This is part three in an 8-part series leading up to the 2013 Kronum regular season. You can also check out parts one and two.
2011 Results: 4-5 Regular Season, 0-1 Playoffs, 5th Place
2011 Leaders:
Key Losses: Ryan Hoff (Broken Leg), James Thomas (Relocation), Ryan Yaniak (to Work Horses), Ryan Tressler (to Nimble Jacks)
Key Additions: Brian Marron, Kevin Marron, Lou Martin, Nick Piccari
In today’s world of sports, great offenses get all the hype; fans want to see long touchdown passes, highlight reel dunks, and tape-measure home runs. Teams that grind out low-scoring victories may do well in the standings, but they rarely get the press. In that sense, the Throwbacks are literally a reversion to an earlier era. Defense has always been the cornerstone of the Throwbacks team as Captain Joe Ferrigno instills a defensive mindset and sense of accountability unsurpassed by any team in Kronum. Much like Wisconsin in college basketball, the team plays the game at a slow pace, limiting the number of total possessions and making the opposition work for good shots. That formula led the Throwbacks to perhaps the biggest upset in Kronum history last season, becoming the first team to defeat the Nimble Jacks since 2009. Overall, the Throwbacks led the league in least points allowed, and will likely be at or near the top of that category in the upcoming campaign.
The Throwbacks return 11 players, tied for most roster returnees of any team in the league, so the majority of the roster will only be more experienced within the defensive system. The team features as fine a quartet of wedgebacks as any in Kronum with Jim Bradley, Steve Botta, James Thomas, and Ryan Hoff (7.6 svpg). Unfortunately for the blue and gold, that wedgeback unit has taken a couple hits in the offseason. Hoff suffered a broken leg and is not expected to return until midway through the regular season. Also, James Thomas moved to Massachusetts and while he will be driving down to play with the team on game days, he may be forced to miss games from time to time. The team has enlisted solid newcomers at wedgeback in Kevin Marron, a former keeper at West Chester University, as well as Lou Martin and Nick Piccari, who have all looked more than capable during preseason action. Nevertheless, with their back line unit largely intact, their defense system in place, and quick, disciplined defenders like Ferrigno and ranger Nick Ferraro, the Throwbacks should experience no drop-off on the defensive end.
The main problem for the team last season and the biggest question for the upcoming campaign is whether they can keep up with the opposition on the offensive end. The Throwbacks were next-to-last in the league in shooting percentage at 36.9%, and last in the league in off-goal percentage at 26.1%. Bradley was their most efficient shooter at 49.3%, only good for 14th best in the league. Besides the inaccurate shooting, the main problem for the team was their lack of adaptation to shooting from the cross zone. The change to four points for shots from that area was a powerful weapon for many teams in the Kronum league. However, the Throwbacks did not have the roster to take advantage of it, finishing last in the league in both cross shots made (only 25 total on the season) and cross zone shooting percentage (20.7%).
Where will the team turn to improve upon those poor offensive numbers from last season? One key player will be rookie Brian Marron. The other member of the ‘twin towers’ with brother Kevin, Marron has displayed a big arm and an ability to score from the cross zone in preseason play. The Throwbacks will also use their incoming depth at wedgeback to allow some of their incumbent net minders to take on more of an offensive role. We showed this graphic in our Nimble Jacks preview but bring it back here to point out that wedgeback Steve Botta was the 4th most underutilized player in Kronum.
Botta shot a very respectable 46.9% last season, ranking 13th in the league (min. 40 shot attempts), while also showing a proclivity for hitting rings. He hit 2 8-point Kronums and 3 rings from the flex zone, both tying team-highs. The team will look to get him and some of his fellow wedgebacks into more of a ranger role when the situation calls for it.
Going into the 2012-13 season, the Throwbacks have added some interesting pieces to build upon their strong defensive foundation. Ferrigno is as cerebral as any captain in the game and time will tell whether he can put the pieces together and take the Throwbacks to the next level.
Regular Season Prediction: 5-5 (T-3rd place)
The Throwbacks’ defense will keep them within striking distance every game; they are bound to win their fair share of games and pull off one or two upsets along the way. Despite some improvement on the offensive end though, they are likely still one big-time scoring threat away from moving into the upper crust of the Kronum league.
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