Kessler Is Attacking Record
Needs 8 points to set Hofstra's scoring mark

By Tom Rock NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER April 26, 2002

Tom Kessler is not a cheerleader. He may be Hofstra's leader on the field and the statistics page, but he doesn't do the rah-rah thing.

When it comes to inspiring his teammates with words, he's more like a church mouse than Churchill. Kessler said he lets others such as defensemen Nicky Polanco and Evan LaPenna take care of the yelling and motivation. "They speak well and tell the guys what they need to hear," Kessler said. "I don't feel I have the proper whatever it is to do that."

If he's talking about credentials, he's mistaken. Kessler never played attack before he came to Hofstra. Now, nearing the end of his senior season, it's fair to say no one at Hofstra ever has played attack like Kessler. With two regular-season games left and the possibility of an NCAA Tournament appearance, he is seven points shy of the school's career scoring record of 211 points. It is a mark that could be the third jewel in a triple crown of records, as he already set the single season (51 in 2001) and career (138) goal-scoring standards.

Kessler said he is aware of the numbers, but with two must-win games left he is more concerned with wins than points.

"Any of the records that I approach are always in the back of my mind, but this is one I don't want to focus on," Kessler said. "I feel like I don't have to put that added pressure on myself." Besides, it is more than likely that if the wins come, so will the record.

"For the last three years we have spun off his energy," Hofstra coach John Danowski. "He can have a bad day and we can still be successful, but if he's going well, we're probably going to go well, also."

There haven't been too many bad days lately for the 5-9, 165-pound Kessler. He has scored at least one point in 26 straight games and with 26 goals and 20 assists this season and 138 goals and 66 assists in his career, he is approaching a record that has stood for 35 years. It is a mark few thought ever would be reached.

"I never thought it would last this long," said Phil Mordente, the current holder of the honor. Mordente, a swimming pool contractor in Fort Lauderdale, had 105 goals and 106 assists for Hofstra from 1963-66. "It's been what, over 30 years already, and that's pretty amazing. Particularly since Hofstra has done very well lately and drawn a different level of talent than we ever had."

Kessler was introduced to Bob Hiller, Hofstra Class of 1976, whose record of 129 career goals was surpassed on April 6. Both Kessler and Hiller will be involved in a ceremony to honor the record during tonight's game against Duke. If Kessler breaks the scoring record, Mordente said he will be able to hold onto a part of it for a little longer. He set his mark in only three years, because during his era freshmen did not play on the varsity.

Kessler did play as a freshman, but it was at an unfamiliar position. After a successful but by no means superstar career as a midfielder at Hicksville High School, Kessler came to Hofstra and was moved to attack at the suggestion of assistant coach Sean Smith.

"I was a little hesitant at first because I had never really played attack," Kessler said. "It was a whole new position to learn with different thinking and a different mentality. Once I started getting into games, though, I started to feel comfortable."

And he started to put up some big numbers. He scored 48 goals as a sophomore and last year set the season record with 51, the most memorable coming in overtime of a 15-14 win over Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This year he has scored some incredible goals as well, such as the two in which he broke down Johns Hopkins defenseman P.J. DiConza, one of the best in the game. Or the go-ahead goal he scored in a 13-7 win over Towson in which he dodged from behind the cage and took a heavy hit on the crease but still managed to poke the ball in the net.

"If you were to catalogue all his goals over the years, I'm sure you would find he has scored in a lot of different ways," Danowski said. "He has a slick stick and he's learned how to play the game inside and how to get open and finish the ball."

He's also improved steadily on his assist total. Last year he had a career-high 23 assists and he has 20 this season. "Every year he becomes a more complete player," Danowski said.

Now, he could become the most complete player in school history. He certainly has the proper whatever it is to do that.

Tom Kessler File

The career stats for Tom Kessler, a 5-9, 165-pound senior attack for Hofstra:

Year GP G A Pts
1999 14 13 10 23
2000 16 48 13 61
2001 17 51 23 74
2002 12 26 20 46
Totals 59 138 66 204