The SUNY Cortland men's soccer team is the second seed in this week's SUNYAC Tournament and right in the middle of the action is sophomore Owen Brant.
The 5-foot-8 forward from Loudonville and a Shaker High graduate helped the Red Dragons finish the regular season 12-3-1 overall and 7-1 in a three-way tie for first in the conference after falling 2-1 to Plattsburgh in a battle for first place. Brant had the team's only goal.
Brant, who has started all 15 games, is second on the team in scoring with 24 points on nine goals and six assists. He had a hat trick in a 5-0 conference victory over Morrisville last Wednesday. He was named SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10 after scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 3-1 win over Buffalo State and scoring the only goal in a 1-0 triumph over Oswego.
Cortland gets a first-round bye and will host a semifinal game on Wednesday.
Zavry Ward (Queensbury)
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior is starting at quarterback for the Monroe football team. The Mustangs are 1-5 in their first Division II season after a 48-14 loss to Virginia State last Saturday. The Queensbury High graduate has completed 72 of 128 passes for 808 yards with four touchdowns and just one interception. He has 128 yards on 72 carries with two touchdowns.
Mary Kate McPhee (Salem)
The senior, a Salem Central High graduate, leads the St. John Fisher field hockey team in scoring. The Cardinals are 7-9 overall and 4-4 in the Empire 8 Conference. She has 26 points on 11 goals and four assists with a game-winner. Junior Sydney Byrns (Shenendehowa High) has chipped in three goals and an assist, with a game-winner.
AJ Gianquinto (Burnt Hills)
The graduate student was named Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after two strong efforts for the Alfred men's soccer team last week. The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High graduate helped the team tie 0-0 with Elmira last Wednesday and scored the only goal in a 1-1 tie against Sage last Saturday in Albany. The Saxons are 7-3-4 overall and 5-2-4 in conference play.
Austin Prouty (Schuylerville)
The 6-foot-1, 253-pound senior is starting on the offensive line for the strong Brockport football team. The Golden Eagles are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Empire 8 Conference after a convincing 56-0 conference victory over Morrisville last Saturday. The Schuylerville High graduate has helped the team total 596 yards on offense. Brockport has scored 282 points, leading the conference.
Carissa Shanahan (Cohoes)
The 5-foot-8 senior defender, a Cohoes High graduate, and senior midfielder Haley Drinon (Schoharie High) have been key players for the Fredonia women's soccer team, the Blue Devils, 10-3-3 overall and 5-0-3 in SUNYAC games. Both have three goals and an assist, each with a game-winner, and they have helped the team post five shutouts.
CJ Strong (Troy)
The senior finished sixth to lead the Assumption men's golf team to a fourth-place finish at the Northeast-10 Conference Championship on Oct. 19-20 in Longmeadow, Mass. The CBA graduate shot 220 over 54 holes, with rounds of 73, 69 and 78. Strong was named Northeast-10 Player of the Week on Oct. 14 after finishing fourth in the Post Eagles Fall Invitational.
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