MaxPreps 2013 Soccer Early Contenders: Arlington boys

It's never easy replacing a legend. It's even more difficult when that legend caps a brilliant 31-year coaching career with more than 500 wins and a state championship in his final game.

The challenges have been numerous over the past three seasons for Arlington (LaGrangeville, N.Y.) boys coach Craig Sanborn, who served as an assistant coach under veteran head coach Gary Montalto before taking over in 2010.

Sanborn has hardly skipped a beat, however, leading the Admirals to a NYSPHSAA Class AA title in 2012 and a No. 5 national fall ranking. Arlington is looking to do it again in 2013, and is one of 10 fall boys teams to be honored as a national title Early Contender presented by adidas and Dick's Sporting Goods.

In part, Sanborn knows who to thank.



"We coached together for 15 years, eight years with me as the junior varsity coach and seven years as (Montalto's) assistant," he said. "It was an absolute pleasure to work with and alongside him. The knowledge and experience that I gained through his guidance has been invaluable.

See all the 2013 Fall Soccer Early Contenders

"I knew it would be difficult (following Montalto), as with any change," Sanborn added. "We were at a period of transition with some new and upcoming players and the transition was difficult for all of us. Once we got our feet wet, we were primed to go and we have been rolling ever since. The type of players involved in our program are dedicated, hard-working, committed and a great group of individuals. Because of these great qualities it has allowed us to grow together as a family. The experience has been wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Like time, the great soccer tradition at Arlington marches on.

See the entire Arlington preseason soccer photo gallery.

Local look: "The defending Class AA New York state champs graduated some critical players – most notably University of Rochester-bound forward Jeff Greblick and Fairfield University-bound goalkeeper Alex Fazio – but the Admirals have a great developmental program in place that consistently feeds the varsity team with fresh talent. Coach Craig Sanborn rotated several forwards last season in anticipation of Greblick’s departure, with senior David Verdis a prime candidate to take on his role as Arlington’s go-to scorer. Filling Fazio’s cleats may be a more difficult task, but the Admirals are known as one of the top programs in New York state for a reason and should not be counted out."
- Vincent Z. Mercogliano, The Journal News (@vzmercogliano)
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State classification: NYSPHSAA Class AA

Enrollment: 3,200

Athletic Director: Dave Goddard



2012 finish: 22-1 (No. 5 NSCAA poll, NYSPHSAA Class AA champs)

Head coach: Craig Sanborn

Years at school: 20 (3 as varsity coach)

Career record: 43-15-1

Notable team achievements: NYSPHSAA Class AA champs in 2012, beating perennial contender Brentwood in the final, 2-1... Former Arlington coach Gary Montalto, who led the program for 31 years prior to his retirement in 2009 and gained more than 500 coaching victories and three state titles, was the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Coach of the Year.

Notable soccer alumni: Defender Chris Szanto played professionally in the ASL, MISL and USISL, and was on the 1987 U-20 U.S. National Team that competed in the FIFA World Youth Championships in Chile. In 2002, he was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary Team for his success at North Carolina State.

Notable non-soccer facts about school: Arlington baseball coach Al Hammell was a 28th round pick of the New York Mets in 1992 and played four minor league seasons... The Arlington Admiral Marching Band has competed in regional and national events through Bands of America, most notably being ranked 23rd in the nation at the 2004 Grand National Championships in Indianapolis. The band also placed second at the 2004 BOA Eastern Regional, winning the award for outstanding visual performance.
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Key Losses: 

F Jeff Greblick (U. of Rochester)

GK Alex Fazio (Fairfield)

D Collin Illiano (SUNY Plattsburgh)

MF Ryan Miller (SUNY Plattsburgh)

Key returners:

Senior F David Verdis



Senior F Peter Garson

Senior D Kevin Hoff

Senior M Chris Shea

Senior D Pat Mogan

Senior M Eric Eastman

Rising Contributors:



To be determined when camp opens
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Toughest games: John Jay (Hopewell Junction), Sept. 26 away and Oct. 8 at home. The Patriots are primed to step up this season and challenge Arlington for area supremacy in one of the great overall rivalries in the northern reaches of NYSPHSAA Section 1.

Question marks: Who will step up and win the goalkeeping job? Who will complement Verdis up top, helping replace Greblick and his prolific production?

National look: New York always has a couple of Class AA or A teams in the mix for national recognition and 2013 should be no exception. With the likes of Arlington, Brentwood, Martin Luther King, Jr., several Rochester schools and others knocking on the door, it's a solid fall soccer state.

In summary: "We have a great nucleus of returning players who saw a good amount of time last season. We should have very good size in the back, mixed in with some very technical players at midfield and forward. We're looking to have a very successful year. We just need to understand that we are not last year’s squad and we have to create our own identity."
- Head coach Craig Sanborn
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