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FOOTBALL CAMP RAISES FUNDS FOR PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH AND SUPPORT
06/10/10
UTICA COLLEGE SPORTS UPDATE
GIL BURGMASTER
 Nearly 1,700 high school football players attended the seventh annual Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp at Lafayette College on Sunday, June 6, and donated more than $67,000 to Lauren's First and Goal Foundation for pediatric brain tumor research, cancer services and family support.
Utica College football coaches Andrew Massoud, Jake DerCola and Anthony Hobaica traveled to Pennsylvania to lend a helping hand on the sidelines.
For the year, the foundation has received more than $213,000 in donations, including a $100,000 commitment from the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration. With the proceeds from the camp, the foundation has raised more than $1 million since its creation in 2004.
 "The success of this camp would not be possible without the hundreds of volunteers and coaches and the unwavering support of Lafayette College," said John Loose, who created Lauren's First and Goal in honor of his 13-year-old daughter Lauren, a pediatric brain tumor survivor. "It is their dedication to this event that allows us to continue funding the search for a cure and to help families who battle this disease every day."
The Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp welcomed high school student-athletes from 15 different states and Canada, who received offensive and defensive instruction from more than 250 volunteer coaches representing colleges and universities across the nation.
 In addition, U.S. Naval Academy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo was the featured guest speaker and addressed the campers over lunch. Niumatalolo talked about the four quarters of life and the importance of showing gratitude, making good decisions and being selfless.
Along with the Pennsylvania camp, the foundation will be hosting another one-day event at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio on Sunday, June 27.
The camps raise money through a $30 registration fee for each student-athlete as well as non-camper donations. Of every dollar received, the foundation donates 90 cents toward research, services, family support and awareness of pediatric brain tumors and cancer.
More information about the camps and the foundation is available at www.laurensfirstandgoal.org.
The Utica College football program expects 29 first-year student-athletes who played Section III High School football last season to join the program on campus this coming Fall for its 2010 campaign. The Section III recruits include student-athletes from 20 different school districts in the Central New York region.
Three of the players were New York State Sports Writers Association All-State First Team selections.
Seven Players were selected to the Observer Dispatch 2009 All-Mohawk Valley Football team, including Co-Player of the Year Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, N.Y. /New Hartford).
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Six of the players were chosen as WKTV News Channel 2 All-Stars and 17 of them were selected to Syracuse Post Standard All-Star Teams.
"I am very proud of the fact that so many talented student-athletes have decided to stay closer to home and attend Utica College next Fall," says Head Coach Blaise Faggiano, who is entering his third season at Utica. "Over half of our current roster is from Section III. We have doubled our home attendance and have made great strides in our program."
The 2010 Recruiting Class Includes:
( MHTS File Photos-Jeff Pexton)
 Anthony Acevedo, a 6-foot-2 200 pounder, played wide receiver and quarterback for New Hartford and led the Spartans to their third straight Section III Class A Championship game last year. The 2009 NYSSWA All-State First Team selection rushed for 1,349 yards last season and tallied 28 receptions for 514 yards. He was the Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley Football Co-Player of the Year and also scored 28 touchdowns for a total of 200 points. Acevedo was a Syracuse Post Standard Class A National First Team selection for two straight years. He was also a two-time WKTV News Channel 2 High School Football All-Star.
 Justin Becker (Whitesboro, N.Y./Westmoreland) was a two-time NYSSWA
All-State selection and helped lead the Class D Westmoreland Bulldogs to their third Section III title in four years. He was a 2009 WKTV High School Football All-Star and also an Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley selection. The 5-foot-11-inch, 180-pound tailback averaged 8.4 yards per carry and finished with 1,192 yards rushing and set single-season school records with 35 touchdowns and 208 points.
 Sean Hulser (Vernon, N.Y./Notre Dame) was a NYSSWA Class D First Team All-State selection as a senior at Notre Dame High School. The Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley selection played middle linebacker for Notre Dame High School and led the Class D East Division Champions with 105 tackles last year. He also played center on the offensive line and was named a WKTV News Channel 2 All-Star selection.
Anthony Magee (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) played both ways for the Section III Class A Champion Whitesboro Warriors last season and anchored the
offensive and defensive lines. His work on the line garnered him a 2009 Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley selection and he was also named to the Syracuse Post Standard Class A National First Team in both his junior and senior campaigns. He was a co-captain for the Warriors and also a two-time WKTV News Channel 2 High School Football All-Star selection.
 Alongside MaGee will be Whitesboro High School teammate Alex Rukavena (Utica, N.Y./Whitesboro). Rukavena, a 6-foot-1 201 pound linebacker, earned multiple post season accolades after guiding the Warriors to the Class A State tournament. He was an Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley selection, a Post Standard Class A National First Teamer and a WKTV News Channel 2 High School Football All-Star.
Matt Rees (Holland Patent, N.Y./Holland Patent), 6-foot 210 pounder, led Holland Patent with 68 tackles and five sacks one year ago en route to earning a WKTV High School Football All-Star status. He was also honored as an Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley selection.
 Zachary Goyette (Dolgeville, N.Y./Dolgeville) of Dolgeville was a 2009 Observer Dispatch All-Mohawk Valley Honorary Captain. As a quarterback at Dolgeville he completed 54-of-104 passes for 996 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw just two interceptions all season and rushed for 279 yards and four touchdowns.
Josh Davoli (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill), a 6-foot-5, 280 pound offensive lineman, was heavily recruited by Division I Temple University, but decided to come play for Coach Faggiano and enroll in the health studies/physical therapy program at Utica. Davoli, who has won multiple weight lifting competitions in the Syracuse area, was a two-time Syracuse Post Standard Class B West selection, including garnering first team status as a senior at Westhill.
Other Notable Recruits:
Sage Cobbs (Utica, N.Y./Proctor) - Syracuse Post Standard Class AA-2 First Team Defense
Denver Divens (Lee Center, N.Y./Adirondack) - Syracuse Post Standard Class C North First Team Defense
Kyle Mills (Canastota, N.Y./Chittenango) - Two-time Syracuse Post Standard Class B East First Team selection.
Dylan Furco (Chittenango, N.Y./Chittenango) - Syracuse Post Standard Class B First Team Offense
Michael Paul (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) - Syracuse Post Standard Class A American Second team
 Xavier Richardson (Clay, N.Y./CNS) - Syracuse Post Standard Class AA-1 Second Team Defense
Shawn Bryant (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) - Syracuse Post Standard Class AA-2 Second Team Offense
Sean Jones (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) - Syracuse Post Standard Class A National Second Team
Matt Morosco (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) - Syracuse Post Standard Class A National honorable mention
Jordan Soluri (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) - Syracuse Post Standard Class A National honorable mention
Anthony Rocco (Vernon, N.Y./VVS) - Syracuse Post Standard Class B East honorable mention
Christopher Hoffman (Syracuse, N.Y./Solvay) - Syracuse Post Standard Class B West honorable mention.
Alex Benoit (Ilion, N.Y./Ilion) - 2009 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award Winner
Matt Hatton (Utica, N.Y./Whitesboro)
Zach Wollaber (Dolgeville, N.Y./Dolgeville)
Jacob Foster (Little Falls, N.Y./Little Falls)
Will Cotter (Westmoreland, N.Y./Westmoreland)
Joseph Emmi (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt)
Gary Farquhar (Little Falls, N.Y./Dolgeville)
Andrew Dobson (Georgetown, N.Y./Sherburne Earlville)
Ben Maxwell (Newport, N.Y./West Canada Valley)
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