By Mike Zummo
The Chapel Field boys’ basketball team advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship game last year, before falling in the state title game to Section 5 champion Avoca-Prattsburgh.
If they want to match that feat or even surpass it, they will have to find a way to replace a key scorer and two key rebounders after the graduation of Noah Swart, Bryce Hollo and Leam Powell.
However, one of Lions’ top scorers from last year will return in the form of Jonah McDuffie, who entered the season 11 points away from 1,000. He crossed the 1,000-point plateau in the Lions’ 43-31 loss to Tri-Valley on Friday.
Also returning is Mikey Bonagura, who came into his own as an offensive threat during last season.
Newcomers include Micah McDuffie, Matt Kelly, Anthony Bonagura, Luke Falkena and Jaden Mezetin.
Fifth-year coach Brad McDuffie said the Lions’ success this year will depend on the growth of the younger players and their ability to compliment Jonah McDuffie and Mikey Bonagura.
“Coming off the most successful year in the program’s history, we are looking to continue to build the program, as we have done for the past five years,” coach McDuffie said. “The challenge for this team will be to establish their own identity over the course of the season.”
The Lions, who will remain in Class D, will not be affected by the NYSPHSAA’s expansion to six classifications. The Valley Central Vikings, a Class AA team last year – the state’s largest class – will remain in Class AA, where they will be joined by the Wallkill Panthers in the new Class AA.
The Vikings have some big holes in their lineup with the graduation of Raysean Johnson, who is committed to Division 1 Fairleigh Dickinson University and Jurrell Taylor, who is attending New York Military Academy.
“Losing Raysean and Jurell is never going to be easy,” Valley Central coach Frank Nutt said. “What they brought in scoring and defending, and their leadership, is never easy to replace. We have taken the approach that we are replacing them with a full-team effort.”
The Vikings will return Donovan Davis, a three-year player, who started every game last year, leading the team in blocks and rebounds. Also back are three-year varsity players Armando Perez and Jason Murphy, and sophomore Shawn Magby.
Junior Nas Trotter, the JV team’s best player last season, will join the varsity team.
“This group is really fun to coach,” Nutt said. “Everyone is buying in and working hard each day. They all get along and have been going out to dinner, hanging out and really rallying around our team sayings this year, ‘next play,’ and ‘communicate everything.’ We expect to be very competitive this year in our new AA division and look forward to the new challenge.”
The Wallkill Panthers have lost a ton of talent from last year’s team that went 12-9 with an elimination in the Section 9 Class A quarterfinals to the Beacon Bulldogs.
Gone are Chris Baccaro, Nicholas DiLemme, Sean Perrin, Mason Ondreyko, Colin McCartney and Gabe Crespi, leaving the Panthers short on varsity experience heading into the new season.
Expected back are Jack Cook, Michael Fanning, Miles McKenney and John Canavan.
The Pine Bush Bushmen will remain in the state’s largest class, Class AAA, and compete with the same opponents they’ve always competed with, as they look to rebound from last year’s 0-20 season.
They’ll have a new coach this year as Robert Lawrence takes over from former coach Dan Conley.
Mason Miranowicz and Jack Zwart graduated from last year’s team, but return seniors Manny Hannon, Omar Gonzalez and Nathan Fontana, along with sophomore Robert Lawrence, Jr.
New players will include juniors Daniel Hickman and Jacob Brown, and sophomore Alexander Russo.
Coach Lawrence said the Bushmen were plagued by injuries, transfers and academics last year as they look to rebound. Two years ago, the Bushmen were Orange County Interscholastic Division II champions and Section 9 Class AA semifinalists. The team is eager to get back on track and return to sectionals.
The team is young, but they’ve had success on JV and lower levels and hope to carry that success to the varsity.
“That task will not be easy, as there are no easy games in the AAA division,” Lawrence said. “However, early in the preseason, the players are showing signs of improvement and maintaining a positive outlook.”