Who are the best players in the Metro East region? This is an open thread to discuss All-Region nominations, All-Freshman nominations, coaching awards, and more. Stay positive and keep it civil.
Easily Ben Kelley. Absolutely carried Rochester Piggies to it’s first 2 nationals appearances ever in Fall of 2021 and Spring 2023. He is both an elite player and captain, with a competitive drive like no other.
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I heard that Elliot Mintz guy from Ithaca was cracked.
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Elliot Mintz from Ithaca was crazy. Serious shut down defense.
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Jalen Bolton-Steiner is easily the best freshman in the region. Had a huge impact on Ithaca’s playoff run on offense and defense and will be a serious threat in the years to come.
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I respectfully disagree, Ben only plays O line and travels on every throw. He always touches titties on defense and smells really bad
Benjamin “Biggie” Kelley from University of Rochester is the best player in the region. He is a great team leader and absolutely took over at regionals to secure a nationals bid for the Piggies.
Also #23 from SUNY Cortland and number #33 from Connecticut College
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Hello,
As far as all-region nominations, I have a few. I’ll run through them team by team.
SUNY Cortland: Mark Weidman is a very good player. He’s pretty dominant in their zone and makes things difficult, as well as great in transition offense. He’s very athletic and solid fundamentally.
Rochester: Ben Kelley (00) is a lock for all region. For someone as tall as him, he’s very fast and nimble. He’s very good on defense and commands the team very well.
David from Rochester (26) is also a quality deep threat, and showed his defensive and in-cut chops in the finals this weekend. He’s also very friendly and I enjoyed sharing the sideline and field with him all season.
Vassar: Jasper on Vassar is a very good handler and a pleasure to play against. Jasper’s cuts are very good and often lose solid defenders.
Wesleyan: Sam (47) is a very quick player. They’re great on defense and as a handler who controls the game well. They aren’t trigger happy on deep puts and are always composed with the disc.
Barnes (fifty something I think) is also a quite good player who is athletic, good at cutting and has a good arsenal of throws. His height also sets him apart from the rest of Wes’ cutters.
Thomas (21) is another player similar to Sam, very quick on defense and good at swinging the disc.
Skidmore: Number 3 was a very good player who demonstrated the spirit of frisbee very well. Numerous times, 3 made calls against Skidmores own interest because it was the right call.
Numerous other players on skidmore are very solid, and they’re a very fun group of players who we had so much fun playing against this year!
Conn College: Kevin Scannell (33) is definitely a top 3 player in this region. He has every throw, ankle breaking cuts, and always has fun playing frisbee(and best hands on the team). His skinny breaks and high release backhands are rivaled by few, and he knows frisbee better than any in the region.
Leo Claney(8) was an incredible captain as a sophomore this year, and his play on the field increased significantly this year. While his throws may have been similar to last year, his decision making increased massively, as well as his cutting, making him a dominant handler in the region.
Si Ross (0) must be one of the best athletes in the region. He bids through unders like no other, and became a centerpiece to our Dline this year. Over the season, his very good deep throws started becoming sparser, as he started making better decisions. He moves incredibly well off the disc and is a lock to win the disc in the air.
Ben Gelfond(14) and Tyler Giorgio(4) are both dogs on d line, powering us to many a break this season. Ben grew into our most consistent d line handle, without losing anything as a cutter or defender. Tyler is a workhorse, playing through many injuries and always putting his body on the line for the team. Definitely the prototypical d line cutter.
Good luck at Natties, Rochester, and it’s been a pleasure playing the rest of you this season!
—Prosser Friedman (20) conn college
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Ben Kelley is hands down the best player in the region. He is absolutely cracked at every aspect of offense and defense, but more importantly he fully embodies the spirit and culture of our sport.
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I’m from Rochester, and I agree, Ben should be the lock for All-region. He was easily the best overall player at regionals, plays with a ton of heart, and had a lot to do with developing the systems that got the Piggies to nationals this year. You should all vote him for Donovan…
However, I’m surprised no one has mentioned Jack Kirby (Geneseo, #72) yet. He’s the best pure handler in the college region, and the best distributor in the club region. He built the Snail offensive system, and quarterbacked it to perfection with ruthless efficiency. His around backhands are on another level, and his insides are almost as good. The results speak for themselves - no one expected Snail to make semis this year. ::::
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If Jalen Bolton Steiner on ithaca doesn’t get all freshman I’ll start handling
Jack butler on ithaca nawshus was an offensive machine unstoppable deep threat
Hey y’all this is Barry #2 from SUNY Cortland. I got a ton of names I’m about to drop but I’m gonna start with some guys on my team.
Mark Weidman #23: Mark is a game changer on offense and defense. A disgusting athlete with an incredible feel for the game. He’s got every throw in the book, ridiculous hands and just overall makes every play you need him to.
Michael Moran #1: If you played against us you know why I’m point him out. Incredible cutter, ridiculous hands, and just overall an athlete. Crazy first year from him.
Danny Breen #8: Danny is a freshman who will unfortunately be leaving us next year but I think he’s deserving of an all-freshman nomination. Dude is a jack of all trades type player. Cuts or handles when we need him to, can play all 3 positions in our zone, shuts down cutters in man, is crazy athletic and never seems to get tired.
Moving on to some of the guys we’ve played last weekend and the entire year.
Rochester Ben Kelly #00; Quite literally impossible to game plan for. Disgusting on offense and defense. Will carve up a zone and beat you 1 on 1 in man. Probably the best player we’ve played all year and a big reason for Rochesters success.
Conn coll Kevin Scannell #33: Dude just does it all. Has some crazy throws in his bag, plays great defense, and never gives up on plays. He also refuses to drop the disc. Only played them once but the offense seemed to run through him.
Hamilton Luke Hanson: Incredible handler ridiculously tall and athletic makes him difficult to guard. I believe he’s a freshman and if he is give him all-freshman immediately.
Ithaca Elliott Mintz #10: Very fundamentally sound. Refuses to turn the disc. Seems like he makes the best decision every time the disc is in his hands.
Ithaca Luke Pohlman #32(I believe): One of the best cutters in our region. Tall, athletic, dominates the air on 50/50s just overall very good. He’s also the best example of someone embodying the spirit of the game. Always a pleasure to play against him and Ithaca as a whole.
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Hiya,
Team by team (from who we’ve played), here’s what I have off the top of my head:
Rochester:
00 Ben Kelley (Biggie?) has to be mentioned. He’s a game changer on offense and defense, and really made it hard to run systems against. He’s an all around dominant player and a big reason why rochester is so hard to beat.
9 and 10 (I don’t know either of their names), but they both play as hybrids and will burn you on offense and make your life hell on defense. We never knew what to expect from the two of them and it made planning defensive matchups hard and playing successful offense harder.****
Conn College:
Kevin Scannell (33), he was one of the players to watch in the region, he’s a player you have to plan your defense around, and he makes every defensive look harder. He has the throws to open the field, he has the cuts to put you in the spin cycle, and he’ll simply wear down your team.
Si Ross (0) is similarly hard to plan for and similarly frustrating to try to outwit. He puts himself in really good places and makes it extremely difficult to get open, and then on a turn he’ll immediately turn and put himself in a good place.
On the whole, Conn’s movement style is really hard to play against and it comes back to amazing leadership and good coaching styles from their captains. Their handlers are rock solid, quick as a whip, and will run your team into the ground.
TCNJ
Brian (Nitro) is a very strong and quick player that’s really hard to predict, and he has the cuts and throws to back it all up.
I’m blanking on their name and number, but the tall center handler for the O line is someone to plan your defense around. He’ll go every other, he’s incredibly calm with the disc, his fakes will destroy your mark, and he has every throw in the book. Absolutely devastating to play against and one of the reasons TCNJ is so hard to beat.
Skidmore
We always have a lot of fun playing against skidmore, and they have some insane players.
Hunter Wasser comes to mind as a strong cutter with great moves and great decision making skills, and a fantastic captain and representative of spirit to boot. Always a great person to play.
22 (blanking on the name) is an offensive rock and someone who will tear up any defense you throw at him. Again, someone to plan defensive matchups around.
Wesleyan
I have to shout out a few of my own, it’s part of the process
Daniel Glickman (Tux, number 30) - responsible for so many of our scores in one way or another, whether it’s the goal, the assist, making space for someone else to score, anything. His o-line defense is nearly unmatched and his drive is insane. He puts people in the spin cycle regularly and keeps us motivated.
Sam Harris (number 47) - our o-line rock. They’re calm with the disc, quick with off-disc movement, and might not be involved with every score but they do the work to get us down the field. If they’re being well defended in the handler set, they’ll push downfield and burn people as a cutter. They don’t always take the big shots, but they’ll find the sneaky look to keep the offense flowing.
Thomas Kan (number 21) is our d-line center handler who’s capable of making the crossover to offense when needed. His shutdown handler defense wins us points, and his offensive flow is unmatched.
Neil Bohan (number 16) is sort of our do it all man. He’s a d line cutter who can and will play dominator offense if you let him, or he’ll burn you downfield and get massive gainers. He’s calm with the disc, intense as hell on defense, and dangerous on offense, no matter where he is on the field.
Denis Cha (Brick, number 00) and Will Clemans (88) stepped into huge roles as frosh and definitely deserve the nod for all freshman team. They started on our D line, played incredible shutdown defense, and then make incredible wise and athletic plays on offense. They have a crazy future ahead of them.
I could go on about so many more people on my team and others, but this is who comes to mind quickly
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Sam “Quotes/Quoach” Cherin deserves recognition for helping to get the University of Rochester Piggies to Nationals (for the second time in program history) in his first year of coaching ultimate. He was a 2022 graduate from Rochester and stepped into the coaching role this year, helping lead the Piggies to a 25-6 record this season (including winning Northeast Classic, Sectionals, and Regionals). He navigated the player-to-coach transition effortlessly and his players’ respect for him is clear.
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#00 BENJAMIN “BIGGITH” KELLEY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER FOR ALL-REGION!!! Rochester’s Donovan nominee and one of their captains.
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Hey y’all! I’m a captain from Rochester Piggies so wanted to shout out a few of my own plus some really great players we saw from other teams this year.
Rochester
As everyone has been saying, Ben Kelley (00) is a lock for all region and hopefully we can push him into the Donovan conversation as well. He’s that good and an absolute pleasure to share the field with.
Ezra Tock (81) and Mitch Whisner (8) are both incredible defenders as sophomores. They have really developed an understanding of positioning and have the athleticism to put their body on the line and make tremendous plays.
Joel Escobar Amurrio (45) and Cameron Lowe (20) should also be locks for all-rookie team. Joel’s ability to put the disk anywhere at any time and Cam’s athleticism, defense, and sneakily great throws already make them incredible players and the sky is the limit.
I saw David (26) and AJ (10) also got shouted out and I completely agree with everything that was said.
Sam “Quotes” Cherin is an amazing coach and always has great command of the team and generates so much respect just by being himself. He’s also always tweaking strategy and lines and I believe his impact showed in the playoffs this year.
Connecticut College
8, 20, and 33 are all amazing players that were extremely difficult to game plan for. 8 has an argument for the best throws in the region while 20 and 33 are both able to get open extremely frequently while having game breaking throws as well.
TCNJ
37 was always very difficult to guard and would frequently go every other throw showing consistency and poise with the disk.
14 was also very consistent with their throws and getting open for resets. They were a very spirited player and I enjoyed sharing the field with them.
Geneseo
72 is an extremely good handler and one of the driving forces behind their bracket run.
3 is also a very good all around player that I was shocked to learn was a rookie, I believe he has a strong argument for all rookie team.
Cortland
It’s been mentioned plenty but 23 is a dynamic player and his athleticism often goes unappreciated because of his great throws.
Ithaca
32 is a great cutter and does a good job to keep their offense moving, also very fun to play against.
Wesleyan
I matched up with 21 frequently and every time was a challenge. They put pressure on nearly every cut and were also very slippery in the handler space.
Avery (9) U of R Piggies
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Hey everyone, this was a great season and I enjoyed playing everyone in the Metro East. I appreciate everyone’s spirit even in tight games or contested calls: I thought this year each team did a great job on that front, so thank you (except for the guy who said I smell).
There are a lot of people who I think are deserving of praise and recognition, but I’ll try to contain myself:
Cortland
#23 Mark Weidman: already been talked about by many, but Cortland would not be what it is without him. My least favorite matchup because the guy never stops running and will eject and beat you deep if you slack off. His throws are very consistent and he’s not afraid of breaking the mark, so you have to be super respectful when guarding him.
SUNY-Geneseo
#72 Jack Kirby: Awesome player and awesome person. Genny-O ran a very disciplined vert stack, and it is almost entirely due to Kirby’s finesse and efficiency. Running zones was a hopeless endeavor, and in person it was all you could do not to get burnt upline or broken on arounds. There are not many true handlers in this region, but Kirby is one of them and definitely the best.
#3 Noah Ofri-Akman: should be all-freshman. Stepped up huge on offense for Snail and matched up great with the best on our and other teams.
Wesleyan
#47 Sam Harris: Cool guy and very reliable handler. I admire their discipline with the disc: I don’t think I saw him turn it once any of the three times I’ve played him. Great handler movement and offense and deadly on throw and go’s; he does all the fundamental things very well and that’s the best kind of teammate.
Conn College
There are so many people on Deimos deserving of recognition. They are a brilliant and spirited team, and it was awesome playing them this year, but I’ll shout out just a few:
#20 Prosser Friedman: Incredible athlete, great throws, and even better game sense. He clearly understands the sport very well and you have to work to stop him from completely taking over a game. The fact that he’s only a sophomore makes it even more impressive. Very difficult to shake when on defense, and more than once I got spun around when he was on offense.
#33 Kevin Scannell: Knows what he wants downfield and takes it, whether it’s a break throw, a big under, or a deep cut to score. He gave anyone who guarded him fits and plays with some serious swagger.
#8 Leo Claney: another sophomore. If he got power position it was a goal 9/10 times. Deceptively quick and some of the best deep shots I’ve ever seen. The windows he would hit with a flick huck were very narrow and still sat beautifully.
Rochester
#9 Avery Girsky: I’ve never been more wrong about a player in my life. Someone who I thought would be an average depth player at best has evolved into our best cutter and an amazing captain. In small spaces he is borderline un-guardable, and as an initiation cutter he uses his agility extremely well. On defense you can drop him on any handler in the region and he will make plays to get the disc back or stymie any progress they were making. He was the first person I looked to downfield this year and made my life as a handler much easier. Don’t let his size deceive you, he takes ankles and does not return them.
#10 AJ LaBarca: good for like 3-4 huge point-saving plays a game. He lays out for everything and is one of the best person defenders on our team. I’ve watched him grow for four years and he has turned into a player who is deadly with the disc and works as hard as anyone to get it back. His ceiling as a player is incredibly high, and I’m sad to part ways at the end of this season because he is a joy to play with and even more fun to watch. He’s not afraid of any throw and when he is playing with confidence he’s the best on the field.
Lastly, #20 Cameron Lowe and #45 Joel Escobar Amurrio both deserve all-freshman. They both stepped into universe lines this year, for different reasons, but both are incredibly talented in their own right. Cam is the best athlete on the team and one of my favorite deep targets. He is a great defender, learns and adapts very quickly, and has good all-around throws with surprisingly good hucks for a freshman. Joel is already one of the best pure handlers and distributors in the region. From his experience playing in high school, he has an impressive grasp on the fundamentals of throwing, form, release points, marks, and how to break them. He is super passionate about the sport and I look forward to seeing how he grows as a player and leader. Him and Cam will both play a huge part on the Piggies for years to come.
I could say more about almost every player on the Piggies. So many poured their hearts into the team to get it to its current state, and we will do our best to represent the Metro East at Nationals in Columbus. Thank you all for a great season.
-Biggie (#00), UR Piggies
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Prosser Friedman (conn college) Forrest Levi (skidmore) Ben Kelley (Rochester) Kevin Scannell (conn college) Clark Strauss (conn college)
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Hey all,
Rochester coach here. First just wanted to say that was one hell of a regionals and I love to see that our region has so many competitive teams making every game tough. I’ll try to do my best and shout as people as I can, whether they get all-region or not some of these players need recognition. Also we unfortunately didn’t get to play everyone or may have only played a team once so don’t attack me if I don’t include someone you think should be on here 
Rochester Piggies: I’d love to say so many players on my own team but I’ll do my best to limit it.
Ben Kelley (00): I know his name has been put down multiple times but I have to keep putting him down. Whether you think he’s the best player in the region or not, you can’t deny the impact he has on the team. He is one of the most versatile players in the region and gives any defender a tough workout to try and guard him. He is the leader of the O-line but when called upon he comes out and leads the D-Line as well and embodies the captain role so well. Is a lock for all-region.
Avery Girsky (9): Our other captain is a offensive machine. The man has so many scores for us, he might have double more than anyone else on the team. People underestimate him for his size, but they sure feel sorry when he beats you under and to the endzone cone with his quickness.
Mitch Whisner (8): Mitch is only a sophomore but does so many things so well. What impressed me the most was how we had to switch him over to O-Line at regionals due to injury and he easily fit the role, making vital cuts for us. But his true self is on D-Line as the man loves laying out for the disc. He’s not afraid to get his white dirty and has the layout d’s to prove it.
David Leder (27): Without David our D-Line offense is missing. Although he is big and uses his size to win in the deep space, he has become such a smart player this year and understanding when and where to make his cuts. Making him a threat all over the field, not just deep.
Ezra Tock (81): If their was an all-regionals team based on regionals performance, Ezra would have to be on this list. We always knew he was a great player but we didn’t see that “Wow” performance; at regionals the man blew me away. He was always open for his unders and jumping over people on defense. He also has legs for days. I remember in the final asking players how their legs were doing. Everyone kept saying “getting tired, a little sore.” Ezra, “Oh they feel great.”
For All-Rookie, Cameron Lowe (20) and Joel Escobar Amurrio (45) need to be recognized. Cam has one of the best verticals in the region and even at his tall skinny build he is surprisingly springy and quick and able to guard cutters of any nature. Joel is also the missing part to our D-Line offense. We missed him dearly at Bring the Huckus and when he returned our D-Line offense could finally flow as it was meant to be. Both will be a problem for the region for years to come.
Connecticut College: A team with so many great players I’ll also try to do my best to limit it as best I can.
Kevin Scannell (33): A lock for all-region as he shows why he is one of the best players in the region. I don’t want to admit the amount of film I watched on him to see how to guard him, I still don’t have it figured out. What I love the most about his game is the second his defender is out of position he’s getting open under. His cuts are so smooth and he doesn’t complicate anything making him such a good player.
Prosser Friedman (20): He is one of those players that can do it all for a team. Need a reliable thrower? Prosser’s got you. Need a reliable cutter who’s more athletic than his defender and will get open? Prosser’s your guy. Need a lock down defender? He’s got you. He’s like Swiss army knife of the region that does so many things so well. Also, a really nice guy to talk too. Should also be a lock for all region.
Leo Claney (8): Our team has a lot of players that struggle with a same third huck or hucking the disc along the sideline. I’m always like “Guys stop making that throw, it’s so difficult.” Well, this guy makes that throw over and over. The way he can just float the disc after a huck, and it sits waiting for it’s cutter is amazing. Could be the best handler in the region and he’s only a sophomore, that’s scary for other teams.
SI Ross (0): One of the best defenders in the region and one of the most athletic. Was the heart and soul of the Conn College D-line. Even though a great defensive player, the d-line offense also ran through him when other players didn’t cross over. He dictated the play so well and always made sure the disc was in his hands because he was usually making the right play.
Suny Cortland:
Mark Weidman (23): Mark is an instant lock for all-region. He’s probably the most athletic player in the region but he’s also so dynamic. He always gets open but can make throws from all over the field. He was the do it all guy for Cortland and won them so many games and deserves the recognition.
Suny Geneseo:
Jack Kirby (72): Kirby is one of the best handlers in the region and the offense runs through him. When he played and Kirby was on the field every point was tough for us. Without Kirby on the field? The snails struggled to move the disc. He needs the recognition for how much he does for the team and getting his team to semi’s is a great accomplishment.
Noah Ofri-Akman (3): Apologizes to my own freshman but this guy is the best freshman in the region in my opinion. When I first saw him play at sectionals I was impressed with his play. My jaw dropped when I heard he was a freshman. Him and Kirby were a 1-2 combo. Super athletic, elite throws and always getting open on the strike cut. He could mention for all-region right now, he has the talent to be the best player in the region next year.
Wesleyan:
Daniel Glickman (30): One of the most athletic players in the region and gave all of our defenders a tough matchup. Even with a big body he is super quick making him so dangerous in the cutting space.
Ithaca:
Luke Pohlman (32): Ithaca had big shoes to fill with Eli Robinson leaving and Luke did an excellent job filling that role. He embodied what it meant to be a captain and leader on the field but was also a menace on the field. Whether burning defenders or literally jumping over them he was one of the most dominant players on the field when we played against him.
TCNJ:
Josh Simpson (14) and number 37? (sorry didn’t know the name) were the focal points of this team and gave us a lot of trouble. A dangerous handler combo that could make the throws and were both athletic. A lot of people not recognizing them and this team and both deserve recognition for how well they played and how well their team did.
Coach “Quotes”
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