It's time to state their case
-
- June
- 7
A week from today, state champions will be crowned in three classes at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium, starting with the Class A title game at 11 a.m.But we have plenty of action crammed into the next five days to determine who will get there. Beginning today.
All-America midfielder Kevin Drew and John Jay will be playing Saugerties in the opening round of the state playoffs for the second straight year. (Photo by Matthew Brown/The Journal News)
• Class A state playoff bracket
• Class B state playoff bracket
• Class C state playoff bracket
Today’s opening-round state playoff games at Dietz Stadium in Kingston should see the three Section 1 teams involved in cruise control. But you never know, right? So follow the action right here at Lax to the Max. Here’s today’s slate:
State tournament first round, at Dietz Stadium, Kingston
Class A, Yorktown vs. Valley Central (Section 9), 1 p.m.
Class B, John Jay vs. Saugerties (Section 9), 3:30 p.m.
Class C, Rye vs. Red Hook (Section 9), 6 p.m.
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on Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 12:34 am by Joe Lombardi.
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Good luck to all three teams today, though I figure the collective score will be something like 75-2 …
HaHaHa….I like your way of thinking – but let's give them 3 so nobody goes home TOTALLY demoralized!
No, not 75 – 3
The 90+ weather will probably keep the scores down.
So 60 – 3 sound better!!!!!!!
Joe, will you be bringing us updates? anyone out there able to keep us up to date?
I just e-mailed Joe about this as well. I hope to learn something about the first game at least …
Hey folks – Jeff and Harold are up at Dietz and I'm in the home office. Busy day here with the softball finals and Belmont Stakes, etc.
Jeff reports Yorktown is up 5-1 on Valley Central late in the first quarter. Brendan Kurpis and Rocky Bonitatibus each have two goals. John Ranagan has the other Yorktown goal.
The game-time temperature at Dietz was 94 degrees, but on the turf, it has to feel like triple digits.
It's now 8-1 with nine minutes left in the first half.
Kurpis has three goals.
8-1 Town with less than 8 minutes to go in the half. Too humid out there today!
At the half yet?
It's 11-2 at the half.
Kurpis 3-5.
Ranagan 3-0. Rocky B. 2-3.
any new updates?
Here's some info on Niskayuna winning its fourth straight sectional title.
The Silver Warriors are 20-0. Can they beat Yorktown and John Jay in the same season? Stay tuned.
Good news, gang.
I just received the all-league/all-section lists. We should have it up later today. We just need to re-type the names.
15 – 2 Town
17-3, running time, 7 min left to play – all subs in the game. Enjoying the heat.
FINAL: Yorktown 18, Valley Central 3
Next up: Niskayuna on Tuesday at 3:30 in the state quarterfinals at Yorktown. Should be a good one.
We'll be back with stats on today's game shortly.
'Cuse –
I guess we disagree about Nisky-Yorktown like we did on JJ-Brewster (I had to bring that up!)
Nisky plays great D and I’d be stunned if Yorktown won by a comfortable margin. I do think Yorktown will win though. West Islip is a strong team with a great player in Nicky Galasso but beatable this year minus 23 seniors from last year.
Rocky Point is lethal when it gets its fast-break offense — let by the Hopkins-bound Palasek brothers — going, but the fact Comsewogue held RP to seven goals has kind of made me think Garden City will pull out a close one on Tuesday and it will be JJ-GC. I think JJ would be much better off playing Rocky Point. It does a great job game planning teams with strong offenses but often struggles against top defensive teams like Rye and Niskayuna.
Thoughts?
BTW – Rocky Point's Tom Palasek, a senior and more of a feeder than his brother Matt, a junior, is ranked No. 19 by takkle.com. As noted, both are headed to Hopkins.
Speaking of the takkle rankings. John Ranagan and Michael Bonitatibus have broken into the Top 100 — Ranagan at 81 and Bonitatibus at 100.
Here's the link.
Yorktown 18, Valley Central 3
Yorktown 6 5 5 2 —18
Valley Central 1 1 0 1 —3
Goals — Yk: Brendan Kurpis 4, John Ranagan 3, Kevin Interlicchio 3, Matt Pappas 3, Rocky Bonitatibus 2, Ryan Tirelli, Greg Palladino; Thomas Casey; VC: Conner Sullivan, Matt Stark, Mike Lynch.
Assists — Yk: Kurpis 7, Rocky Bonitatibus 4; Palladino, Ranagan, Kevin Miao, Remy Lieberman, VC: Drew Cook, J.R. Lauri, Mike Taylor.
Saves — Yk: , Michael Bonitatibus 9; Christopher Capoccia 2, Dave Liu; VC: Logan McDermott 14.
Records — Yorktown 20-3; Valley Central 19-2.
Thundering at Dietz Stadium!
Thunder all players to locker rooms spectators to their cars…..
The start of the John Jay-Saugerties game has been delayed by thunder. The game, scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m., will now begin no earlier than 3:55 p.m.
Jay up 2 to 0 both goals by Drew, 8 mins left in 1st
They can't stop Kdrew go JJ!
Bocklet just scored 3 in a row, 5 to 1 Jay
6 to 1 Jay end 1
Here's an update from Harold:
John Jay leads 6-1 after one quarter.
Chris Bocklet has three goals, Kevin Drew has scored twice and Mike Malara once.
joe-
all section any time soon?
Jay up 10 to 2 at the half
From Harold:
JJ 10, Saugerties 2 at the half
Bocklet 4-1, Drew 3-0, Harrison Jones 2-0, Tyler Granelli 0-3.
section1 – All-league list is being typed up here as we speak.
We should have that up, then all-section.
We will have both up today.
sounds good. Thanks joe
Running time Jay up 16 to 3 late 3rd
It's 18-3 after three.
Bocklet finishes with 5-2, Granelli six assists.
Most of the starters are out of the game.
Also – fyi – Bocklet now needs four assists to tie 1987 grad Marty Kelly's school record for career assists of 134. He is already the Indians' all-time leader in goals and points.
Joe,
Do we have a final on the John Jay game?
Will
Final:
John Jay 22, Saugerties 3
Bocklet 5-2
Jones 4-1
Granelli 0-6
We'll be back with more shortly.
Chris Latino made nine saves
Thanks Joe.
Wow we beat them by as much as last year, good job boys, section 9 is a joke compared to section 1.
Tyler Granelli is now 3rd in the nation in assists.
Rye and Red Hook is under way.
Did Tyler break the single-season assist record? Because he has 68 so far.
There was one huge upset today — Da’ Tara spoiled Big Brown’s bid for a Triple Crown at Belmont — but nothing close to that at Dietz.
Just heard from Jeff.
Rye is up 9-1 lead early in the second quarter.
Kevin Gordon, Alex Prostano and Patrick O'Callaghan all have two goals.
joe – i could very well be wrong as i usually am on these things…
but bocklet recorded 23, 24, 41, and now 40 assists respectively in each of his four years…
that gives him 128 assists which would make him 6 assists short of the JJ record of 134, not 4…
if im incorrect ill sit in the corner and think about what ive done wrong
If Saugerties beat Red Hook 16-4 and 13-4 I imagine Red Hook is nothing for Rye.
laxer47689 – Let's see. Bocklet started this season with 88 assists. He now has 40 after today, so that is 128 — which is six shy of Kelly not four. So my math was off. Thanks for catching that.
haha just doing my job…
ill be happy to accept full pay and the title of "stat checker" if youd like
Stat checker for sure. As for the full pay, I'll have to get back to you on that.
But seriously, thanks. Appreciate the help.
BTW – I am putting up all-section list as we speak. It will be a new thread.
With all the talk about Rocky Point in B, why is Mt. Sinai ignored in C?. Rocky Point only beat Mt. Sinai 9-7
From Newsday
Joe Cuozzo, whose leadership helped catapult Ward Melville into prominence in the 1970s and 80s, Thursday night coached Mount Sinai to a 15-6 victory over No. 2 Glenn in the Suffolk Class C title game, the Mustangs' first lacrosse county championship. And so Cuozzo, who will play for his 16th Long Island championship Tuesday, may find it increasingly difficult to deny his genius"
"Mount Sinai built an impressive résumé in the regular season, Cuozzo's second at his new school. Narrowly losing to the offensive juggernaut that is Rocky Point, the Mustangs posted wins over Nassau playoff teams Wantagh and Long Beach and Suffolk Class B finalist Comsewogue. The tough schedule, Cuozzo said, was meant to replicate the schedule of a team with more big-game experience.
"
any update on rye score
Rye leads 18-1 with two minutes remaining in the game.
A couple kids from JJ had their first career points today. Jeff Dunworth, a junior D/LSM, and Chris Latino, goalie, each had an assist.
Final — Rye 18, Red Hook 1
Rye will play Section 2's Johnstown on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Yorktown in the Class C state quarterfinals.
Combined score today – 58-7 for Section 1 over Section 9.
Here's the John Jay box:
John Jay 21, Saugerties 3
John Jay (18-5) 6 4 8 3—21
Saugerties (18-2) 1 1 1 0—3
Goals — JJ: Chris Bocklet 5, Harrison Jones 4, Kevin Drew 3, Mike Malara 3, Billy LaPerch 2, Brian Murphy, Mike Daniello, Will Stewart 2. S: Phil Missali, Matt Swart, Tony Spada.
Assists — JJ: Tyler Granelli 6; LaPerch 2, Bocklet 2, Chris Latino, Jones, Harrison Silver, Jeff Dunworth, Andrew Masterson, Drew; S: Swart, Mike Sheehan, Nick Debonis.
Saves — JJ: Latino 9, Dylan Lalone 2, Robert Maher; S: E.J. Duffy 10, Dan Villa 3.
Here's the Rye box:
Rye 18, Red Hook 1
Rye 5 9 1 3—18
Red Hook 0 1 0 0—1
Goals — R: Alex Prostano 2, Andrew Wood, Chris Lavelle, Christian Bonaventura, Frank Lorono, Garrett Chapmman, Kevin Gordon 2, Kris Kilpi, Marshall Rogers, Matt McReddie, Neil Davis, Patrick O’Callaghan 2, Paul Sganga 2, Robert Santangelo; RH: Quinn O’Callahan. Assists — R: Prostano, Cole McCormack 2, Lorono 2, Jeff Bouton, Kilpi, McReddie, Davis, Sganga, Robert Santangelo. Saves — R: Matt Rix 6; RH: Francis Dougherty 22.
Records — Rye 22-2; Red Hook 9-11.
This link from the Toronto Star was just forwarded to me.
It's a tragic story, and one that emphasizes the importance of safety and the dangers of high hits in lacrosse.
Boy, Syracuse, Rye Ma, Vas and Lax you guys are pretty rough. Especially you LAX Section IX is a Joke… That's pretty critical. Joe I'm pretty sure that you don't encourage your bloggers to speak so disparagingly about young athletes…but then again maybe you do.
Joe –
Sad, sad story. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the boys family and the local lacrosse family.
I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that, just meant to say the best of section 9 is a piece of cake for the best of section 1, and I hope you agree.
Apparently not a joke to all of Section 1. I see Saugerties beat Nanuet this year – and Nanuet had a decent season 13-4? this year.
Nanuet had a good record but against all the worst teams in the section, but they're still probably a top 10 section 1 class C team. Saugerties beat them 6-4 but I wouldn't compare one of the best section 9 teams to among the weakest section 1 teams, no offense to Nanuet.
Joe – Read what you wrote. Obviously any analysis on Yorktown-Nisky is purely conjecture by 95 percent of the people here because like so many other teams in the state tournament, a lot of this is a great unknown. Not enough of us have seen Nisky to make a fair and honest assessment of either team's chances. I'd actually prefer to hear from all those who have because I'm really basing what I think will happen on Yorktown's rep and current level of staggering play.
That said, I'd be remiss to discount Nisky. I think you and others can tell that I certainly know history. I know Nisky has done it in the past. I just think right now the Town machine is well-oiled. Not to say the Nisky machine isn't, but when you look at their respective schedules and the teams each has beaten, Section 2's rep as a growing hot bed for lacrosse is not enough for me to feel confident they will beat Yorktown.
I still don't know what to make of the Jay game. I wish more Jay fans would give an honest assessment of what really went down, as unbiased as they can. It was a stunning result in my opinion.
Sure, you fear the unknown, but I can't imagine Town and its coaches don't know precisely what's coming to Yorktown High on Tuesday. I can't imagine they won't be prepared. I can't fathom them getting blindsided like what Bethpage did to them back in the mid-90s. The game being at Yorktown is a huge advantage.
If Nisky wins, I'll be first to admit I was wrong and will live with it. But I've been pretty good at picking games this year and I just think a 5-6-7 goal win is not out of the realm of possibility. I say this mostly because as good as Nisky's defense is, they still don't score enough. You can't tell me the other Section 2 teams play as good a defense as they do.
I can't believe Shen, Shaker, Colonie, Saratoga and Guilderland, all teams that have held Nisky to 8 goals or less this season, play anywhere near the type of team D or have even remotely close to the amount of firepower Yorktown does. If they do, then this whole "Section 2" debate as a growing state-wide power thing needs to be revisited and right quick.
Here's an interesting result: Skaneateles beat Salmon River of Section 10 15-14 today.
Skaneateles is a small school from Section 3 that made it to the Class C state finals in 2002, losing to Shoreham-Wading River. They are consistently a team that is right there against the Lafayettes of the world.
My point is today's result is further proof that the game is getting better in certain places that you wouldn't expect, like the northern tier of New York.
Joe – One last thing. Yes, you are correct to bring up my butchering of the Brewster-Jay rematch. But I have to remind you that we both picked Yorktown over L/P by 4-5 goals. Neither of us saw 9-0 after 1, 16-1 after 3 coming. I think that speaks volumes about what Yorktown is doing right now. None of us know what's coming, but I think we can agree the Jekyll and Hide nature they showed for 10 or 11 games is LONG gone.
Johnstown is under .500 right? This is a rematch of last year's playoff which was held up at RPI. I'm thinking the same results again this year. A big win for the G-Men.
Rye's D deserved the ALL SECTION selection looks, nice to see the D getting some credit. Outstanding efforts against some of the ALL SECTION offense machines of Section One Lacrosse during the regular season. Rye had several Sophs JV kids put up scores and see considerable playing time vs Red Hook. Class job by Section One Coach of the YEAR!! Rye is not going to be just happy to advance in the playoffs, been there done that..It's time to make a statement!! Let's get it done,,Go Section One. Make us all proud!!
nylaker
I can only speak for myself, but if offense was taken, I apologize….all was said in jest…..I would NEVER intentionally hurt or offend any of these kids. I believe that parents take things alot differently than the players do. After the Rye game, I overheard some of the Red Hook boys saying (laughingly) "at least we didn't get shut out!"...then they got on with their lives, got dressed for the prom, took a little friendly ribbing from the Rye players who were stuck without a bus for an hour and a half after their game, and I'm quite sure, will never give another thought to the Section 1 postings. But I, for one, will try to be more sensitive in the future.
Syracuse I expected Jay to win by a comfortable margin but I was surprised by the result as well. I wasn't stunned but considering Saugerties' record I expected it to be closer than last year, although it was by the same margin, good game by JJ.
Agree with Syracuse based upon looking at and analyzing scores and yes, giving Town the credit they deserve for being on an obvious ROLL.
On paper you cant argue about Nisky's NOT racking up goals against its section opponents that MUST have far weaker defenses! So I also say Nisky's offense is suspect.
So all we need is for (1) Town's O to keep CRANKING and (2)Town's D to play strong and PARTICULARLY Mikey B and continue to show why he's an elite goalie.
I'll give Nisky's D enough credit to say that Town doesn't win by 8-10 goals but 5-7 sounds good to me.
GO TOWN, JAY and RYE!!! It's all about SECTION 1!!!!
nylaker and Sec1Lax,
I'm a staunch supporter of people absolutely not making negative comments on INDIVIDUALS. For most part people adhere to this but some commnets get said and Joe tries to delete them.
Calling Section IX "a joke", etc is not right and believe the person that made it took that particular description back but had a right to make the general observation.
But you have to be able to make COLLECTIVE comments on Sections or even teams.
Yes there are more sensitive ways then others to say that Section IX is far weaker then Section I at this point. It's not meant to be "derogatory", just an obvious sports related observation.
You need to understand that people that make non-inflamatory commnets are not at all thinking or projecting them down to the level of the actual kids playing whom everyone respects.
Good luck to Section IX lacrosse next year!!
Section 9 is not very good though. The best they have to offer would lose to the top 15 teams in section 1 pretty handily.
Nisky appears to be extremely top heavy offensively. It will be interesting to see how much their lack of offensive depth plays into Tuesday's result. Yorktown did a good job on Bocklet, who can generate points at will, and shut down both Perrelle and Doherty in sectionals. Nisky's big guns will have to produce.
If Nisky is to win they will have to get a lead and then hope their slow-down tactics frustrate Town into over-committing defensively, setting up odd-man situations inside the box.
I think we should throw some credit to the Yorktown close D unit. They aren't big names like a Badalucco, but as a unit they play real well together and have gotten better in the second half of the season.
Plus, they are basically all back next year, so as much as glory seems possible this year, I am extremely optimistic about next year. No Rocky, Froats or Kurpis, but it seems the guys they do have coming back, mixed with the drop to B, could very much mean they will be the team to beat in not only Section I but maybe the state.
Of course, there's a long way to go before that topic is discussed, but I just wanted to throw it out there.
town has Interlicchio, Ranagan, Casey, Leiberman, all coming back and oh yea their entire Defense as well as MIKEY B!....dont think town is too concerned about graduation…BUT lets first win some rings in 08..
Nisky runs a man to man defense with an umbrella zone underneith. Yorktown offense does not play well agaisnt zone.
Nisky 7-6 2ot
every starting offensive player can shoot the hell outta the ball, im sure coach marr will be able to tweak a few things in order for our boys to pin some corners…
joey mac
What are you basing your assessment of yorktowns zone offense on?
If town continues to share the ball on settled o and push it in transition, they should be able to put up a good number.
nisky will also win most faceoffs. it comes down to who defense is better and nisky defense is much better than town. Town let 11 goals into a weak brewster team
joey mac,
You're using 11 goals against vs. Brewster as your barometer of Town's defense? How about the fact that Nisky beat Shen 5-3 and 8-6, and Town beat them 16-3? Or that Nisky gave up 9 goals to a Columbia team that would be in the bottom of Section 1. A little more apples to apples, no? And trust me, Brewster would lose to Nisky, but would be the second best team in Section 2.
I agree that Nisky has a great defense, and I think that it will be a close game with Town, and while I think Town will win, a Nisky win wouldn't be a stunner. But I disagree that it will come down whose defense is better, since Town's offense is far superior to Nisky's, and Town's defense is above average.
If you are comparing what Yorktown did defensively against Brewster to what they could do defensively on Tuesday against Nisky than you obviously have no idea what Yorktown is at this very moment.
Joey Mac, have you seen Yorktown play? How can you honestly say they will win most of the faceoffs? I know Ranagan is a TREMENDOUS player, but even I'm not willing to say he'll win most of the faceoffs. You haven't seen Yorktown. I'm convinced. You're just sounding off without any basis for what you claim.
they meaning Nisky when it comes to faceoffs.
Joey Mac – My guess is you went through Yorktown's schedule and saw that they allowed 10 goals against Brewster, the highest total they have allowed during their 12-game winning streak.
Then you probably said, well John Jay just crushed Brewster and since Nisky beat John Jay, Brewster must stink and Yorktown's defense is suspect.
Regardless if you did that or not (and I think you did), you are clueless about what Yorktown is. I'd have more respect for your opinion if you said, "hey I saw Yorktown at Dietz on Saturday and though they won big I was unimpressed." You be high of course, but at least it would be somewhat credible.