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Incumbent Julie Cecile won reelection as Onondaga County Family Court Judge with 56.5% of the vote. She will serve for another 10 years.
N • Family court Page 3
C • Ribbit ribbit
Five SU students joined together to create Froggies, a band known for their funky instrumentals and folksy vocals.
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After two days and over 260,000 votes accounted for, the race for New York’s 22nd Congressional District between Democrat Francis Conole and Brandon Williams is still too close to call for many outlets.
Heading into Thursday, neither the Associated Press, Decision Desk HQ nor Fox News’ decision desks have called the election. Yet Williams, who currently has a lead of over 3,000 votes, declared victory.
At around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Williams said “we’re going to Washington, D.C.,” according to CNY Central, and later changed his twitter account’s biography to read “Congressman-elect for NY-22.”
Within the same hour, Conole told his crowd and report-
ers in a press release that the race was too close to call.
“We need to ensure that every Central New Yorker’s voice is heard and their ballot is counted,” Conole said.
Texas-born Williams had 72.8% of his funding in 2022 coming from outside New York. Much of it was from his home state. In total, he raised nearly $750,000 for his campaign as of Oct. 19, according to OpenSecrets.
Through September and October, the polls bounced between Conole and Williams leading, with Siena College reporting the largest margin of victory on Sept. 27. In the poll, Williams only led by 5 points. Siena College reported a month later that Conole was up by 4 points.
Williams ran on the platform of “not being a politician.” The tech entrepreneur and Navy veteran not only opposed see ny-22 page 4
S • From the spot
Syracuse defeated Virginia in a penalty shootout, getting revenge after the Cavaliers were the only ACC team to defeat SU this season.
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Scott Stevens said that anyone looking for justice from the current United States Supreme Court is alive at the wrong time.
Arguments began Wednesday over the Supreme Court case Brackeen v. Haaland, which could overturn the Indian Child Wel-
fare Act of 1978, a law that puts priority for Indigenous children to be adopted by a blood relative or citizen of an Indigenous tribe rather than non-Indigenous families, to be unconstitutional.
the independent student newspaper of syracuse, new yorkAfter a tight election, decision desks across the country have yet to decide on the winner of NY-22
How can a person that knows nothing about Indigenous people raise an Indigenous child with an understanding of where they come from?
Neal Powless university ombud
the independent student newspaper of syracuse, new york
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The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.
“How can a person that knows nothing about Indigenous people raise an Indigenous child with an understanding of where they come from?” - Neal Powless, university ombuds at SU Page 1
“We are broke students who are trying to break broke artists.” - Gabby Bocara, co-founder of Broke Records Page 5
“Democratic leaders in New York have come off as more focused on their own internal power structures and maintaining the status quo than improving quality of life for the working class.”Jonah Weintraub, columnist Page 8
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The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2022 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2022 The Daily Orange Corporation
“You don’t see too many pitch invasions in Syracuse, New York,” - Ian McIntyre, men’s soccer head coach Page 12
Noteworthy events this week.
WHAT: Overturn of Roe v. Wade: Implications of SU’s Lack of Response
WHAT: CPR Seminar Series: Ying Shi
WHEN: Nov. 10, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Eggers Hall 060
WHEN: Nov. 10, 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. WHERE: Bird Library 113 WHAT: Operation Orange Warm-Up Winter Clothing Drive WHEN: Nov. 12, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: The Dome
Incumbent Julie Cecile won a second term as Onondaga County Family Court Judge in Tuesday’s midterm elections, defeating challenger Jim Corl Jr. by over 21,000 votes.
As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, unofficial results from the Onondaga County Board of Elections showed Cecile, who graduated from Syracuse University’s College of Law in 1991, with 56.5 % of the vote as the Democratic and Working Families party candidate. Corl Jr. received 43.47 % of the vote as the Republican, Conservative and Independence party candidate.
“It really was a team effort,” Cecile told The Daily Orange following her victory. “We wanted to make sure I didn’t take anything for granted. We worked really hard, and it obviously worked.”
In New York state counties outside of New York City, family court judges serve for a 10-year term. Family court judges pre side over cases outside of divorce that are entirely domestic, including child custody and cases of neglect or abuse. Outside of the county legislature and county executive, the positions in the Onondaga County court system are some of the only ones elected on a county-basis.
Cecile focused her second campaign
on her familiarity and history with the position. Prior experience is critical for the role of Family Court judge given the delicacy of the matters the court presides over, she said.
“Almost everything we deal with involves families and conflict, so there’s a lot of trauma,” Cecile said. “You have to know how to address those traumatic issues in an informed way, so it is really important to have some kind of knowledge and back ground when it comes to family court.”
Before holding the Family Court judge seat in 2013, Cecile served as the execu tive director of the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse for four years, where she led efforts to to help victims of sexual and physical child abuse heal. She also owned a private practice between 1993 to 2012.
Corl also ran on his experience, having served as a law clerk within the Onondaga County Family Court and the New York State Unified Court System Fifth Judicial District as a whole for the past seven years.
While Corl said he was disappointed in his loss, he congratulated Cecile in his defeat.
“We had a great campaign team and a great message,” Corl Jr. said. “Unfortunately, the results weren’t what we had hoped for.”
Cecile won her previous election in 2012 over Republican candidate Patrick Kilmar tin with 55.5% of the vote, according to
OCBE unofficial results. Cecile amassed a 20,317-vote margin of victory, only slightly less than her total in 2022, the unofficial results showed.
She said that while many candi dates running for Family Court judge often have further political aspira tions and use the position as a step ping stone, her role is her dream job, and
she has no desire to move past her seat.
“My job every day is difficult, and some people may think I’m crazy that this is what I want to do,” Cecile said. “But I really enjoy being able to help the families get the resources and the supports in place so that we can make everybody safe and reunited.” swarre03@syr.edu
Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and organizations around the city are hosting several Veterans Day events Friday.
Here’s how Syracuse University and Onondaga County are celebrating.
The OVMF will host a Veterans Day Cel ebration at the National Veterans Resource Center on Friday. A ceremony in the K.G. Tan Auditorium is set to begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by a reception.
Kari Mickinkle, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an Office of Veteran Success official, will emcee the ceremony and U.S. Navy retired Rear Adm. Danelle Barrett will be the keynote speaker. Mickinkle and Barret, both SU alums, will join additional alumni speakers including OVMF Direc tor Dwayne Murray and student-veteran Anthony Ruscitto.
The reception is set to take place in the NVRC’s Bisignano Grand Hall following
around an hour of remarks from the speakers.
A Veterans Day 5K Fun Run is set to take place on Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. Runners will complete two laps on a path that starts at the Schine Student Center and finishes on the Shaw Quadrangle.
The Veterans For Peace and Beyond War and Militarism committees, which are both part of the Syracuse Peace Council, will hold an event commemorating Veter ans Day. The group will hold a traditional moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. and ring ceremonial bells.
The event, titled “Life-Affirming Alter natives to War and Militarism,” is set to take place in Billings Park — S. Salina & E. Adams St. — at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.
The Onondaga County Veterans Council will host an event to support local vet erans from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Oncenter War Memorial, or Memo
rial Hall. The event will feature tributes, music and awards.
A ceremony at the Onondaga County Korea/Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the
corner of East Onondaga & S. Warren Street is set to take place after the event.
abortion rights, but was a proponent of stricter mandatory sentences for violent crime and opposed cashless bail.
Williams ran for the Republican nomina tion on the conservative line. His primary opponent, Steven Wells, earned the support of the local Republican party.
Following Williams’ primary victory in August, he told supporters that it was the start of “change” coming to the United States, syra cuse.com reported.
“We’re going to get this ship pointed in the right direction,” he said. “Our nation is under attack by the radical left.”
Williams has also said he aims to
support Democratic-led Congressional efforts in requiring background checks for gun purchases.
One of the two candidates will succeed cur rent Republican Congressman John Katko, who has not backed either Williams or Conole.
A central New York native and navy veteran, Conole ran a moderate campaign, receiving endorsements from Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, The Syracuse PostStandard and an assortment of unions including the New York State United Teachers and the local branches of Com munication Workers of America and Ser vice Employees International Union.
“Fran has shown (an) ability to bring people together, find common ground and solve problems,” Walsh wrote in his
endorsement of Conole. “As Central New York becomes a stronger force in the New Economy and as our nation grapples with political extremism, these skills are need ed now more than ever.”
Throughout 2022, Conole’s campaign raised $2.6 million. Around 55% of his funding came from within the state.
Despite a poor showing in NY-22’s other counties of Oneida, Madison and Oswe go, Conole gathered 55.7% of the vote in Onondaga County, outperforming other Democrats like Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and State Senator Rachel May.
Few Democrats, such as Senator Chuck Schumer and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, received a greater share of the vote
in Onondaga County.
Throughout his campaign, Conole empha sized his support of reproductive rights. He said his first priority if he took office would be codifying Roe v. Wade.
“We’ve seen the effects of people con tinuing to fall behind, and now we’re seeing freedoms ripped away from Americans,” he told The D.O. in September. “Women across the country are going to have less rights than their mothers.”
Now, Conole said the Board of Elections in the district’s four counties are working to finish counting ballots.
“This is a fundamental part of democ racy, and we look forward to it being car ried out in the coming days,” Conole wrote. news@dailyorange.com
Stevens, a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and the director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Syracuse University, said the Supreme Court could look to overturn more pro tections and liberties of Indigenous communities in the U.S. if the act is ruled unconstitutional.
“That is a full-scale move against Indigenous sovereignty,” Stevens said. “Right now, Indigenous sovereignty is determined by the federal government alone, and that’s based on precedent from the early 19th century. (But) the Supreme Court is not interested in precedent and the way that American law has func tioned for over 200 years.”
In its eventual ruling, the Supreme Court will determine whether the ICWA discriminates on the basis of race against non-Indigenous adop tive families. The Supreme Court will also decide whether the act violates the 10th amendment by overstepping the federal government’s role in child placement, which is set as precedent in Sosna v. Iowa.
The lawsuit over the legality of the ICWA was brought up by the states of Texas, Indiana, and Louisiana, as well as several individuals.
Secorrah Benedict, a high school gradu ate from Big Picture Home High School in Lafayette and a member of the Three Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota, called the potential reversal of the ICWA “dis gusting.” Benedict said it’s unfair to Indig enous children to be ripped away from their families and being forced to settle with white families.
Katlyn Arnold, a junior at Big Picture Home and a member of the Onondaga and Oneida nations in Wisconsin, called the potential reversal devastating, but said it’s nothing new to the Indigenous community.
“We’re just repeating history over and over again,” Arnold said. “There’s never a stop, and it just keeps going.”
The ICWA was drafted into Congress and signed into law by then-President Jimmy Carter after long-standing efforts to attack Indigenous identity and sover eignty, Stevens said.
Before passing the ICWA, Stevens said, individual states were allowed to take children from poor Indigenous communities if they were “deemed unsafe” and allow non-Indigenous fami lies to adopt them.
A 1976 study from the Association on American Indian Affairs found that between 25% and 35% of all Indigenous children were being placed in out-of-home care, with 90% of those children being relocated to non-Natives homes and institutions.
“It was just another way of stealing children and giving them to white people,” Stevens said.
Robert Searing, the curator of his tory at the Onondaga Historical Asso ciation, said Brackeen v. Haaland is the culmination of a complex relationship between the Indigenous community and the U.S. government.
Rulings in cases from the early 19th century, such as Worcester v. Georgia and Johnson & Graham’s Lessee v. McIn tosh established legal precedent that any negotiations, treaties or agreements can only be made between the federal gov ernment and Indigenous tribes, without the interference of individual states or other actors.
Searing said these three cases, referred to by both Searing and Stevens as the “Marshall Trilogy”, became foundational in creating the American constitutional jurisprudence, providing the legal frame work of the relationship between the U.S. and Indigenous tribes.
But Searing said he finds it interesting that the Supreme Court is taking this case in the first place, given what would happen if the court overturns centuries of precedence.
“Anytime the Supreme Court over turns long-standing precedent, it raises eyebrows and it raises questions,” Searing said. “When there is a move away from precedent, it tends to expand the scope of rights. Instead, we’ve seeing the opposite with this Supreme Court.”
Both Searing and Stevens said the rul ing of Brackeen v. Haaland could lead to similar effects as the decision to over turn Roe v. Wade. If the Supreme Court declares the ICWA to be unconstitutional, it would be a “direct assault” on the consti tutional right to privacy, said Searing.
At a recent discussion hosted by the Native Student Program and SU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs about Indig enous issues, SU senior Brandon Silvas, a member of the Onondaga Nation, and other Indigenous students shared simi lar views.
“If taken away, that could set a prec edent for many other things that have been set to protect Native Americans,” Silvas said at the meeting. “It’s sad to think these kids could be torn away from their families and from their cultures.”
Stevens said the issue of Indigenous families fighting to keep their children from non-Indigenous families is a practice that dates back to the late 19th century, when the U.S. sought forced assimilation of Indigenous tribes into American soci ety through boarding schools..
In 1958, the Indian Adoption Project was created by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which encouraged non-Indigenous families to adopt Indigenous children.
In reality, the project continued the 20th century efforts of removing Indig enous children from Indigenous house holds. About one in three Indigenous chil dren were separated from their families between 1941 and 1967, according to a 1976 report by the Association on American Indian Affairs.
Searing said the policy was a dark chap
ter in the history of Indigenous tribes in the U.S.
“The inhumanity of this is almost unknown here in the United States, unfor tunately,” Searing said.
Neal Powless, university ombuds at SU and a member of the Onondaga Nation, said the lack of education on Indigenous history and culture is at the heart of the tension between the U.S. and Indigenous tribes.
“How can a person that knows nothing about Indigenous people raise an Indig enous child with an understanding of where they come from?” Powless said. “How is that individual going to really do justice for that child if they themselves don’t have access or understanding of these basic things?”
There is no official timeline on when the Supreme Court will release a final decision on the case as of Wednesday.
Stevens said there’s more than just Indigenous families’ concerns at stake in Brackeen v. Haaland.
“(The plaintiffs) have no dog in this fight,” Stevens said. “I don’t think they care about the child in that case or the family, but they do see that if this was overturned, it would challenge the entire structure of federal Indian law.”
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It came about from an accident: Sam Parrish, Maria Nido and Corey Chun, three Syracuse University juniors, were jamming in Dell plain Hall their freshman year and decided to record the song they had been working
on. Later, the group listened back to the recording and were surprised to hear nature sounds — specifi cally ribbits — in the background from a white noise machine. Then an idea lept into the trio’s head.
“We were literally like froggies!” Chun said with a laugh. “If we ever do this thing, we have to call ourselves Froggies.”
Just a few months later, Froggies is now an experienced band in the Syracuse University house show scene, known for their funky instru mentals and folky vocals. The group has fre quently walked off the stage to chants of “Frog gies, Froggies.”
Parrish and Nido met at a music business pro gram in the summer of 2019, but they didn’t make a strong connection at first. Once the group came to college, Nido and Chun became roommates in Dellplain and through the Bandier program, the
trio started playing music together.
While they had no intention initially of start ing a band together, Chun said one night they decided they had to make the group last.
“I think once everyone started singing a little, we started opening up and it just kind of flowed from there,” Chun said. “I think we real ized that this definitely needed to be something that has longevity.”
Soon after, Nido invited her friend Grady Collingbourne, a junior and drummer, to join their band. And Collingbourne eventually introduced Sam Ronan, a senior pianist, to the band as well.
Chun said the band “came alive” after Colling bourne and Ronan joined. Chun, Nido and Parrish shared vocals, Nido and Chun were on guitars and
As Gabby Boccara walked into The Westcott Theater and saw the Broke Records logo blown up behind the stage, all she could think was, “this is really happening tonight.”
Boccara and Suryansh
Singh, both sophomores in the Bandier program, created Broke Records, an artist management company that provides exposure opportunities to emerging art ists. The company held their first showcase at the theater on Oct. 20, featuring five different acts — Studio89, Tom Siletto, Padma, Tisce and Sadie Miller.
Since coming up with the idea freshman year, Boccara and Singh worked tirelessly recruiting artists, but questioned whether tickets for their showcase would even sell. Once the first act at the showcase was a hit, both Boccara and Singh felt a weight lifted off
music column
If you caught Seeing Double’s show at The Garden just a few weeks ago, then you know the band’s ability
to excite a crowd. Drawing inspi ration from legendary 70s rock groups like Fleetwood Mac and Queen, Seeing Double evokes this same excitement in its upcoming
from
froggies
Parrish was on bass.
Even with this energy, the genre-bend ing band felt a lot of anxiety performing at their first house show. This wasn’t due to a lack of experience though, as Parrish had already been playing with another band, Studio89. Instead, the band was discour aged by the lack of female-led bands in the SU music scene and were nervous about the reception they would get from audiences.
But on March 7, Froggies took the stage for the first time with a performance at The Coup, a house venue. After they “ripped off the bandaid,” Parrish said she realized the band was on an upward trajectory and could only get better from there.
The group also said they have seen a large increase in female-led bands in the music scene since they first started playing.
file in, take pictures in front of the branded Broke Records mirror and listen to the art ists perform.
“Seeing artists that I am truly passion ate about perform in front of a large crowd because of me was an incredible feeling,” Boccara said. “Allowing artists to get expo sure so early on in their career is what Broke Records is all about.”
Boccara’s passion for live music sparked in 2018 when she saw her friend, Grace Enger, perform in Boston. She remembers being moved by Enger’s talent and wished she could show more people how deserving she was to find the spotlight.
Taking courses in Bandier only ampli fied Boccara’s interest in artist recruiting and management. During one of her Bandier classes, she decided to pitch her class the idea to create an artist development com pany — what would eventually become Broke Records — that could help musicians get exposure they couldn’t get on their own.
Singh was sitting in the class and felt con nected to the idea of a student-led company that provides an opportunity for artists to showcase their talents.
Last spring, they went back and forth about the vision of the company for weeks, but nothing seemed to be making sense until they sat back and asked themselves what they were really trying to accomplish.
With “Bygones,” which comes out Fri day, the band of five SUNY-Oneonta juniors said they set out to write their own James Bond theme, complete with Clue-inspired cover art. The group recorded the single back in July, but just finished the mixing and mastering last week, said Allie Sandt, the lead singer of the group.
“I liked the lyrics on this song,” Sandt said of the single, which she called her favor ite Seeing Double song yet. “They’re kind of
While they hesitated to take responsibility for this change, they instead pointed to the community in Syracuse’s house show scene.
“It’s creating a community where it feels very accessible to other people,” Chun said. “It’s not some revolutionary thing that they have to jump into.”
As Froggies has improved and become more successful, the members’ schedules have begun to fill up. The band has played shows every week for the past six weeks, including headlining for SU alumnus Char lie Burg. At the same time, Froggies has been preparing singles and plans to release an EP by the end of the year, Nido said.
Chun described their writing process as a “hodgepodge” of ideas and emotions that come together through conversations and revisions. Parrish also said they all know how each other thinks and feels, and this allows them to have a communal creative process.
“When we talk about something, it’s like
“We are broke students who are trying to break broke artists,” said Boccara.
The company found its name, Broke Records, and Boccara and Singh began to reach out to artists within the Bandier pro gram. They knew they wanted Studio89 to perform — since its members are seasoned live performers — and artists that didn’t have as much performance experience like Tisce and Padma.
“I think they did an incredible job culti vating an environment where people feel safe being vulnerable with their music,” Tisce said. “It was definitely the biggest venue I have ever performed at.”
One of Boccara’s biggest goals for Broke Records’s first show was to bring in talent from outside of Syracuse. Last summer she stumbled upon Tom Siletto’s TikTok account and fell in love with his sound. She messaged him on Instagram about Broke Records and the exposure he would get from performing at Syracuse.
Siletto, a senior at Berklee College of Music in Boston, is used to performing in front of other musicians and was excited to tap into a new demographic at a bigger school.
“I felt super comfortable on stage, espe cially because I didn’t know anyone in the crowd. I fed off everyone’s energy and just had fun with it,” Stiletto said.
Boccara was focused on connecting with the artists, especially Siletto who knew nobody from Syracuse, on a personal instead
we know the content. You know that person, how they react to things, how they’re prob ably feeling,” Parrish said. “I used to never write with people, but now I feel like I can’t imagine going back.”
While Froggies is a constant in the house show scene right now, it won’t be like this for long. Between Ronan graduating and many of the members going abroad, Froggies will be separated for a time.
But instead of feeling disappointed or frustrated, the band feels excited. Before everyone disperses, Froggies plans on taking advantage of the time they have left by releasing new music and merch. The group sees this change as a way for them each to grow and improve as musicians, so the reunion will be that much sweeter.
“Certainly not a hard stop,” Parrish said. “We’re really savoring every day.”
Funk N’ Waffles will host Hustle Souls and Pat Tato this weekend. A soul and indie-pop band, Hustle Souls hails from Asheville, North Carolina and consists of Billy Litz, Tommy Moore, Sean McCann and Chris Everett. Pat Tato dabbles in reggae, rap, jazz and R&B, and is currently working on his first studio album. Attendees must be 18 or older.
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. PRICE: $13.07
of transactional level. She learned that form ing connections with the artist and listening to their needs was the best way to ensure that things would run smoothly.
Singh was preoccupied with promoting the company and selling tickets. He said he didn’t know what would get students to actu ally show up.
On the day of the event, Singh felt a mix of confidence and absolute panic about selling enough tickets — not only to pack the venue but to get the artists paid. He knew they’d sell most of the tickets in the hours leading up to the show. He had to be patient and trust that the weeks of promotion would pay off and the Syracuse community would show up.
In the end, Broke Records ended up sell ing over 200 tickets and the duo were able to pay each artist what they intended.
“The opportunity to give artists the con fidence and ability to test their art in front of a huge crowd was the most rewarding aspect about the show for sure,” Singh said. “Also paying them for performing is something I’m really proud of.”
Boccara and Singh both hope Broke Records transforms into a brand identity that college campuses can turn to as a service that can empower, pay and provide exposure experiences for artists.
“I want emerging artists to recognize our name and feel confident that we can help them succeed,” Singh said. “Syracuse is just the starting point.”
shcohen@syr.eduIf you’re in the mood for some laidback, local music, head to Redgate this weekend as they host The Gritty Jawns, a Syracuse band. Artist 33col3 will also be performing at the house show venue.
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 11 at 10 p.m. PRICE: $8 at the door, $5 in advance
Zak G, Rro Da Ronin, Puji the Greatest and Mike O’ Leary
Head to the Harrington this weekend to get a taste of Syracuse’s underground music scene. The concert will feature Zak G, Rro Da Ronin, Puji the Greatest and Mike O’Leary, and host Peace for Your Party, The Pits Vintage and Self-Loved as vendors.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 10 p.m., doors opening at 9:30 p.m.
PRICE: $7 at the door, $5 in advance
Self-described “Jam Band” CYCLES and blues-rock band The Unknown Woodsmen will take the stage at Funk N’ Waffles this weekend! Attendees must be 18 or older to be admitted.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.
PRICE: $13.07
vague, kind of cryptic, but overall just a reas surance to people in your life that they’re a part of it—in a roundabout way.”
A dark theme runs through the multigenre group’s discography, and “Bygones” is no exception. It features the same dark jazz undertones in music by alternative artists like the Arctic Monkeys or Amy Winehouse.
Since forming in spring 2021, the band has churned out three villainesque power house songs that are favorable among Gen Z audiences, evident through the group’s 12,500 TikTok followers.
Guitarist Mike Aaron said Queen espe cially inspired the song. Like “Killer Queen”
and Seeing Double’s first song “Leah,” this fourth single paints a portrait of a heart breaker character, the kind one obsesses over, who drives their lover up a wall.
“Everywhere I wanna go, I’d like you to follow, and no, I’d never, ever wanna leave,” Sandt sings in the chorus.
Aside from a small bit of keyboard in “Leah,” the piano intro in this single is a relative step forward for the band. The soft piano sets the scene, mysterious, film noirlike, achieving the band’s goal of writing a spy theme song. A steady drum beat cuts in, cuing Sandt’s harrowing vocals: “You say you’ve got me where you want me /
but California haunts me, like you’d never believe,” she sings.
Across all its songs, the most distin guishing qualities of the band are its har monies, courtesy of Sandt and Syracusenative Ali McQueeney, and 70s-rock-style guitar solos, shared between Mike Aaron and Zach Torncello. “Bygones” plays to these strengths, all contributing to the band’s ability to excite an audience.
“We put a lot of hours into this song, especially the producing and editing part, definitely more than the others,” Sandt said.
On Nov. 8, Massachusetts elected the country’s fi rst openly lesbian governor to o ce during the country’s heavily anticipated midterm elections. The Associated Press called Democrat Maura Healey’s win in the race against Republican Geo Diehl after she received more than 63 percent of the over two million reported votes. see healey page 8
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Maura Healey will become the first openly lesbian governor, providing hope for the LGBTQ community
Incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul abruptly assumed abruptly assumed the position last year fol lowing the Andrew Cuomo scandals that shook the state. Hochul defeated Republi can nominee Lee Zeldin on Tuesday for a full term in office.
However, Hochul’s landmark victory wasn’t without its concerns for Demo crats across New York. In a state that hasn’t elected a Republican governor in two decades, this week’s results were shockingly close.
Hochul secured roughly 53 percent of the vote, whereas Zeldin earned a 47 percent share – making the governor race as contest ed as any gubernatorial election New York has had in the millennium. This develop ment, as most in the political realm, can’t be
with Tuesday’s polls being so tight, it seems this could be a turning point for the politics of the state. As U.S. party-affiliation has become increasingly indicative of rural vs. urban culture, New York is showing that it is no longer immune to these patterns. The city and its metro area don’t represent the wants and needs of the whole state.
Zeldin deserves praise for running an excellent campaign: the Trump-endorsed Republicanmade a concerted effort to hit upon two main points – inflation and crime – that have a particular influence over NY residents. The timeliness of infla tion transcends party lines and Zeldin’s emphasis on making living more afford able was very effective. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are all among the top 10 poorest cities in the U.S. and that was reflected in their near 50/50 voting splits.
However, the larger-than-expected por tion of New York that Zeldin earned doesn’t
a reflection of how most common New York ers view the Democratic Party.
Democratic leaders in New York have come off as more focussed on their own inter nal power structures and maintaining the status quo than improving quality of life for the working class. The party has been able to continuously lean on appealing to social issues for votes, which, as indicated by Tues day, is no longer as successful of a method.
Even when more progressive or left ist candidates offer tangible action to the table, it is deemed as too radical. So how long can the Democratic party maintain its status if it refuses to even welcome change? It can’t be too long as New York is no longer a sure win for the party.
win, voters in the state are more con cerned about day-to-day issues than any thing else. This isn’t to say that key issues like the right to abortion shouldn’t be fought for, but if there isn’t an attempt to address some of the ground-level topics that Zeldin keyed in on, there’s a good chance that New York continues towards becoming more of a swing-state.
By no means was Hochul blindsided by a red wave, as she did win the election. But New York Democrats were definitely made aware that tides are changing. The divide between New York City and the rest of the state is more apparent than ever before, to the point where the state map is no longer outstandingly blue.
pinned on a single factor. But this year’s race should be a wake-up call to Democrats as the state is no longer exceptionally partisan.
For a long time, there has been the notion that New York always votes Democrat. Yet,
appear to be a fluke. Every county in the state shifted towards Republicans from the 2020 election results, according to The New York Times, which doesn’t occur by coincidence. To me, Zeldin’s performance is
Lee Zeldin’s competitiveness could set a precedent for Republican politicians that see a window to capitalize on the compla cency of the New York Democratic party – especially following the shaky transition from Cuomo. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, issues that Zeldin was able to prioritize will only continue to be at the forefront of elections.
Though Hochul and her supporters have every right to be pleased with the
Hochul and her camp – as well as other Democratic politicians in New York – will certainly have to do some soul search ing after Tuesday. Moderate liberalism is losing its steam nationwide, even in the often blue empire state, and it’s time for Democrats in New York and across America to get their head out of the sand.
Jonah Weintraub is a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major.
His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at jsweintr@syr.edu.
from page 7
Healey’s election is not only a victory for the Democratic party but for the LGBTQ com munity as a whole.
Prior to her win, Healey served as the first openly lesbian Attorney General. She also led the country’s first successful challenge against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which had blocked recognition of same-sex marriages on the federal level.
While the election of Governor Healey marks a turning point in American his tory, it is still important to acknowledge the advocacy and work performed by individuals who fought for LGBTQ rights throughout our nation’s history - especial ly during a time where the stigma around the queer community was higher than ever before. As we celebrate this victory, it is important to reflect on the long line
of activists that fought for this moment to one day happen.
The representation that comes from having an openly lesbian governor in office is crucial for young members of the LGBTQ community to see, which is a view Healey does not take lightly. While addressing a crowd upon the call of her victory, she dedicated her win to young women and members of the queer com munity around the world.
“I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be,” Healey said to supporters during her speech. The inspiration that will undoubtedly spread throughout the queer community is a vic tory within itself.
Representation in all forms of life is critical if we want to ensure members of the LGBTQ community live up to their fullest potential. The Trevor Project reported in their 2022 National Survey
on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health that 74 percent of LGBTQ youth felt better about their identities after seeing important fig ures come out as LGBTQ. This validation of queer identities by well-known mem bers of the public is necessary, as the same survey reported that 45 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year, with 14 percent actually attempting. This is frequently the result of feeling unsupported by family and friends, as well as feeling out of place in society. Representation, especially in positions of powers, give hope to queer youth that they too can make something of their lives and that their identity should not be a roadblock in doing so.
The benefits of her win simply do not stop at uplifting queer spirits. Those in office need to hold similar views to Healey, including her stance on the expansion of LGBTQ rights as well as
reproductive freedoms. Following the reversal of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court back in June, it is clear officials holding public office need to work to ensure abortion rights remain accessible to all communities who may need one. Healey has made it clear that she will work to ensure these rights in the state of Massachusetts.
Healey’s election to office is not only a win for the LGBTQ community, but also for the entire state of Massachusetts. But this victory should not overshadow fur ther work that needs to be done. It is vital that individuals who find themselves in positions of power continue to advocate on behalf of advancing the fight for LGBTQ equality in our country.
Grace “Gray” Reed is a Sophomore magazine, news and digital journalism major. Their column appears bi-weekly. They can be reached at greed04@syr.edu.
from
tournament
Early in the match, Kocevski drew defenders so Opoku could get down to the box. But once Opoku had the ball at the edge of the penalty area, he lost control of the ball.
Opoku went for the ball at the top of the box but got tripped up by Virginia’s Aidan O’Connor. After a review, the Orange were given a penalty, and Kocevski scored where he always did on penalty kicks — the bottom left corner of the net.
“Maybe we’re gonna have to change up my shot with the scouting (for opponents),” Kocevski said.
But more of the scoring opportunities went to Virginia. UVA’s Axel Ahlander sent a chip shot into the box that was headed by
from page 12
Blackston was still deciding if Geer would play varsity as a sophomore when he suited up against Greenville High School in the season opener. Geer had four sacks, and Blackston immediately promoted to varsity.
Opponents picked on Geer’s slender frame that season, though. He struggled to bend his knees and ankles, BHP defen sive coordinator Jarad Jennings said, and teams pulled guards or halfbacks to knock him out of plays.
That’s where the weight room came in. Smith and Geer focused on power cleans, hang cleans and push presses. By the time he graduated, Geer power cleaned over 225 pounds. Players with long arms typi cally don’t bench press well, Smith said, but Geer loved the exercise even though his arms were so long he could tie his shoes standing up. He hit 275-315 pounds as an upperclassman.
“It was night and day,” Smith said.
Geer spent additional time improving his mobility. Smith explained if a player can’t bend their ankles, they can’t squat regard less of how much power they have. Smith had Geer do exercises where he kneeled down and pushed his knee over his toe, keeping his foot flat on the ground. He couldn’t do that when he started.
Andreas Ueland into the back of the net.
In the second half, Shealy couldn’t control the ball after a save, allowing Leo Afonso to collect the rebound and score. Biros said the Orange realized this was their wake-up call.
“The momentum came after that goal,” Biros said. “Their style invited more pres sure from us.”
Minutes after Afonso’s goal, Olu Oyegun le got the ball down to Kocevski, who broke free down the left side. Kocevski crossed to Opoku, who took a shot from the center of the box. But a diving save by UVA keeper Holden Brown kept the score at 2-1.
Still, it was Boselli, the third transfer attacker, who kept Syracuse alive in the ACC Tournament with six minutes left in regulation.
Boselli knocked a pass to Opoku, who
immediately gave the ball back to him on a give-and-go. Once Boselli got a touch, he faked an initial shot to shake off Virginia’s Daniel Mangarov and waited to get to the middle of the box. He sent a low rolling shot to the left corner past Brown to tie the match.
“I saw the defender coming from my right and I let him roll,” Boselli said. “At that point, I thought the keeper was gonna expect me to shoot the second post. Instead, I shot the first post.”
In overtime, the Orange continued to build on their momentum. In the second half of overtime, Johnson rifled a shot from the top right corner of the box. The only thing stopping Johnson from record ing the winning goal was another diving save from Brown.
But that would be one of the last saves
Brown made on the night as he stopped none of Syracuse’s shots in the shootout. Brown deflected Boselli’s shot to the right side of the net, but couldn’t stop it from going in. Opoku, Kocevski and Calov all shot to the left side. After Shealy got his gloves on Ueland’s shot, Biros’ goal punched SU’s ticket to the final.
Along with the players and fans on the field, the substitutes, like backup keeper Lucas Daunhauer who were sitting in the SU Soccer Stadium bleachers, barraged Biros and the rest of the team. McIntyre got his first Gatorade bath of the year, dampening his blue sweater, before SU got together in a huddle.
“Let’s go win a f*cking championship,” an SU player said to the rest of the team.
As his ankle mobility improved, so did his hips and overall explosiveness. Jen nings said the mobility work helped Geer lift heavier weight and even opposing players.
Jennings knew Geer could control offen sive linemen because of his long arms. He worked with the defensive end on hand placement, and gave Geer the freedom to rush inside toward the B-gap and get after the quarterback.
Everything came together at the begin ning of Geer’s junior year, Jennings said. That year, Geer recorded seven sacks and 63 tackles. Opponents rarely ran the ball toward his side, and built pass protection around him.
“Everybody knew where Jatius Geer was at,” Blackston said. “Everybody had to game plan against Jatius.”
In pass rush situations, Smith saw Geer explode and dip his hips — boosted by their increased mobility — to beat offensive tack les outside. Former BHP offensive tackle Jackson Hall went against Geer everyday in practice, noting the defensive end was the longest player he ever faced in high school. Geer was strong at bull rushing, getting his arms on linemen and pushing them back, Hall said.
“From going against him in JV to senior year, you could just feel the difference in power that he got over the course of being there,” Hall said.
Geer had to handle the pandemic his
junior and senior years. Blackston told Geer in spring 2020 he still had to work and train if he wanted to get recruited. Smith texted him workouts so he could get stronger. The summer prior to his senior year, only nine
Everybody knew where Jatius Geer was at. Everybody had to game plan against Jatius
Blackston belton-honea path’s head coach
people could be in the weight room at once, and there were no spotters. Practices didn’t start until September, and only a six-game season was played.
Blackston had an existing relationship with Ryan Bartow, Syracuse’s then-direc tor of high school relations, during Geer’s recruitment. When Blackston sent over Geer’s film, Bartow was “all over it,” and Syracuse offered him quickly.
After arriving at SU last year, Geer mostly watched. He learned from veteran defensive linemen like Cody Roscoe, the Orange’s sack leader. Geer said he saw Roscoe’s approach to every play and the weight room. He said his sacks — like many of Roscoe’s last year
— came after not winning the initial one-onone battle at the line, but eventually getting to the quarterback through extra effort.
Geer became a starter after Roscoe grad uated last season. Chris Achuff, a former Arizona Cardinals assistant, moved from coaching SU’s linebackers to defensive line in the offseason. Achuff helps players with little fixes that can turn good plays into great ones. Geer sometimes works too far inside or outside in his first step during pass rush, for example, and Achuff has emphasized work ing vertically. Coming into the year, Geer wanted to make his hands more quick and violent, and has consistently worked with Achuff on quick hands drills.
“He knows what he’s talking about,” Geer said of Achuff. “We got the athleticism and the talent, he puts us in position to make those plays.”
On a 3rd-and-7 play against Notre Dame, Geer was shut down off the edge. But he chased quarterback Drew Pyne, who was scrambling left, and tackled him from behind for a crucial sack. It was the kind of second-effort he saw from Roscoe countless times, and one that reminded Blackston of the plays he chased quarter backs on in high school.
@csmith17_
In the play following an SU clearance on a UVA corner, Paul Wiese hooked a long cross into the box. Axel Ahlander got on the end of it and flicked it to Andreas Ueland, unmarked at the top of the six-yard box with Salim and Amferny Sinclar on either side. Although the 6-foot-1 Salim jumped, he was caught flat-footed and couldn’t stop Ueland. Without Syracuse’s 6-foot-5 Swedish cen terback there to stop him, Virginia’s 6-foot-5 Norwegian centerback easily flicked the ball past Shealy to tie the match at 1-1.
Christian Curti admitted that Sjoberg’s
height would’ve helped against Virginia’s strong set pieces. Shealy called Sjoberg a “really good horse in the back for us.”
The first half ended with the two sides deadlocked, but Syracuse began to control much more of the play in the second half. But in the 66th minute, completely against the run of play, Horton got the ball on the wing in a threatening position. Once Oyegunle gave him a foot of space, he fired a cross in and Shealy dove to deflect it out. Alfonso pounced on the rebound and gave Virginia the lead.
But as soon as the Cavaliers went ahead 2-1, they didn’t register another shot for the rest of the half. A lot of this was due to dropping lots of men back in defense, but Syracuse’s backline grew tighter and hardly allowed Virginia any possession.
Curti has played all over the field for the Orange this year. He’s a natural centerback, but he’s mostly played wingback and defen sive midfield this year. His high school club coaches said that he played every position but striker, and McIntyre joked after the game that Curti wanted to step into goal for the penalty shootout because “that’s the only position he hasn’t played.”
In the middle of the back three, Sjoberg is constantly barking positioning orders at teammates and Curti said he wanted to maintain that level of communication.
Oyegunle said Curti was instrumental in helping him and Salim’s positioning throughout the match. He said Curti was vocal about letting him know when a defend er was in his blind spot and also helped him
tuck in on throw-ins.
As the second half bled into the first and sec ond overtimes, Syracuse remained relentless in its pursuit of a game-winner, while Virginia’s rare opportunities on the ball were often stone walled by SU’s backline. UVA managed two shots in the extra time period and both resulted in straightforward saves by Shealy.
It remains to be seen whether Sjoberg will be available on Sunday against Clemson in the ACC Championship. McIntyre called his status day-to-day. But Shealy is confi dent that if Sjoberg can’t go, Curti will be able to step up in his place again.
“I don’t think the level dropped. He demanded. That’s what we need,” Shealy said.
@c_pignatello from page 12 curti
Russell
What to know about No. 8 Syra cuse’s NCAA Tournament first round match against No. 7 Princeton No. 8 Syracuse (15-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast) begins NCAA Tournament play against No. 7 Princeton (13-4, 7-0 Ivy League) on Friday at Maryland, where the Terrapins are hosting the first and second regional rounds on Nov. 11 and 13.
In the ACC Tournament, Syracuse domi nated in a 6-2 win over Boston College in the first round, SU came up just short to No. 1 North Carolina 2-1 in the semifinals. This is Syracuse’s 13th tournament appearance in 16 seasons under head coach Ange Bradley. Last year, the Orange fell to Maryland 2-1 in the quarterfinals after beating Penn State 4-1 in the first round.
Bradley is 16-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 2-2 against Princeton. The Orange defeated the Tigers in the 2008 and 2015 quarterfinal rounds and lost in the 2009 second and 2019 first rounds.
Princeton finished its regular season undefeated in conference play for the 20th time in program history. The Tigers clinched the outright Ivy League title with a 3-1 win over Columbia last Saturday and enter post season play on an eight-game winning streak.
Here’s what to expect from Princeton
going into Friday’s match.
Princeton leads 13-10.
Princeton defeated Syracuse 5-1 on Sept. 9. The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back, winning its first game of the season. Syracuse received its first loss after starting the year 4-0.
Sammy Popper’s goal gave Princeton the lead just four minutes into the game. Later in the first quarter, Liz Agatucci’s first goal of the season gave the Tigers a 2-0 advantage.
Princeton went up by three in the second quarter with a goal by Ali McCarthy. Though Syracuse responded with a score of its own by Quirine Comans, goals from Princeton’s Sam Davidson and Beth Yeager in the late third and early fourth quarter sealed the 5-1 win for the Tigers.
Still, SU dominated the Tigers on shots. SU tallied seven more shots (21-14) than Princeton and generated the same amount of shots on goal (9-9). Forward Charlotte de Vries racked up a season-high seven shots, her most since Oct. 10, 2021.
While Princeton dominated in confer ence play (7-0 with a +14 goal differential), the Tigers finished 6-4 in non-conference
games. Princeton went 1-2 against ACC opponents, beating Syracuse, but losing to North Carolina and Louisville.
The Tigers brought back their entire starting lineup for this season as no play ers departed. Princeton improved its record by three games and have made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.
Under Tagliente, the Tigers’ four loss es are the fewest in her seven-year reign as head coach. Princeton finished with its highest regular season win percentage (0.762) since 2019, when it advanced to the national championship.
Princeton has excelled on the offensive end, ranking eighth in the country for goals per game (3.12). Yeager led the team in points for the second-straight year, averag ing 2.00, which ranks 12th nationally. The Tigers excelled at taking penalty corners, attempting the second most of any team per game (8.88). For comparison, Syracuse ranks 32nd with just over six penalty cor ners per match.
If SU wants to move on to the quarterfinals, it must improve its penalty corner conversions with more shots on goal. In their game against Princeton earlier this season, Syracuse tallied a season-high 11 penalty corners. However, the Orange failed to capitalize on these chances,
going a staggering 0-11 on conversions.
Though SU attempted more shots than Princeton, Syracuse must put more shots on goal than it did in that game (9 out of 21). Recently, SU has looked much better offen sively. In its two ACC Tournament games, over 50% of SU’s shots were on goal. The Orange need to be extremely precise with their shots Friday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Princeton goalkeeper Robyn Thompson has been excellent at keeping opponents off the board this season. The junior allowed just 1.57 goals per game in her first 16 matches, an improvement from 1.96 goals given up last year. In the later part of the season, Thompson has been even better, allowing just five goals in her team’s final five games.
While the junior doesn’t lead the Tigers in goals or assists, Schulze is arguably Princeton’s most versatile offensive player. The forward enters the NCAA Tournament with at least one point in her last seven games, the longest streak by a Tigers player this season. Schulze ranks third on the team in goals scored (5) and is second in assists (9). Look for her to feed passes to leading goalscorers Yeager and Pop per to get Princeton’s offense going.
max.tomaiuolo@gmail.com
Syracuse returns home Saturday for its final game inside the JMA Wireless Dome this season. The Orange will host No. 25 Florida State, a team that has scored over 40 points in two-straight wins. SU will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak after falling to Clemson, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh.
Garrett Shrader didn’t play against the Panthers, his first time not playing in a game in two years. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson filled in, but the Orange only mustered nine points, and the quarterback categorized his performance as “mediocre.”
Syracuse will need to piece together a bet ter offensive performance Saturday to keep up with Florida State, which leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing yards and aver ages over 33 points per game. Quarterback Jordan Travis has recorded 19 total touch downs and only four interceptions this season. Here’s everything to know about the Semi noles before Saturday’s matchup:
Last time they played Syracuse traveled to Tallahassee, Florida last October, looking to improve to 4-1 and pick up its first ACC win of the season. SU rallied from a 30-20 deficit in the fourth
quarter, first by getting a touchdown pass from Shrader to Anthony Queeley, then through a Duce Chestnut interception on a screen pass. SU drove inside the FSU 10-yard line, but couldn’t convert for a touchdown, and Andre Szmyt’s field goal tied the game.
Florida State got the ball at its own 21-yard line with 1:03 remaining. After a personal foul penalty on SU, Travis ran down the side line for a 33-yard gain across midfield. Two plays later on 3rd-and-7, he took off for 25 yards. Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald hit from 34 yards out for an FSU win. It was Syracuse’s seventh-straight loss at Doak Campbell Sta dium, where they’ve still never won.
Led by third-year head coach Mike Norvell, Florida State has had somewhat of a roller coaster season. The Seminoles won their first four games, including a win over now-No. 7 LSU. But FSU lost its next three games against some of the ACC’s top teams, falling to Wake Forest and NC State before dropping a home contest against Clemson 34-28. Florida State recovered with wins over Georgia Tech and Miami by a combined score of 86-19.
The Seminoles have averaged over 211 rushing yards per game, earning 5.5 yards per carry, providing yet another difficult test for SU’s rush defense, which struggled against
Clemson and Notre Dame. Treshaun Ward is FSU’s leading rusher with 488 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
Travis has already topped the passing numbers he posted last season, and has com pleted 63% of his passes. He has thrown for more than 200 yards in each of Florida State’s last three games, recording nine total touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Johnny Wilson is Travis’ top target with 32 catches for 625 yards this season.
The main thing for the Orange will be to score enough points. While FSU’s offense is roll ing right now, Syracuse has the second best scoring defense in the ACC. SU’s defense can keep it in the game, but the offense will need to score. Sean Tucker needs touches and Del Rio-Wilson has to be put in positions to suc ceed (if he’s the starter). The Florida transfer has shown his speed and athleticism, and a good mix of read options, direct handoffs and short play-action passes can help Syracuse move the ball.
Containing Travis will obviously be key, too. SU has experience playing dual-threat quarterbacks after going against Malik Cun ningham in week one, but Travis has been one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks this sea son. Against Pitt, the Orange struggled to get
off the field quickly. Syracuse needs to limit FSU’s time with the ball and get three-andouts to put the ball in the offense’s hands. Generating more turnovers, like it’s done the past few weeks, will also be crucial for SU.
Player to watch: Jared Verse, defensive end, No. 5
Verse, a UAlbany transfer, has made a quick impact on FSU’s defense this season. He leads the ACC with 10 tackles for loss, and is tied for third with five sacks. Over two sea sons with the Great Danes, Verse recorded 74 tackles and 14.5 sacks, and has continued that success at Florida State this season.
The defensive end had zero Football Bowl Subdivision scholarship offers coming out of Central Columbia (P.A.) High School, but became highly sought after in the transfer por tal this past offseason. Florida State defensive coordinator Adam Fuller actually found Verse when watching tape from Syracuse’s game against UAlbany last season. Fuller thought Verse was the best player going against SU. Florida State needed defensive line help, and Verse announced his transfer to FSU in early January. He has bolstered the Seminoles’ pass rush this season and will be a focal point for the Orange’s offensive line on Saturday. csmith49@syr.edu
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Jatius Geer resembled a baby deer when Kevin Smith first laid eyes on the high school freshman. He had a short torso, long legs and huge feet. Smith assumed Geer, at roughly 6-foot-2, 150 pounds, would be a wide receiver or defensive back. Surely not a defensive lineman.
Geer struggled in the weight room, displaying poor form and a lack of coordination since he hadn’t caught up to his body. He was awk ward when performing power and hang cleans even with just the bar, and only bench pressed 95 pounds. His ankle mobility was so poor and his hips were so weak that he couldn’t squat.
“The first few times in the weight room he was God awful,” Smith said. “He was terrible.”
But Geer developed into a defensive lineman in the weight room, Smith said. As Belton-Honea Path (S.C.) High School’s strength and defensive line coach, Smith spent hours improving Geer’s mobility and explosiveness.
Geer’s weight room numbers skyrocketed as he filled out his now 6-foot-6, 233-pound body. He moved from tight end to defensive line, got bumped up to the var sity team and earned 19 Division-I offers. After playing in one game last season, Geer has become a key contributor in his second season at SU, recording 2.5 sacks over his last four games and 22 tackles over the last seven.
“He’s growing up right in front of our eyes,” head coach Dino Babers said. “I see him as someone that’s going to go from a baby bear to a grizzly.”
Russell Blackston, BeltonHonea Path’s head coach, told Geer the spring of his freshman year he had the chance to play D-I football given his length and abil ity to gain leverage. But Blackston knew Geer needed to spend time in the weight room, so Geer spent his freshman season on BHP’s
Colin Biros has been a pain in head coach Ian McIntyre’s backside. Biros kept insisting in practice that if the Orange got into a penalty shootout, he should be the one to take the fifth penalty shot.
On Wednesday, Biros finally got that chance. A score would send Syracuse to the ACC cham pionship. A miss meant the marathon would continue. Biros took a tiny skip toward the ball and then went up high with the shot, sending it straight down the middle of the net to beat the Virginia goalkeeper and win the shootout 5-3.
Syracuse’s players piled up around the two heroes — Biros and Syracuse goalie Rus sell Shealy, who had made a save earlier in the shootout. Fans invaded the field to join in on the huddle.
“You don’t see too many pitch invasions in Syracuse, New York,” McIntyre said in a postgame interview.
Since there was no overtime in the regular season, this was the first time that either Syra cuse (13-2-4, 5-1-2 Atlantic Coast) or Virginia (10-4-4, 5-1-2 ACC) took part in extra time this season. The Orange struggled to find offensive momentum, only scoring on a Jeorgio Kocevski penalty kick in the first half. But after the Cava liers took a one goal lead in the second half, Syracuse came back and controlled the tempo and pace throughout overtime.
Lorenzo Boselli tied the match with less than 10 minutes left in regulation, and the
penalty shootout advanced the Orange to their first ACC championship game since 2015. SU will take on Clemson, a team that it beat on the road back in September.
Biros said that the win over the Tigers solved an early season “identity crisis” for SU. While it beat ranked teams like Notre Dame and Penn State, the players were still wonder ing if the opponents that they had beaten were just weaker. The upset over-then No. 1 Clemson showed the Orange that they were actually good, Biros said.
For every game but one this season, a familiar shock of blond hair atop a 6-foot-5 frame marshaled the mid dle of Syracuse’s back three, direct ing his teammates, bullying oppo nents off the ball and serving as the Orange’s last man back in defense.
But against Virginia, Buster Sjoberg stood on the sidelines in a parka and neckwarmer, giving out water bottles to his teammates.
After playing hurt against North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Con ference Tournament quarterfinals, Sjoberg didn’t play against Virginia in the semifinals. Without Sjoberg’s hulking presence in the Syracuse back three, Virginia scored two goals from point-blank range and notched 15 shots – the second-most the Orange have allowed all year aside from a September contest with UConn, the only other game Sjoberg missed.
Though No. 3 Syracuse (13-2-4, 5-1-2 ACC) squeaked past No. 11 Virginia (10-4-4, 5-1-2 ACC) with a Lorenzo Boselli 84th minute equalizer and a perfect showing in the ensuing penalty shootout, the Orange’s normally-stingy defense allowed two goals for just the second time this season. Flanked by Olu Oyegunle on his left and Abdi Salim on his right, Christian Curti took Sjoberg’s spot in the middle of the backline just as he did against UConn. But especially early, Syracuse missed the Swede’s defensive chops as the Cavaliers stayed toe-to-toe with the Orange for much of the match.
But the confidence of the team was shaken heading into the postseason after a variety of “wake-up calls.” With back-to-back 1-1 draws to conclude the regular season, Biros said Syracuse hadn’t been creating chances, which was concerning. McIntyre said that the Orange were physically struggling a little bit throughout the match.
SU allowed 10 shots in the first half alone – more than it has allowed in half of its matches this year. Sjoberg’s absence was felt from the beginning. Usually, the Orange control the ball in the opening 15 minutes and hardly allow their opponent any possession, let alone time on the ball in the box. But in the first five minutes, Virginia tested the Syracuse net three times in addition to another attack that was called back due to offsides. Phil
No. 2 Syracuse defeats No. 3 Virginia in a penalty shootout to advance to the ACC Championship
The momentum came after that goal. Their style invited more pressure from us.
Colin Biros midfielder