Here we go, gang.

The Empire State Games are ready for Day 1. And it will be quite a day of action, indeed. There are no less than six scholastic men’s lacrosse games on tap for today at Canisus College in Buffalo, with teams from each of the six regions — Hudson Valley, Long Island, Central, Adirondack, Western and New York City — each playing two games.

Opening ceremonies for the 32nd annual extravaganza were held last night at the University at Buffalo Stadium. While the Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region  experienced severe, damaging thunderstorms, including near tornadoes in the northwest hills of Connecticut, Northern Westchester and Springs in East Hampton on the East End of Long Island, conditions were just fine in Buffalo, with the opening ceremonies held under cloudy skies and no precipitation.

Action starts today at 9 a.m. today when Long Island faces Western. Long Island’s second game is a 4 p.m. showdown against Hudson Valley, which starts ESG play at 11 a.m. vs. Adirondack.

Long Island is going for its fifth straight gold medal and seventh in the last nine years.

Here’s a look at today’s schedule at Canisius:

Western vs. Long Island, 9 a.m.

Hudson Valley vs. Adirondack, 11 a.m.

Central vs. New York City, 1 p.m.

Hudson Valley vs. Long Island, 4 p.m.

Central vs. Adirondack, 6 p.m.

New York City vs. Western, 8 p.m.

For a look at the complete schedule of games, click here.

To check out team rosters for all six regions, including Long Island and Hudson Valley, click here.

Be sure, as always, to weight in with any info/scores if you’re on hand for the action today.

Also, gang. Paul Wilson from SportsFive.net informed me that they plan on having updates on all the ESG men’s lax games. So be sure to check that out starting today by clicking here. For the direct link to the live blog updating all the lax action, click here.

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Posted In: Empire State Games

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54 Responses to “ESG action gets under way”

  1. Laximus says:

    LI will win the gold going away.

  2. Laxer Lax says:

    HV will have to beat Adirondack to medal. Mark my words.

  3. Jericho says:

    LI already leads Western 2-0 and they’re just underway.

  4. Jericho says:

    It’s 3-2 LI over Western at HT.

  5. Uh Oh! says:

    I think that it is a bad sign for ADK, and Hud Valley. If Western is hanging with LI. I saw LI play vs Superstar and they are NASTY!

  6. Jericho says:

    LI outscored Western 5-0 in the 3rd qtr and leads 8-3 after 3.

  7. Jericho says:

    Final – LI 10, Western 4. LI plays HV today at 4.

  8. anything? says:

    Jericho…any updates yet on HV/ADK? A score and time check would be great.

    Thx!

  9. stats says:

    1-0 HV end of 1.

    2-1 Adk mid-second.

  10. stats says:

    3-1 Adk 2 mins left first half.

  11. stats says:

    Adk 3
    HV 1
    halftime

  12. buff_bound says:

    Sloppy O both sides first half.

    HV goalie a few good saves.

  13. stats says:

    5-2 Adk 3rd qtr.
    Caffery scores for HV

  14. stats says:

    HV outscored 5-1 since getting first goal. Hang in there the goals will come.

  15. stats says:

    6-3 Adk in 4th…Barton fro HV

  16. buff_bound says:

    frustrating game

  17. stats says:

    6-4 Adk…KeirDon for HV from RCaff

    Adk rattled.

  18. stats says:

    7-6 Adk less than one min left

    Barton and McNally for HV

  19. stats says:

    HV outscores Adk 4-1 after going down by four.

    optimistic assessment – they did alot of good things they can build on going into LI game.

    honest assessment – they just missed against a team that’s not so great. Midds need to step it up both ways. D needs to get better organized.

    They’re alright.

  20. Envelope says:

    Bad Loss. Weakest ADK team in some time.

  21. john says:

    live (albiet slow) blog of all games at http://www.sportsfive.net

    just have to hit “refresh” to get updates (sometimes refresh alot)

  22. Go Green n Gold says:

    Let’s bounce back with a big win vs. Long Island! Cmon guys!!

  23. spambot says:

    C’mon Envelope, get in the game – Adirondack was 0-5 in 2008… you hatrack.

  24. Jericho says:

    LI 3, HV 0 after 1 … HV tried slowing it done with a zone now that they’re behind will they stay in it?

  25. LI_Brat says:

    two goals in twenty four seconds….2-0 LI. Don’t tell me this HV D is not slow, they are sloooooooooooow.

    …now 3-0.

    Suffer……………….lol.

  26. Laxin says:

    ESG picks …

    Gold – LI

    Silver – Central

    Bronze – Western

  27. justlaxin says:

    We all thought thos would happen. HV struggled to get silver and beronze with best teams including kids frm LP, JJ, ,and Town. Now without those kids it is real tough. Not a 2nd guess, first. I support them but am realistic. Hope they can sneak one out vs 1strn or Central and beat NYC. 2 and 3 would not be that bad. Good luck boys. Hope next year all the kids from all the schools tryout.

  28. green alum says:

    So, anybody think there should be some changes now? Really a shame that this had to happen as a wake up call.

  29. IslandLaxpert says:

    LI taking care of business as usual at the Games.

  30. Jericho says:

    Final: LI 13, HV 7

  31. Go Green n Gold says:

    HV plays NYC and a Western team that LI easily handled so tomorrow could be a nice turnaround day for HV LAX!!

  32. Laxtime says:

    Jake Froccaro won 14 of 21 FOs and had 10 GBs for LI

    Brandon Gamblin had 5 and 1

    Caffrey 2-2, McReddie 2-0 for HV

  33. OR says:

    Central just crushed ADK 11-2 so HV better beat Western and NY, or your def looking at 5th place. EEWW

  34. alfonse davis says:

    The good news for HV is that they start against NYC tomorrow. The bad news is they were beaten by two better teams today.

    But the good news is that the Western offense doesn’t look terrific. The bad news is neither does the HV D.

    But the good news is they can get on a roll against NYC, and if that happens they could carry that into the Western game and hope to win a shootout. The bad news is that if they lose two tomorrow put a fork in them they’ll be done, but if they split they’ll be mathematically right in it.

    The best case scenario aside from them taking two is for them to split and for Adirondack to beat Western because Adk already beat HV and they would get a tie=breaker, or for Central to knock off West assuming HV beats West.

    It’s hard to make a case for them to beat West if they couldn’t handle Adk, but that was their first game so they get a bit of a pass.

    Look, this is not a great team, but neither are Western, Central or NYC. LI is at the top and NYC the bottom, but the three in the middle are a pretty even match so play the games and just win baby!

  35. Just sayin says:

    Does ne one no who played goal for HV in both games??

  36. its what i heard says:

    The NYC vs Western game is all but over. Western 4-0 less than 6 mins in.

  37. reLAX says:

    I can see HV beating NYC and if they put it together Western too. Don’t write them off just yet everyone.

  38. its what i heard says:

    Heck no, they’re mathematically right in it with a couple of wins tomorrow!

  39. justlaxin says:

    The pittsburgh pirates are still mathematically in it too! LOL.

  40. Lax Man says:

    First off let’s start by saying LI is legit, they have basically their 2nd best set of defense and attack is missing Mazzone who is a beast. HV is having a lot of trouble in FO department. in the first game they lost 70% and in the second it could have been higher. Too bad Cole McCormick is a going to college next year. Agreed defense is a step slow but Western who has 2 legit commits on “D” got spanked. HV needs to win tomorrow morning with a little ease and then put everything on the table for Western. Maybe they run a zone defense put the short sticks on the post? Look all of you haters help! We need a rally, flip the caps inside out and root for the HV team. why not? I am not the coach and will never second guess but put that kid Lombardo on FOGO let him try? I am hoping we win 2 tomorrow and then look forward to Central and sneak into the Bronze medal game. All of us up here could use positive karma!! Thanks!! Oh yeah some highlights on news 12 at 10:25pm.

  41. Lax Man says:

    Late scores

    Central beats ADK 12-4

    Western 14 NYC 0 after 3

  42. LacrosseInsider says:

    Where is Sla…need insight on the games today…

  43. Lax Novice says:

    I’d suggest that if HV is looking for a positive to come out of the Empire tournament, the best chicken wings are found at Duff’s, Sheridan Ave. and Millersport Hwy., Amherst.

  44. Laxtime says:

    Good luck HV! Big day today.

  45. T.B. Toad says:

    justlaxin

    Ever wonder why the elites from those schools didn’t try out? HV got what it sowed.

    Time to look at kids hearts not their names or their school’s name.

  46. Bigeasy says:

    Many were committed I think to their summer teams whether it was Primetime or the Yorktown Ballers in Jays and Towns instance. Some may be fed up as previous posters have said. They are all getting looks playing with those teams so they decided against HV. Think it is that simple. Next year they need to work with Ballers and PT to get those kids to play to field the best team.

  47. Beetlejuice says:

    HV- 2
    NY- 0 Half

  48. Laxin says:

    The real issue is early commitments. Players who commit after their soph year have no incentive to play in a showcase like ESG after that.

  49. JJ-Lax Alum says:

    Laxin~

    You are getting to a very interesting point on commitments and if I might say …. the business of “lacrosse commitments” these young athletes are playing for teams they feel will get them the best looks, going to camps they feel will get them looked at by coaches . all based on advice … that this is what must be done to get seen by your sophomore/ rising junior year.

    Insanity in my opinion ….has sunk in ….and its no longer truely about the sport

  50. Lax Novice says:

    JJ Lax Alum,

    So what you’re saying is that when you played it was simply all about the sport with no consideration for, say, playing at the college level? Or that the lax world was so small that you could see all the good players during their HS seasons with no need to bring all of them together in a few events in the summer?

    Or are you simply another middle aged guy who whines about how great it was in the good old days to make yourself feel better?

  51. Johnny Lax says:

    LI beats Adirondack 12-4 to improve to 3-0.

  52. Go Green n Gold says:

    HV 8, Western 7 OT!!! That’s my prediction…

  53. justlaxin says:

    How many times has HV not beat anyone but NYC? Has to be once ot twice. I wish them the best vs Western and Central.

  54. Laxmannn says:

    I love what you guys are always up too. Such clever work and reporting!

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