NO QUESTIONING HER DEDICATION

MADRID — Madrid-Waddington girls soccer coach Matt Daley has many reasons to appreciate Jenna Cryderman.

Cryderman, a senior, is not only one of the best players on Daley's team, she's also willing to do anything it takes to help her team win.

Last year Daley had to move her from a position she enjoys, sweeper, up to striker for some games to help the team's offense. Cryderman did not complain about the move. Instead, she started asking questions to make sure she was doing everything right.

"She's a team-first kid," Daley said. "I've never heard her say anything. She never questioned the integrity of what we were trying to do as a team. Her priority was to win. That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid, but she handled it very well for the last couple years."

Cryderman's eagerness to learn impressed Daley, who said not enough athletes think to ask questions about how they are playing.

"The tendency is to get down on themselves and the chin goes down a bit and the coach has to start the conversation about what they should or should not be doing," Daley said. "Kids who are bent on winning, or improving, are the kids who will come out and ask what I want them to do or ask for ideas."

Cryderman, who is an honor student, never thought of it as a sign of weakness to ask the coaches for assistance.

"I think for some people they just take it the wrong way," Cryderman said. "For me, I always want to know what I'm doing wrong. I always want to get better."

Daley's moves led to success for the Yellow Jackets last season, who finished with a 12-4-1 overall record and were second place in the Northern Athletic Conference East Division with a 10-3-1 mark.

Cryderman, who scored nine goals, will again be a key player for Madrid-Waddington in its quest to win a division title.

"I'm going to run her back at sweeper for now," Daley said. "I have some younger kids that have shown they can score. That allows me to use her where I really want to use her, to stabilize the defense.

"She's going to be our quarterback back there. Hopefully she'll be able to start the offense from where's she is at. She's a good defender and a good distributor. She's calm with the ball and doesn't panic."

Cryderman played some forward as a kid, so the move wasn't entirely new to her last season. The big difference was adjusting from having all the game in front of her to getting used to most of the action taking place behind her.

"It's kind of a lot of pressure back there, knowing you are the last one on defense," she said. "It's a challenge for me."

Her knowledge as a sweeper did pay off in the games when she had to play striker.

"It was kind of easier, being a sweeper," Cryderman said. "I know (teams) will want to get the ball to the outside, or what move they will post up. It was a little bit of an edge for me."

Cryderman also plays basketball and softball for Madrid-Waddington, but she said soccer is the sport she wishes to pursue in college next fall.

She plans to study physical therapy and said her top three schools are Clarkson, Nazareth and Keuka, with Clarkson having the early edge.

"I want to stay somewhat involved in sports," she said.

NAC OUTLOOK

BOYS

Massena and OFA were the top two programs in the Central Division last year, but Massena lost most of its top players to graduation while OFA returns the core of its team. Traditional powers Potsdam (7-6-3) and Canton (8-7-1) are looking to come back from average seasons. Norwood-Norfolk won the Class C title a year ago.

Chateaugay cruised to the East Division title a year ago with a 12-1-1 overall record. Parishville-Hopkinton was an impressive 8-4-3 and reached the Class D championship game, but lost nine seniors, including its starting goalie. Colton-Pierrepont (10-5-1) and Madrid-Waddington (6-5-5) should also contend.

Harrisville won the Section 10 Class D title last year, but lost a lot of key players and also saw longtime coach Rick Bearor retire. The Pirates are led by Shane Countryman. Lisbon lost in the Section 10 semifinals last year, but returns many key players from a 12-2-2 team. Hermon-DeKalb (8-6-2) returns a lot of its offensive players, but will have a new goalie. Heuvelton (7-6-2) returns only two starters.

GIRLS

Massena and Potsdam once again figure to be the two teams fighting for the Central Division title. The Red Raiders have gone 30-6 over the last three years and return 13 players, including Nyssa LaClair, who scored 21 goals. Potsdam won the Class B title a year ago and returns Cassie Grace (11 goals) and Keeley Rice (10 goals). Malone went 8-7 a year ago but returns Brittany Marshall, the division Most Valuable Player, who scored 27 goals. Canton, which went 9-5-2, returns eight starters.

Chateaugay has been the dominant program in the East Division for the past few years, going 14-1 a year ago and winning the Class D title. Madrid-Waddington, led by senior sweeper Jenna Cryderman, will contend with the Bulldogs. Brushton-Moira finished 8-7 last year and won the Class C title. St. Regis Falls was 8-5-3 overall, but lost a few key athletes to graduation.

Like Chateaugay in the East, Harrisville has been a dominant program in the West of late. The Pirates were undefeated in divisional play last year but lost longtime starting goalie Patty Coloney to graduation. The top returnee is Katie French, who scored 15 goals. Heuvelton finished second last year and has already tied Chateaugay and claimed the title at OFA's tournament. Hermon-DeKalb went 8-6-2 last year but returns two 15-goal scorers in Rochelle Whitton and Jocelyn Moulton. Lisbon was 7-7-3 a year ago and are led by Taylor Armstrong, who scored 10 goals. Clifton-Fine finished in fourth a year ago but lost several standouts to graduation.