Syracuse Smash

In August, the Syracuse Smash were sold to a group led by some Toronto Rock investors. The team will be moved to Ottawa. A new name, colors, and logo have not yet been unveiled. As more details are announced about the Ottawa franchise, this page will be phased out in favor of a new one with Ottawa-specific information.

In its first year, the Syracuse Smash won two games; in its second campaign, it recorded three. So, would 2000, the third year of the Smash's woeful existence, be the year for four wins -- or more? Not even close.

After opening the season with a dreadful 16-6 rout at the hands of the Rochester Knighthawks, the Smash headed to Long Island and nearly upset the Saints with a second-half rally that fell just short, 14-13. Perhaps in a foreshadowing of the dread to come later, only seven Syracuse players tallied a point in the near-win, led by nine from Mark Millon and five from Paul Gait -- neither of whom would be in the purple and teal at season's end.

Two weeks later, the Smash were involved in another large comeback at Buffalo, except this time it was Syracuse struggling to hold a lead. When the dust had settled, the Bandits erased a 20-15 deficit and turned it into a 22-21 triumph. A heart-breaking, double-overtime loss at Albany thirteen days later left the Smash at 0-4, having already allowed to slip through their fingers three golden opportunities to win a road game for the first time in team history.

With two straight weekends off to consider the near-misses, the Smash returned a different team -- notably, one that couldn't even run with the opposition, let alone defeat it. A 15-10 loss at Toronto blurred into a 17-14 loss against Philadelphia morphed into a 21-9 drubbing in Pittsburgh. The losses mounted as the Smash played poorer and poorer, without the benefit of its star players. Both Gait and Millon had been traded, to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, respectively, for cash and draft picks.

With morale sinking to dangerous levels, practices no longer being held, and true attendance for Smash games sometimes falling below a thousand, team owner Howard Dolgon sent out an ultimatum -- unless five thousand fans showed up for a late-season match against Pittsburgh, the city of Syracuse would watch the Smash pack up and leave after the season. Sure enough, Dolgon's ultimatum fell 2500 fans short, but those that came were treated to a thrill -- after ten losses in as many games, sixty minutes of all-square lacrosse, and a scoreless overtime period, Eric Seremet bounced a shot past the CrosseFire goaltender for a stunning 10-9 victory.

It was back to usual the following week, however, in a 25-11 whipping by the eventual champion Toronto Rock. The Smash finished its third season -- and likely its days in Syracuse -- with a disappointing 1-11 record. Although the sales of Gait and Millon were widely criticized, the Smash picked up numerous high draft picks in the deals, which it hopefully can use successfully in a rebuilding effort, whether in central New York or elsewhere.

 # Name                 Ht   Wt Age Exp College
 2 Jamie Delaney       6-3  230  30  R  None
 5 Matt Riter         5-11  165  28  5  Syracuse Univ.
 7 Steve Kisslinger    6-1  200  30  7  Townson State
 8 Jim Morrissey      5-11  175  27  2  Syracuse Univ.  
 9 Mark Millon         5-8  175  28  6  Massachussets
10 Ron Klausner        6-4  240  23  3  Towson State
11 Kyle Arbuckle      5-10  185  22  R  None
12 John Fay            6-0  185  23  1  Duke University
14 Tyson Leies         6-2  206  30  3  None
18 Ed Fay              6-0  185  25  2  Duke University  
19 Paul Gait           6-2  225  32  9  Syracuse Univ.  
20 Al Jones            6-0  200  24  1  None
21 Eric Seremet        6-0  180  29  7  North Carolina
24 Neal Powless       5-11  190  25  3  Nazareth College  
26 Steve Hoffman       6-3  210  28  R  Roanoke College
28 Tony Millon         5-9  185  30  7  Towson State  
29 Jim Rankin (G)      5-9  250  24  2  None 
33 Del Halladay       5-11  190  27  2  Loyola College  
33 Ross Cowie (G)      6-2  210  35  7  Brock University
42 Todd Oudemool      5-10  180  30  2  Hobart  
44 Derek Collins (G)   6-0  200  25  4  None 
49 Bruce Alexander     6-6  271  26  1  Mercyhurst  
55 Josh Ruhle          6-5  240  23  R  Syracuse Univ.
77 Jeff Klodzen       5-10  180  31  8  Cortland State Coll.  
91 Barry Thornton     5-11  215  29  1  None
99 Charlie Lockwood    6-0  190  28  5  Syracuse Univ.

Howard Dolgon       Owner / General Manager
Steve Romano        Assistant General Manager
Patrick Donahue     Head Coach
Mark Vitarelli      Associate Coach
Mark Powell         Athletic Trainer
Cole Taylor         Physical Therapist
Lee Wilkinson       Equipment Manager

Age refers to age as of beginning of 2000 season (7 January)

DATE         OPPONENT              SYR-OPP   W/L  REC  POS
-----------------------------------------------------------
Sat Jan  8   ROCHESTER       8:00    6-16     L   0- 1  t-5
Sat Jan 15   @ New York      7:30   13-14     L   0- 2  8th
  Jan 21-23  -open date-                                8th
Sat Jan 29   @ Buffalo       8:00   21-22     L   0- 3  8th
  Feb  4- 6  -open date-                                8th
Fri Feb 11   @ Albany        7:00   12-13 2OT L   0- 4  8th
Sun Feb 13   NEW YORK        8:00   13-15     L   0- 5  8th
  Feb 18-20  -open date-                                8th
  Feb 25-27  -open date-                                8th
Fri Mar  3   @ Toronto       7:30   10-15     L   0- 6  8th
  Mar 10-12  -open date-                                8th
Sat Mar 18   PHILADELPHIA    8:00   14-17     L   0- 7  8th
Sat Mar 25   @ Pittsburgh    7:30    9-21     L   0- 8  8th
Fri Mar 31   ALBANY          8:00    6-17     L   0- 9  8th
Sat Apr  1   @ Rochester     7:35   10-23     L   0-10  8th
Sat Apr  8   PITTSBURGH      8:00   10- 9     W   1-10  8th
Sat Apr 15   TORONTO         8:00   11-25     L   1-11  8th
-----------------------------------------------------------

Smash record breakdown:
  vs ALB       0-2        Friday      0-3
  vs BUF       0-1        Saturday    1-7
  vs NY        0-2        Sunday      0-1
  vs PHI       0-1        Other days  0-0
  vs PIT       1-1        After win   0-1
  vs ROC       0-2        After loss  1-9
  vs TOR       0-2        December    0-0
  home         1-5        January     0-3
  road         0-6        February    0-2
  overtime     1-1        March       0-4
  1 goal       1-3        April       1-2
  2 goals      1-4        May         0-0
  after bye    0-4
  second game* 0-2

* Second game of a multiple-game weekend.

Syracuse Smash
800 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13203
315.473.4444

Tickets to see the Syracuse Smash at the Onondaga County War Memorial Arena can be purchased through the team at the phone number above. Box office hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturdays 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (closed Sunday). Tickets can be charged to your Visa or MasterCard, or can be bought with a check or with old-fashioned cash. Children between 2 and 12 qualify for the junior price. Children under the age of two do not need a ticket.

The Smash operate a will call window, which opens one hour prior to the start of the game. Will call tickets must be bought with a credit card, and you'll need that credit card, as well as a photo ID, when you pick the tickets up.

Public transportation (Centro) is available two blocks away from the arena on Salina Street. Parking is available all around the arena.

Directions: From the New York Thruway (I-90), take exit 36 (I-81) South to Syracuse to Exit 18 (Harrison Street). Take Harrison Street two blocks, then turn left onto State Street. The parking ramp is on your left.

Most of all, enjoy the game!