A couple of Long Island vs. Westchester showdowns. A huge Section 1 rivalry game. A West Coast visitor coming to Westchester. A men’s college tripleheader, marking the first time lax has ever been played at Giants Stadium.

If you’re a lax fan, you probably wish you had a clone today to catch it all.

Welcome to Showdown Saturday.

For starters, if you’re up bright and early, head on over to Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor where the Lakeland/Panas Rebels will be facing Mercer Island from the state of Washington. The Rebels ventured out to Washington two years ago to play four games, including a 13-11 win over Mercer Island.

One of the most highly contested — and heated — rivalries in Section 1 is Hen Hud vs. Somers. I’ve stopped counting the number of times they have met in either the sectional semifinals or finals. Bottom line though is whenever they do play, playoffs or regular season, there’s plenty of emotion and intensity — and usually a close game. Game-time is 2 p.m. at Somers.

Also of note, former Yorktown standout Vin DeGregorio makes his debut as Horace Greeley coach as the Quakers host Scarsdale at 3:30 p.m.

Headlining the day is the fact that Long Island powers St. Anthony’s and Manhasset and Westchester heavyweights Yorktown and John Jay will all be in action within a span of seven miles and within a distance of about 10 miles.

Yorktown, No. 4 in the latest LaxLessons.com regional rankings, hosts No. 2 St. Anthony’s at 2 p.m. at Charlie Murphy Field. These longtime rivals always wage heated battles, but this year’s should be especially so.

Both teams have the potential to have extraordinary seasons. So no matter who wins will get a big boost going forward. Between the two teams combined, there are 14 players who have already committed to Division I schools, including a pair of the nation’s top juniors — St. Anthony’s midfielder Thomas Schreiber and Yorktown attackman Kevin Interlicchio. Schreiber, ranked fifth by Inside Lacrosse, is likely to attend Princeton. Interlicchio has committed to Hopkins.

At 7 p.m. in Cross River (a hop, skip and jump down Route 35 from Yorktown), 17th-ranked John Jay will host No. 5 Manhasset.

This has emerged as one of the area’s premier regional rivalries. Two years ago, John Jay picked up a dramatic 9-8 overtime win. Last year, Manhasset won 10-8.

This season, though, nationally ranked Manhasset, perhaps the leading contender to win the Class C state title, is a solid favorite.

The matchup of John Jay’s Hopkins-bound junior defenseman Jameson Pickel on UVA-bound Manhasset senior star Connor English should be fun to watch.

Finally, lax makes it Giants Stadium debut, gang. The Big City Classic — a men’s tripleheader — features plenty of players from the region. I’m told around 20,000 tickets have already been sold for the event, that will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Here’s the linup:

Noon: Virginia vs. North Carolina

2:30 p.m.: Syracuse vs. Princeton

5 p.m.: Hofstra vs. Delaware

SCORE UPDATES

Scores of note:

La Salle, Pa. 7, West Genny 3

Niskayuna 10, Schenectady 2

Other Section 1, Long Island, NYC scores:

Baldwin 11, West Babylon 2
Brentwood 10, Southampton 2
Floral Park 15, North Shore 13
Garden City 5, MacArthur-Levittown 2
Half Hollow Hills West 10, Lindenhurst 6
Hoosac 6, Harvey School 5
Plainedge 16, Lawrence 1
Saratoga Springs 11, Fox Lane 5
Wantagh 9, Sewanhaka 4

Smithtown East 9, Smithtown West 8

Iona Prep 10, St. John The Baptist 5

Bayshore 13, Madison, N.J. 7
ST. ANTHONY’S-YORKTOWN UPDATES

Update 1: We’re tied at 3-3 midway through the first period. Kevin Interlicchio just scored his second goal to tie it.

Update 2: Ytown leads 4-3 after one. John Ranagan scored from Tom Casey with three minutes left.

Halftime: Yorktown 8, St. A’s 5. Kevin Interlicchio has four goals.

Update 4: There’s been a long delay as St. A’s Sean Rooney is being taken to the hospital via ambulance with an apparent knee injury. Yorktown leads 9-5 with 10 minutes left in the third

Update 5: Yorktown leads 12-7 after three. Interlicchio just scored his seventh goal on a nice right hand shot. He now has 18 goals in three games.

Final: Yorktown 14-10. KI finishes with eight goals.

HEN HUD-SOMERS UPDATES

Update 1: Somers leads 4-0 after one. Joe Marasco and Greg Petre each have two goals.

Update 2: Somers leads 11-1 at halftime.

Update 3: Somers 15-4 after three quarters. Marasco and Petre have a combined 10 goals.

Final: Somers 16, Hen Hud 5

Final: Put Valley 12, Suffern 10

JOHN JAY-MANHASSET UPDATES:

Update 1: Jay ties it at 1 midway through first on goal by Daniello.

Update 2: Drew Belinsky, who is bound for UPenn, scores on a blast from 10 yards out to give Manhasset a 3-1 lead three minutes into the second quarter.

Update 3: Harvard-bound Jeff Molinari scores off a turnover. It’s 4-1.

Update 4: Will Stewart answers for Jay off an assist from Forrest Walter. Manhasset leads 4-2 with 5:45 left in the second quarter.

Update 5: It’s 4-2 at halftime. This has to be considered a bit of a surprise but Jay is running a patient ball control offense and goalie Robert Maher has played well.

Update 6: Strap yourselves in people. Do we have an upset developing? Stewart’s second goal cuts the deficit to 4-3.

Update 7: Drew Beck ties it for Jay off a Harrison Silver feed. It’s 4-4 with 4:17 left in the third period.

Update 8: Zac Koufakis scores for Manhasset after back to back saves by Maher. 5-4 ‘Sett late third. 

Update 9: Belinsky scores to make it 6-4 Manhasset after three.

Update 10: Manhasset scores two quick goals to start the fourth. It’s 8-4.

Update 11: Belinsky scores and Manhasset gets its sixth straight goal. It’s 10-4 midway through the fourth.

Update 12: Jake Weil scores for Jay to end the run and make it 10-5.

Final: Manhasset 11, John Jay 5

BIG CITY CLASSIC UPDATES

Game 1: Virginia 11, UNC 10 (Final)

Game 2: Princeton 12, Syracuse 8 (Final)

Game 3: Hofstra 10, Delaware 8 (Final)

Posted In: Today's Top 5

If you liked this article, please take this time to share it with your Facebook friends using the Facebook button (see Facebook post button to the left) or retweet it using Twitter (see retweet button to the left). You may also want to follow us or subscribe to the site to stay up-to-date with this article. If you'd rather follow us from your Facebook account, join our Facebook fan page.

75 Responses to “Showdown Saturday/Scoreboard updates”

  1. Harriet Tubbs says:

    Yorktown vs. St. Anthony’s.
    Clearly the marquee matchup of the day. One could flip a coin, and that could determine who will win this superpowered matchup. It is really that much of a toss up.

    St. Anthony’s will come out firing especially after their tough loss vs. Long Island rival in Chaminade. Both lineups are stacked with talent, the intangibles may define the ball game.

    The story of Yorktown’s success stems from the defense. Coach Adam Lodewick has his unit on their toes, and they will never miss a beat. The question still remains on which role players will step up on offense; St. Anthony’s may be the first team to shed light upon Town’s role players (or lack of). Yorktown’s first two games have been highlighted by the superb play of the defense, and the dynamic duo of the Hopkins bound senior in John Ranagan and the junior in Kevin Interlicchio. With a patient, balanced attack, and trust in the role players, the two will provide even another dimension to Yorktown’s stacked team.

    On the other side, St. Anthony’s has 8 Division I bound players, and living in the Hudson Valley, I do not know all too much about. But what I do know is that St. Anthony’s puts up a balanced team, that can stop and beat you in many different ways. Perhaps the biggest factor is redemption in their loss on Thursday to Chaminade, and revenge from their loss to Yorktown just last year.

    If Yorktown plays a patient offensive game, and their patented suffocation style defense, they should come out on top,
    Yorktown 9 St. Anthony’s 7

  2. Thorpe says:

    Ridgefield smokes Northport and Mt.Sinai, going toe to toe with Melville at half at LI jam

  3. LAX says:

    Interlicchio is such an animal. Unless there’s a big comeback, congratulations on the win Yorktown.

  4. off the bench says:

    The St Anthony vs Yorktown game was a survival of the fittest…town defense was PHENOMENAL! Ranagan and Interlicchio might be animals but Brunelle, Fox and Fennessey are beasts!!

  5. syracuse says:

    Guys,

    I just got back from seeing L/P-Mercer Island, Wash. and Somers-Hen Hud. The body of this post will be updated in full very soon, so please check back for full coverage. Joe will be writing a main story on the Yorktown-St. Anthony’s festivities.

    Thanks.

    ‘CUSE

  6. syracuse says:

    Guys,

    Somers-Hen Hud and L/P-Mercer Island recap is now live on the site. Also, Joe is currently in transit between Yorktown and John Jay. Tonight he will publish a full analysis of both Yorktown-St. Anthony’s and John Jay-Manhasset.

    Lastly, more score updates from around our area and from the college get-together at Giants Stadium will be published by me as the afternoon and evening progresses.

    Thanks. … and let’s hear your thoughts on today’s games!

    ‘CUSE

  7. slacrosse says:

    Congrats Town. We’re talking “real deal” with this team for sure!!

  8. slacrosse says:

    Now we need Jay to upset Manhassat!!

  9. syracuse says:

    Guys,

    I am getting e-mail updates from Joe at Jay. They will be posted in the updates section of the post above. … Game tied early.

  10. syracuse says:

    WARNING: Potential upset brewing at John Jay … Read above!

  11. syracuse says:

    Manhasset puts out the fire, starting to pull away.

  12. LAX says:

    Nice job JJ! Even if it stays close I’m impressed. Pickel is shutting down English as well?

  13. syracuse says:

    Pickel may be controlling English but it seems like no one is covering Belinsky.

  14. LAX says:

    Wow 6 straight goals what happened? How’s JJ doing on faceoffs?

  15. LAX says:

    Sad I couldn’t make it but thanks for the updates. Good job JJ even if they were blown out in the 4th, Manhasset has a very strong team this year one of the best in the country.

  16. syracuse says:

    It’s all over. A young Jay squad put a scare into Manhasset for nearly three quarters, but couldn’t hold it together in the fourth, losing 11-5.

    Still, if you’re worried about Jay’s character, don’t be. They’ll be ready for the Section 1 Class B tournament.

    For sure.

  17. slacrosse says:

    Yes I know an upset win would have been great for Jay but I think the way Jay hung in there at tie score midway thru 3rd period against an elite team highly favored should be viewed as a very good sign for things to come this season.

  18. OldTimer says:

    Not bad for Jay

    Looked like they might be able to steal it after they tied it up

    Defense just wore out in 4th (really end of third)

    Faceoffs, clears, ground balls – all need work – they gave away a ton of possessions

    Jay has got themselves a goalie

  19. […] Showdown Saturday/Scoreboard updates Apr 04  Email This […]

  20. Doid23 says:

    Encouraging news about Jay’s performance.

    Still early, but it sounds like Town’s got the potential to be a special team.

    Ranagan or Marasco? Obviously can’t go wrong with either, but if you had to take one?

  21. syracuse says:

    More scores added to body of this thread …

    And, Doid, I take Marasco because with Ranagan, he’s in front of a defense, saying “here I am, see if you can stop me.” Marasco, on the other hand, is mostly behind a defense saying “There I was, did you see me?”

  22. Joe Lombardi says:

    BTW – I don’t know if the most unstoppable guy today was KI or you, ‘Cuse.

    Great job manning mission control today with all the score updates.

  23. syracuse says:

    You got it my friend. I’m done for the evening. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.

  24. daslax says:

    any highlight videos for hen hud somers? like they did with somers mahopac.

  25. laxerdude says:

    Pickel did not cover English, Pickel is the backer and slides to help other defensemen and he usually covers the weakest attackman

  26. Joe Lombardi says:

    Yes, Laxerdude is correct — and it was a very effective defense for JJ tonight. Credit Vin Savastano for devising it and the Indians for executing it perfectly — and it worked for three-quarters of the game. And arguably the entire game as many of Manhasset’s goals during its 6-0 run came as a result of turnovers or when JJ was not in a set defense.

  27. Thorpe says:

    Cuse,no love for CT?

  28. blah says:

    Jay did not give set a scare, they gave set a yawn by sitting on the ball on the offensive end. The game was never meant to played that way. The literally just played catch on offense most of the game bc they feared manhassets transition game.

  29. OldTimer says:

    blah

    Funny thing. I watched the game with some Manhassett fans. they thought Jay ran a very effective offensive set, one they were far more familiar with than I and which probed for defensive mistakes – ‘Set just didn’t make many of those

  30. Taz says:

    JJ’s game plan was a gimmick. They took a stall warning on virtually every possession and then ran 3-4 minutes off the clock with a weave behind the cage without even thinking about attacking the cage. Would love to see a total shot count at half time. Lacrosse at its worst. I’ve never seen a team so excited to be down 2 at half time.

    Defensively JJ came out man to man. English scored quckly and they they went to the backer zone. JJ goalie played great, kept them in the game in the 1st half. Manhasset probably only had a couple of possessions in the 3rd quarter because of the stall.

    JJ should offer refunds.

  31. ripo says:

    Manhasset number 8 in the country john jay number 150 what would you do. At least they had a chance.

  32. Taz says:

    What would I do? If I were Manhasset I’d drop JJ from the schedule. No reason to travel 50 miles for a non game when you can play teams like West Islip, Rocky Point who will actually play a game year in and year out.

  33. ripo says:

    calm down did you ever here of game planning. what about when jj beat them 2 years ago

  34. Taz says:

    Ripo – when JJ beat Manhasset 2 years ago (was it 2 or 3 OT’s?) I thought it was perhaps the greatest HS game I had ever seen and I see probably close to 100 a year. That’s my point. It wasn’t who won or lost. It was the game itself!

    I have no problems with backer zones, match up zones etc even though these get away from the man on man matchups. My issue is perpetual stalling, especially at the HS level. This type of play at the college level is what keeps shot clock discussions alive. Had JJ played the old Princeton basketball style, where they were patient and ran back doors looking for a missed cutter I’d have no problem. My issue is that JJ didn’t do that – they ran the weave behind for minutes without ever even considering a move to the goal. Only after minutes would they then look to find a back door cutter if one was open.

  35. slacrosse says:

    I was not at the game BUT I’m starting to get the feeling that IF “TAZ” is correct and particularly if Jay did get many stall warnings, then I think that may have rightly cast a negative pall over Jay’s strategy, effort, and stature–at least for this game.

    Every knowledgeable lacrosse fan at that game would honestly know whether Jay was “stalling” unnecessarily or “slowing down” , being very “deliberate, but always seeking a good opportunity to shoot.

    I’m a big Section 1 fan and was rooting for Jay but again, IF Jay unnecessarily and obviously stalled I’d be very disappointed in them from a program stand-point.

    I’ll leave it to the fans that were there to decide.

  36. ripo says:

    if they did not stall it would of been 17-2 manhasset is that good.

  37. freelaxer says:

    JJ did stall behind a lot to try and waste time and also get Manhasset’s offense and defense anxious. This was their game-plan because Set is a team with around 8 DI players and Jay has 0 with numerous sophomores playing at times. They wanted to do something to try to at least keep the game close and this was it, and it virtually worked.

  38. Joe Lombardi says:

    What does everyone think about run a ball-control (aka “stall”) offense.

    Does it take away from the best attributes of the game or is it a good strategic option when the situation calls for it?

    Let’s hear your thoughts.

  39. S1wss says:

    would it have been a better game for you Taz if Jay pushed the issue, gave ‘Sett a bunch of transition opportunities, completely exposed every weakness they have to probably every section 1 class B coach (if not just the competitive ones) and lost a 10+ goal decision?

  40. lax watch says:

    when you compete the object is to win. if its the best strategic option, you have to go with it

  41. Parent says:

    Taz,

    Jay is a young team, with a lot of sophs at the offensive positions, and from the scrimmages I’ve seen so far they (1) have trouble clearing the ball and (2) have been quick to take the first available shot, which has put a lot of pressure on the defense, which so far has been pretty solid. Was it a stall versus a slowdown? I was there and I didn’t see that they had been warned for stalling (maybe they were), but the fact is that the strategy kept them in the game until fairly deep into the third quarter. You’re entitled to your opinion of course, but if tJay had managed to pull out a win from using the strategy, would you still advocate dropping Jay from Set’s schedule? Is it still football when a grind it out team keeps an opponents high powered offense off the field as long as possible? Jay had a strategy, it was effective for a good part of the game, but then Sets superior talent won out in the end.

  42. LIGuy says:

    What is the point of traveling all the way up there if John Jay is just gonna stall. I’d be suprised if Coach Cherry agrees to play them again now. What do you ‘Set fans think???

  43. LAX says:

    I wasn’t at the game, but it’s hard to believe they were totally stalling when they scored 3 straight goals to tie it up. JJ’s a very young team playing a powerhouse, they needed to take time and value every possession, and it worked for most of the game. Smart game plan for JJ imo, and they definitely wanted to score. After all, they were losing for almost the whole game, I don’t think they would want to stall, just to take time to score and tie it up. They weren’t merely “playing catch” when they scored 3 straight and I’m sure this young JJ team put a temporary scare in Manhasset. Most peoplel expected JJ to get crushed, but in a year where they’re supposed to be rebuilding and most of their goals have been by sophomores, pretty impressive showing for JJ. I’m just giving you my point of view I wasn’t at the game though.

  44. slacrosse says:

    ripo and freelaxer,

    Thanx for your comments.

    I don’t know, there’s something about “stalling” that just doesn’t sit right with me. “Slow down”, being deliberate OK. My feeling is, “slow down, take deleiberate shots” then TAKE WHATEVER LUMPS COME YOUR WAY, even if you end up at 17-2–but dont go one step further and “stall”. To me the “stall” makes the 10-5 score seems kind of cheap and I dont think of that kind of an effort/strategy as an “achievement” for Jay. The asterix next to the score might be, “probably would have been much worse had Jay not stalled”.

    Maybe I’m too much of a purest on this one. Maybe you do whatever you need to do to win or hold the score down vs a vastly superior team.

    Rye lost 9-2 to Town without a stall or even slow down (maybe they SHOULD have slowed it down). Rye was really trying to score whenever they could but the way Rye played + Town’s super talent was just too much. No asterix needed here.

    Jays a great program with good kids and they and Rye will be better off after having played really talented teams like Manhassat and Town.

  45. Manhassetmom says:

    It’s really a shame because the last time we played there it was such an exciting game that went into overtime.

  46. LAX says:

    Manhassetmom – as I said before JJ is rebuilding this year. Most of their goals (11/16) and assists so far this year have been by sophomores. I’m sure JJ will give Manhasset a run for its money in the next couple of years.

  47. syracuse says:

    Taz,

    Brother you are entitled to your opinion and I usually like what you have to say, but:

    Man, what are you thinking?

    You do what you have to do to either win a game or stay in a game long enough to steal it, especially when you are going through a “down” year. Stall offenses may be frustrating, but if that’s how some teams choose to do it, so be it.

    It’s your team’s job to stop it, period.

    It’s like complaining because Princeton runs too slow a basketball offense or that you think the Ravens should be booted from the NFL because they run the ball too much. Hey, whatever works, works. If you don’t like the fact that the score wasn’t closer or wasn’t indicative of how much better Manhasset really is, that’s just something you are going to have to live with.

    All I know is John Jay, an obviously far weaker John Jay, had Manhasset at 4-4 late in the third. Why not, instead of saying Manhasset didn’t play well, just give Jay and its coaching staff credit for devising a way to not only make this game competitive, but also nearly pull off the upset?

    This whole notion that Manhasset should drop Jay because Manhasset is clearly the better team this season is ridiculous. Should Ward Melville drop Yorktown because the Patriots have won like 11 of the last 12 meetings (or something like that)?

    I don’t know how old you are, but there’s this thing called tradition and history.

    Manhasset is now John Jay’s Ward Melville. These teams will likely play each other every year for the rest of time (barring weather). Why? Besides the fact that each is a fine barometer as to what to expect in June, there is this thing called mutual respect.

    Will Manhasset likely win more of the matchups throughout history? Sure, they are Manhasset. It’s Long Island, while Jay is one of the few bright shining beacons of hope for the game in the Hudson Valley.

    Let me tell you one last thing: the people who run the Manhasset program know all there is to know about tradition and respect. I would be shocked, SHOCKED, if they ever dropped Jay because the games became, in certain, years, less competitive.

    So get used to Jay’s “stall tactics,” if that’s what you want to call them. Your people may have to deal with it from time to time.

    But John Jay’s program as a whole goes way beyond this style of play. This is a unique year for Jay because they are going through a rare rebuilding.

    And as I said, you gotta do, what you gotta do.

    And one last thing to chew on: I wonder who has the tougher schedule this season — Jay or Manhasset. The answer will certainly surprise you.

  48. slacrosse says:

    Joe,

    Come on. Time for your honest opinion. And I disagree that “slow down = stall.

    Yes one can morph into another but as I said earlier, any knowledgeable lacrosse person that was there can tell the difference at one point or another.

  49. scooter says:

    Stall is when you have the ball for the final 7 minutes of the second quarter and you dont take a shot on goal. JJ did that.
    The strange thing was that whenever JJ attempted to go to the goal the play worked and they would get a great look.

  50. slacrosse says:

    Cuse,

    Couldn’t agree with you more on Taz’s comment about Sett not playing Jay again if they thought Jay had “stalled” unnecessarily. Would totally be an unfair, irrational reaction.

    But I must respectfully disagree with you that a team must do anything (legitimate) it can to win or hold a score down. IF any team unnecessarily and more then “appropriately” “stalls” eating the clock up in the middle of a game, I’m not on with this. I’M NOT SAYING JAY DID THIS–I WAS NOT AT THE GAME-Just speaking in theory.

    Princeton’s Bball offense continually passed the ball and went for every shot they could take IF an opening occurred vs just holding the ball at the guard position.

    Hey, waht can I tell you, I wont be a lacrosse coach!!!

    As for jay vs Sett schedule think they’re kind of equal. Yes Jay plays a very tough out of Section 1 sched but Sett plays Darien and several other elite LI schools making the quality of scheds comparable.

  51. laxerdude says:

    Jay was slowing the ball down to try and frustrate the Manhasset attack about not getting the ball, and for the most part it worked they often threw it away when it finally reached their end, im not saying this was teh most exciting game to watch but it was a technique that worked for jay in trying to frustrate the opponent and then they capitalized on that

  52. Taz says:

    Syracuse – I likewise very much like most of the stuff you post but we disagree on this one. As I said I have no problem slowing things down against a superior team or just a team that likes to run and gun. But that is not what JJ did. They stalled plain and simple. Watch the game tape. Count the stall warnings.

    And you missed several key points that I made. Never said anything about not scheduling because one team was better than the other in a given year. Those things ebb and flow. (Unless you’re WG!) In all likelihood Manhasset will have a similar problem the next few years as they rebuild – but I guaranty they will not stall the way JJ did. There is a difference between slowing it down, or playing like Princeton basketball, and stalling. JJ stalled.

    And for the record, history and tradition is Manhasset-Garden City, the longest running HS rivalry in lacrosse history. Manhasset-JJ is simply another out of conference game, and with school athletic budgets being what they are don’t be at all surprised as schools play more games closer to home.

    My opinion has nothing to do with the score, or margin, or even outcome. As can be documented, Manhasset never runs the score up on opponents unlike some (many?) HS programs (see GC-New Hyde Park from a couple of years ago). My issue is with how the game was played, or not played.

  53. slacrosse says:

    Lax,

    Great comments as always.

    Jay has alot of good sophs , is rebuilding, and will be a power certainly to be reckoned with in the next yr or 2 (and will get better and better as the yr progresses).

    But somehow I think that Jay will really show “what is has” “for better or worse” when they play Rye next tuesday (Rye facing some of the same challenges as Jay) when they go back to playing a “normal” offensive game.

    Somebody said sett would have won 17-2 without jays slowdown/stall. Others have said Jay “would have been blown out < without jays slowdown/stall) . I dont think so. Maybe the score would have been 15-6. But the point is that a 9 goal loss to a national power would not have been unexpected and with Jays youth, nothing to hang there heads about. THIS YEAR Jay is vastly outmatched by Sett and that type of score would not be unexpected.

    Agian I understand a slow down, deliberate offense and IF Jay played that fine.

    You used the word “impressive” to describe Jay’s effort. Waht I’m saying is that IF, and I repeat IF there was excessive, obvious “stalling” , to me it takes a bit off the bloom of “impressive”.

    Enough said by me on this topic.

    Go Jay/Go Garnets!!

  54. freelaxer says:

    I agree with Slacrosse completely. A 7 or 8 goal loss for this Jay team against one of the best teams in the nation is fine. We can really see what they are made of and how they are gonna be when they play Rye on tuesday. Sav’s game-plan was kind of bizarre and obnoxious but it’s what they decided to do, and no one else has a say in it.

  55. Sect1Lax says:

    Not trying to be funny but is this gonna be Jays strategy in all their tough games like St As, Town, etc. If they’re rebuilding that’s fine but then why do you schedule these teams this year?

  56. LAX says:

    Let’s just move on. Manhasset is better than JJ this year let’s leave it at that! I’m very excited for the Rye game against JJ. Predictions, anyone?

  57. freelaxer says:

    Sect1lax- We’re not sure if Jay will do this against all the tough games. It is early in the season so they may figure something out. They schedule these teams because when the section finals come against a section 1 team, it seems like a breeze compared to Manhasset, St. A’s, Syosset. Also because they want to keep this schedule so when they become a powerhouse again in the next few years, they still get to play the best teams.

  58. ripo says:

    Jays game plan worked and frustrated Manhasset offense fans and people on this blog. All they can do as coaches is give there team a chance to win and they did that. If it wasnt a great plan then no one would be talking about this.

  59. Taz says:

    If it was a great plan they would have won! 😉

    Seriously, I think JJ can definitely beat Syosset, and having seen St. Anthony’s twice so far this year, they can compete there too.

  60. ripo says:

    To tell you the truth it is not easy to just slow it down. if that were the case then a team like White plains would hand in there against yorktown. You still have to exucute and that what JJ did.

  61. LoveTownLax says:

    Does anyone from the Island know St.A’s Sean Rooney’s status?

    Way to hang tough, JJ! stall or not, you left it all on the field, right boys?! What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. :o)

    ….& it wouldn’t be lax season without ‘Town v WM – looking forward to April 18th @ Charlie Murphy Field (or maybe we’ll play at Mohansic Elementary in the dirt….not unlike last year @ WM hahaha)

  62. Doid23 says:

    In the words of the great(sic) Herm Edwards, “You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game!”

    As to Jay-‘Set, while not ‘Set-GC, it has been a nice tradition, and it would be a shame to see it end.

  63. slacrosse says:

    Lax,

    I cant call a winner but of course hope Rye will win being my team.

    It should be a close, hard fought game and I hope good solid lacrosse is played. Think low scoring game with at most 8-10 goals being scored in total with winning team’s margin 2-3 goals. Think teams are fairly even matched on paper with J having the offensive advantage and Rye having the defensive advantage. Jay has that home advantage as well as any extra emotion that will be cranked up as revenge for last yr’s loss

    I know Rye feels that they’re capable of playing much better lacrosse then was evident vs Town and I’m sure holds for Jay.

    Good luck to both.

  64. Syracuse says:

    I gotta give it to Taz, only because the man is relentless. He’s sticking to his guns and good for him. I tend to agree more with Doid in that the object is to win the game any way you can as long as it is within the rules.

    Also, to quote the great Tuna:

    “You are what your record says you are.”

    Don’t think Jay doesn’t know that, though, to be fair, Jay cna dertainly make some noise when it matters even if they lose a bunch of games this season. Yorktown finished the 2007 season 12-10. Jay is in a similar position now.

    I don’t know if their slow-down approach against the better teams will work.

    But I can say if they do it vs. Nisky, someone will win 1-0 in OT.

  65. Taz says:

    Hey, I’m much more comfortable with a quote from Tuna than one from Herm!! 😉

    Good discussion and let’s move on! I do think the Y’town-Chaminade game could be an outstanding one. Chaminade also seems to never really have to rebuild and Y’town seems to be rocking early.

  66. slacrosse says:

    Lax,

    On the Jay Rye game dont know why but I neglected to mention a real + for Rye should be in face-offs with McCormack being able to give Rye a lot of possession. In the Town game one figure I saw had him winning 70+% of face-offs with 2 of his losses to early movement.

  67. Wasabi says:

    Taz and slacrosse-

    Where do I start? You boys just plain don’t get it. Sav and the Jay coaching staff are trying to win games and instill an win at ll costs attitude. If that means slowing it down to the point where Set has to come out and make mistakes, than so be it. It’s called a game plan fellas, and as a Section 1 fan, I loved watching it. I appreciate the tactical side of the game. Yeah, it didn’t result in a win, but trying to Run & Gun with a national power at their peak like Manhasset would have resulted in a demolition…would that have made you guys happy??? Your arguments are totally off base. Slax: you claim to be Sec 1 fans, but it sounds like you’d rather Jay play to Manhasset’s strength; for what, pride? How about strategy and game planning, that doesn’t factor in? And Taz: Dude, you need to think b4 you write some of this stuff. You honestly think Manhasset should cancel a great new rivalry b/c the other team devises a game plan to win…c’mon guy. Do you get that Jay was overmatched here; it was sophs vs. seniors, but they’re still trying to win. I guarantee…hold on…(I’ll emphasize that so the two of you get the point)…I GUARANTEE, the Manhasset coaches were thoroughly impressed by JJ’s game plan and the execution of that game plan. Manhasset was the obvious favorite, and as such should have been expecting such a tactic. I’m sure this isn’t the only time this year they’ll face a similar style of offense. This game will ultimately help Manhasset as much as it did Jay. Sav isn’t a fool, trying to bang with a superior foe goal-for-goal is like conceding victory, and that’s not Savastano lacrosse. They are about meticulous game planning and devising strategies to give their kids the best chance to win ball games. Jay tried, and ultimatley failed to get Manhasset out of their game. I credit both programs: Jay for devising a game plan to to keep it close in an effort to pull out a close game; and Manhasset for not abandoning their defensive principles despite facing an offense clearly designed to force them to do so. Great early season lax, congrats to Manhasset.

  68. OldTimer says:

    “I felt that John Jay had an excellent game plan against us”

    Bob Rule posting over at Lax to the Max

    “I thought Nick Savatano and his coaches had a perfect game plan.”

    Bill Cherry posting over at Lax to the Max

  69. slacrosse says:

    Wasabi,

    Thanks and appreciate your comment to me. Also thanks for the 2nd capitalized GUARANTEE as I wasn’t sure how you felt the first time you used the word, not in caps.

    Look, after digesting all the comments, particularly as capped out by Sett’s coaches I now see that I was NOT seeing the “forest from the trees”.
    1) I was not at the game like Taz but just reacting theoretically to his and other comments on a “what if” scenario. Had I been there, given what i’ve heard hopefully I would have been on your side from the start. What Taz considered to be excessive stalling was viewed by all PLUS the opposing coaches as a great game plan!!!!!
    2) As for me I was getting too hung up trying to find a negative difference in a case of excessive “stalling” vs a deliberate slow down game the ladder of which I always said was legit.
    3) Where I went astray was that the big picture is that (as Cuse said earlier in the day) you SHOULD DO ANYTHNG LEGIT TO WIN and IF “SLOW DOWN”, “STALLING” , etc.ALL MEAN THE SAME, then so be it and go for it. End of story.
    4) I never said or implied that J should have “run and gun” with Sett. Would have been suicide. Always felt that Slow Down made 100% sense.
    5) Despite my initial stance on this one for which I stand corrected/educated I’ll stand by my consistent devotion to Section 1 which I believe Joe and Cuse would back me on.

    Take care Wasabi. Always thought of you and still do as a really knowledgeable and objective lacrosse person.

  70. Syracuse says:

    Slacrosse,

    Of course I would back you. I have found it’s always better to make concessions when getting into sometimes heated debate with fellow fans on any site. It shows you are human — and not a wannabe know it all — and proves that you are always willing to engage in constructive debate, while standing by your convictions. That said, though, a little self deprecation is a good thing from time to time.

    Take it from me, hardliners will say any stall tactic is sort of bush league, but people truly in the know will stand by the mantra that any win is a good win, regardless of the methods used to attain it. That is as long as the victory is achieved within the boundaries of good taste and sportsmanship.

    Did John Jay abandon its style Saturday? You bet. Did they have a darn good reason to do so. You bet. Should/would they do it again? Yes and yes. A little spit and scotch tape can work wonders. Even the best teams don’t always have the tools to get the job done. Improvisation and good old fashioned opponent-specific game-planning is what separates the truly great coaching staffs from the rest.

    Man cannot live on talent alone. It’s a proven fact.

    But man can survive on a well thought out individual game blueprint.

    This will be John Jay circa 2009 and I applaud them for it. If the execution is there, who knows? They could beat someone or several teams they are supposed to lose to on paper.

    And if they use unconventional methods to get the job done, so be it. A win is a win is a win.

    This is not a popularity contest and style points mean little at the end of the day.

  71. Doid23 says:

    First, I’d like to apologize for bringin up Herm Edwards. Trust me, that hurt me more than you.

    Secondly, I think we’re missing another point in this debate, that this also was a good lesson for the ‘Set kids. I’m sure it was a really frustrating game for them, but it taught them a lot of things, such as patience, how important each possession is in a game like this, to have faith in your offense/ defense and not to take chances, etc. I bet the ‘Set coaches found a lot of coachable points in this game. They’ll get plenty of chances to run this year, and show of their offensive firepower, it’s good to get a lot of different looks and situations during the year to prepare for the ultimate goal.

    Some classy comments from the ‘Set coaches on Lax to the Max, worth a look.

  72. laxrat says:

    Wasabi — according to the roster that was handed out JJ started a jr. in goal #7 –3 sr.’s at defene #’ 3-18-and 40 — 2 sr’s and 1 jr. at midfield #’s 20-26-48 — 2 sr.’s and a sophmore at attack #’s 5-8-1. So to say it was senior’s vs. sophmore’s is way off base.

  73. freelaxer says:

    laxrat- That is not the actual line-up. At defense it is 2 sr’s 1 jr, but 2 sophomores caviola and winter got a significant amount of playing time. At midfield 2 of those players are just there for the face-off but the 1st line is 1 sr and 2 sophs (20,, 34, 6). And at attack there are 2 srs and a soph, but another soph, morris, gets rotated in with seniors.

  74. GreenWhite says:

    Some nice national pub for KI. Great article on him by Joe on maxpreps today.

  75. Lax Novice says:

    It takes two to not tango. If Manhasset wanted to force the tempo they would have devised a trap where they would iso the offensive player they felt was weakest when he had the ball and created turnovers. I wasn’t there, but from what those who were are saying it seems the LI boys were happy to let JJ weave and play keepaway, even at the expense of their own offensive opportunities. I think the answer to Joe’s question is yes and yes. Yes, this is varsity HS sports and any game plan that intends to give a team the best opportunity to win is the one the coach should be using. Slowing the game down doesn’t make for the best opportunity to show off the lax skills we all enjoy seeing displayed by these fine, hard-working, well-coached players, but competition is about winning and losing within the rules. Don’t like it? Then change the rules.

    Will Yorktown submit to the same waiting game in their match-up with John Jay on May 15th?

Leave a Reply to Doid23