Nov. 16, 1993 began like any other day for Tommy Nims and his co-workers. As they loaded their truck outside the Niagara Mohawk plant in Watertown, Nims told them to wait. He’d forgotten something.

Though Nims was eight years removed from becoming Syracuse’s No. 2 all-time saves leader, he was still in playing shape. While his buddies waited in the truck, Nims never returned.

He had collapsed and died from a blood clot – an unfortunate result of hardened arteries caused by diabetes.

He left behind his family, including a son Kenny and two of his closest friends at the time, Greg Niewieroski and Brendan Loftus, now freshmen on the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team. Niewieroski, though shaken, continued to play the sport Nims introduced him to – lacrosse.

Niewieroski and his Syracuse teammates will take on Loyola on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field in Baltimore.

Though they weren’t blood relatives, Niewieroski referred to Nims affectionately as ‘Uncle Tommy.’ Nims gave him his first lacrosse stick, which still hangs in Niewieroski’s bedroom in his Watertown home. He also played with Kenny and Niewieroski in their backyard every day.

Niewieroski says Nims is the main reason he chose Syracuse. Nims, who played for SU head coach John Desko when he was an assistant, brought Niewieroski to his first Syracuse lacrosse game in Carrier Dome in the early 1990s. Since then, Niewieroski only thought about being an Orange.

‘That was the biggest thrill of his life,’ said Niewieroski’s father, Greg. ‘Just looking around and seeing the excitement with the game. Tommy took him into the locker room to meet (former SU lacrosse star Casey Powell) and Casey put him on his shoulders.’

Niewieroski and Kenny Nims, one year his junior, grew up watching Casey Powell and his brothers Ryan and Michael play lacrosse. The trio was from nearby Carthage, and after Tommy Nims died, Niewieroski pledged to follow in their footsteps by playing at SU.

Niewieroski and his father would frequently make the one-hour trip to see the Powells play in the Dome and Niewieroski attended a lacrosse camp each summer in Carthage where the Powells helped coach.

‘They had a big influence on me and Kenny,’ Niewieroski said. ‘We grew up idolizing those guys. They were so fun to watch.’

Tim Burr, Niewieroski’s middle school art teacher and later his lacrosse coach at Watertown High School, said he always wore SU colors to school.

‘Greg had the fever back then,’ Burr said. ‘I remember him in sixth grade making some sculpture of Casey Powell.’

Since Niewieroski started playing lacrosse in fourth grade, he was always one of the best in his age group. But Burr said Niewieroski had to find a different way to succeed than the fleet-footed Powells.

Niewieroski used his 6-foot-2, 205-pound body and superb vision to score goals. That’s not to say he was ever slow and short-winded.

In high school, Niewieroski never came off the field. He’d start at midfield and move to attack when he got tired, then move back to midfield once he caught his breath.

He began lifting weights religiously as a freshman and in his senior year, he ran cross country ‘to keep in shape.’ Niewieroski ended up helping Watertown win a league championship as its fifth runner.

‘I didn’t fit that typical cross country runner mold,’ Niewieroski said.

He and Kenny Nims helped defeat perennial lacrosse powerhouse Carthage in Niewieroski’s senior season and Niewieroski accepted a scholarship offer to SU. Nims has committed to play for the Orange in 2006.

Niewieroski has two goals this season, including the game winner against Hobart, and has seen time at both attack and midfield. Because of highly-touted freshman Mike Leveille, Burr thinks Niewieroski might be overlooked by some opponents, a trend he doesn’t think will continue for long.

‘People doubted whether or not he’d be able to get into the game there,’ Burr said, ‘but you can never doubt that kid.

‘He’s far exceeded any kid I’ve seen.’

Niewieroski said he looks forward to being reunited with Kenny Nims next season. He hasn’t forgotten Nims’ father, Tommy, who first urged him to play lacrosse.

‘Knowing he played here,’ Niewieroski said, ‘he was a big influence on me.’

‘Tom was a good person in the community,’ said Niewieroski’s father, Greg. ‘He was a greatest hit here. A lot of kids got started in lacrosse because of him.’

Published on April 6, 2005 at 12:00 pm