St. FX has always had a stout defense and this year it will be led by veteran and dependable Longpoles on the back end in Kyle Rogers and Alex McGrath. Kyle and Alex should be able to hold things down while they coach up their new goalie, Tyler Mackinnon in the pipes. Midfield is where the game is controlled, the X-Men know this and they need to turn the page to the next chapter with the departure of their star Face-off man Scott Arlidge. Midfielders Gregg Nussey and Cody Marche can run and lead their team to some easy transition goals, but who will line-up against the various elite draw men in the MUFLL for the X-Men? This is a role that is up for grabs.
The X-Men are a team that has always had the right pieces on paper to make a deep run into Championship Weekend. In the past, they have had trouble putting all of their assets together on the field. Last year they were able to do so, peaking at the right time, and executing on the field together as a cohesive team.
With lots of turnover from the previous year, they definitely have their work cut out for them, but you heard it here first.
“The goal is to be in the championship this year once again except with a different end result.”
The X-Men want to right their shortcomings from previous years. Will 2017 be the year?
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