FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS EARN ALL-REGION III HONORS

Three members of the SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer program were named to the 2005 All-Region III Team by the region’s coaches. Freshman defender Josh Cookfair, Scotia, NY, Schalmont High School, was named to the All-Region III First Team while freshman striker Hugh Campbell, Bronx, NY, Evander Childs High School, and freshman midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School, garnered All-Region III Second Team honors for their efforts. Cobleskill posted one of the best turnaround seasons in the nation with a 10-6-1 overall record including a 3-3-1 record in conference play after finishing 4-10-1 with a 1-5-1 mark in league play in 2004. The Fighting Tigers also made their first NJCAA Region III Division III Tournament appearance since the 2000 season advancing to the quarterfinal round.

Cookfair did the dirty work for the Fighting Tigers on the defensive end of the field always defending the opponent’s top scorer during the year while providing some additional scoring punch to the Fighting Tiger attack with one goal and three assists on the season for five points on the year.

“In my three years of coaching here, I can honestly say that Josh Cookfair is the best player at his position that I have ever worked with,” said Szmarz. “His role defensively was to mark the other team’s best player and he has excelled in that role for us this season.”

Campbell led Cobleskill in scoring this season with eight goals and six assists for a total of 22 points on the year including the game winning goal in overtime of the Fighting Tigers 2-1 overtime first round play-off win over Broome Community College.

“It took Hugh a couple of games to find his niche at forward for us but I thought there was something special about his game and I think about the half way point of the season he found it,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz.

Francillon brought a well rounded game to the Fighting Tigers this season blending athletic ability and finesse that had not been seen in a Cobleskill jersey in a number of seasons. The talented midfielder scored six goals and passed out eight assists for 20 points on the season.

The Fighting Tiger freshman trio was earlier named to the All-Mountain Valley Conference Team by the league’s coaches while Cobleskill Head Coach Rob Szmarz was named as one of the MVC’s Tri-Coaches-of-the-Year for the 2005 season.