Syracuse freshman midfielder JoJo Marasco is progressing in his rehabilitation from a lower left leg injury but is still doubtful to play in the team’s first-round NCAA tournament game against Army this weekend, SU head coach John Desko said Wednesday.

‘We’ll see how this week goes,’ Desko said. ‘But right now, it’s doubtful.’

Marasco has missed the Orange’s past four games with the lower leg injury he suffered in SU’s April 13 contest at Cornell. He injured the leg in the first quarter and was seen being helped to the locker room by trainers during the second quarter. He later returned to the Syracuse bench on crutches.

Marasco is currently rehabbing daily with Syracuse trainers, including a regular regimen of exercise on the underwater treadmill in the Carmelo Anthony Center.

‘It’s been one of the greatest things I’ve ever done in my life,’ Marasco said of the underwater running. ‘… It’s a great workout and really helps me with my lungs and getting back for conditioning.’

Marasco said the injury is the first he’s had in his life that has forced him to stay on the sidelines, something that has been especially difficult for him.

‘I mean, I’ve played sports all my life — since I was a little kid — and I’ve literally never been injured or hurt or ever missed practice,’ Marasco said. ‘So it’s a different experience — a new experience. … It’s tough. I’m just working my butt off every day to get back out there and try to get back on the field.’

Marasco had begun to emerge as a force on SU’s offensive attack prior to suffering the injury. He had nine goals and eight assists at the time of the injury.

And Marasco developed into a creator on the attack for the sixth-ranked Orange scoring offense. Dodging from behind the goal, Marasco would create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Junior attack Stephen Keogh has noticed the difference in the offense without Marasco.

‘He’s a great player,’ Keogh said. ‘He’s got great vision. He’s one of the quickest players on our team. Having him back would be awesome because he’s just another threat out there.’

Orange gets Tewaaraton finalist

Syracuse junior longstick midfielder Joel White has been named one of five finalists for the 2010 Tewaaraton Trophy, the award given annually to the nation’s most outstanding college lacrosse player.

White is accompanied on the final list by Virginia defender Ken Clausen, Delaware attack Curtis Dickson, Duke attack Ned Crotty and Stony Brook midfielder Kevin Crowley.

‘It’s a great honor,’ White said Wednesday. ‘It’s a long list of guys and I think anyone could have been picked.’

The midfielder has six goals on the season, but it is White’s defense that earned him a spot on the final list. White has scooped up a team-leading 71 ground balls on the season and has shadowed the opposing team’s best offensive midfielder each game.

White will look to add another name from Syracuse to the list of Tewaaraton recipients. Since the award was first given out in 2001, two other members of the Orange have received the honor. Attack Mike Powell won in both 2002 and 2004, and midfielder Mike Leveille was the program’s most recent recipient of the award in 2008.

The news made quick rounds to White’s teammates and Desko, who all reacted to the news with excitement.

‘We all knew it,’ junior goaltender John Galloway said. ‘We all knew Joel was going to get that. We’re all excited for him. … He’s so deserving of it. He’s the best player in the country right now.’

bplogiur@syr.edu

Published on May 11, 2010 at 12:00 pm