Johns Hopkins learned that they will be without sophomore midfielder Joel Tinney for the 2016 season. After exhausting appeals, Tinney is on campus and in good academic standing at the school but will be unable to don his number 55 on the field during competition this spring.
Hopkins had understanding that this could be the case prior to fall ball, so the coaching staff went into the offseason practices having moved around pieces of the lineup. The staff has options, but Tinney was a favorite for a major role in the Blue Jay offense. After a productive freshman season, the Blue Jay fan base was interested in seeing what a second year under coach Bobby Benson’s offense would be like.
What Hopkins is without now is a dynamic, versatile player who had a variety of roles for the Blue Jays last season. Tinney was a regular asset on the wing on faceoffs, providing instant offense in transition. Even if the Jays would lose the draw, he would stay on the field to play defense. Most importantly, Tinney was a regular playmaker for the Jays offense. His 28 goals and 10 assists complimented his ability to break down defenses.
Who will replace Tinney?
The Jays had the top recruiting class last season and last year’s team had a lot of freshmen seeing the lineup. Tinney will not be replaced by one person, but by committee early in 2016. The bond that the Jays had last season will prove dividends in overcoming the adversity that this provides.
Leading candidates to replace Tinney on the top line:
- Drew Supinski – a top tier midfield recruit coming into the fall, Supinski has the ability to make an important impact early in his career. Coming off an Under Armour All-American appearance, he has played for the top ranked high school team in the nation and has played against the best competition possible.
- Cody Radziewicz – the junior from central New York has the ability to make the move to the top line after two years on the second midfield. He is a gritty player who has experience in the indoor game, which may provide an instant bond with Canadian first line mainstay Holden Cattoni.
- Brinton Valis – Valis came in under the radar, even though he is a top tier recruit. After a late season hand injury, Valis is looking for a much more productive sophomore year at Homewood. If he could cash in early in the spring, he could put a tough 2015 way behind him.
- Sam Lynch – Lynch had a quiet freshman season, but he can shoot the ball with the best of them. Undersized but talented, he can be a compliment to John Crawley and Holden Cattoni breaking down defenses.
The likely version of the early 2016 lineup is finding the pieces that will serve for a late spring run to the B1G Ten Title, much like last season. The variety of pieces will make defenses unsure of who they will see, but will also ensure that for Blue Jay success, all pieces need to be functioning and cannot be hidden during contests.
The Hopkins Blue Jays employ a system in the fall of playing a lot of their personnel, so they will be ready for injuries in the spring. This will prove a great strategy with the improvising that may be required for pre season practice this January. Look for the midseason version of the midfield being the combination of the midfielders that were the most successful during the early games and being rewarded for their hard work with regular playing time.
