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Small logo Roos Return Nine Players In 2008

(Canton, N.Y.)- The SUNY Canton men's soccer team and 12th year coach Al Benda, who will also coach the SUNY Canton women's soccer team this fall, welcome back nine players from a team that advanced to the Sunrise Conference championship game in 2007. That nine includes the Roos top two scorers from a year ago and three defensive starters.

Sophomore midfielder/forward Repton Abrahams was named to the all-Sunrise Conference Team as a freshman after leading the Roos with 14 goals and 36 points. Sophomore Bismark Ansah joined the team five games into the season and made an instant impact scoring 10 goals with two assists for 22 points in 12 games. Also back on offense will be senior midfielder/forward Dennis Salmon who netted three goals last season; junior midfielder Alexis Rivas who had two goals and eight points as a sophomore; and Jeff Gotham who tallied one goal with one assist last year.

Freshman players looking to crack the offensive lineup include forward Robert Chambers, an all-Northern at Massena Central School; midfielder and Frontier League all-star Brett Nortz from Watertown High School; forward Bryant Wickwire, an all-Northern at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School; midfielder Moubarak Agor from Marble Hill School in the Bronx; and forward Kevin Hicks from South Glens Falls High School.

Sophomore sweeper Josh Avery and sophomore fullbacks Justin Martin and Chris Margrey (2 assists) return to anchor the Roos defense. Martin joined Abrahams on the all-Sunrise Conference Team and had one assist and the three helped hold opponents to just 1.1 goals per game.

Nick Lebeouf (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) and Josh Mowery will also join the defense this year.
Senior Chris Hill returns in goal for the Roos. Hill posted a 1.1 goals-against average and a .769 save percentage in 12 games last year. Freshman Homero Flores (Mexico), Eamon Case (Parishville Hopkinton Central School), and Isaac Emrich (Gouverneur Central School) will challenge Hill for time in net.

The Roos open their 2008 campaign at the SUNY Potsdam Classic on August 30 and 31. SUNY Canton plays Wells College on the 30th and Casenovia College on the 31st. The Roos open Sunrise Conference play on September 13th when they host Vermont Technical College.

Head Coach: Al Benda (12th year).
2007 Record: 10-2 Sunrise Conference, 12-5 overall.
2008 Returning Players: Dennis Salmon (Sr., midfield, Bronx, N.Y.), Repton Abrahams (So., forward/midfield, Brooklyn, N.Y.), Bismark Ansah (So., forward/midfield, Bronx, N.Y.), Alexis Rivas, Jr., midfield, Bronx, N.Y.), Justin Martin (So., defense, Lowville, N.Y.), Chris Margrey (So, defense, Natural Bridge, N.Y.), Josh Avery (So., defense, South Colton, N.Y.), Chris Hill (Sr., goal, Watertown, N.Y.), Jeff Gotham (So., midfield, Gouverneur, N.Y.).
2008 Newcomers: Isaac Emrich (Fr., goal, Gouverneur, N.Y.), Kevin Hicks (Fr., forward, South Glens Falls, N.Y.), Eamon Case (Fr., goal, Plattsburgh, N.Y.), Robert Chambers (Fr., forward/midfield, Massena, N.Y.), Nick Leboeuf (Fr., defense, South Glens Falls, N.Y.), Moubarak Agor (Fr., midfield, Bronx, N.Y.), Brett Nortz (Fr., midfield, Watertown, N.Y.), Bryant Wickwire (Fr., forward, Parishville, N.Y.), Homero Flores (Fr., goal, Mexico).