Sunday, June 2, 2019: Massapequa ends Ward Melville reign in Class A

   Leading off today: Ward Melville will not be three-peating in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A lacrosse tournament thanks to a 10-5 loss to Massapequa in the state quarterfinals on Saturday.

   After losing to Ward Melville in the state quarterfinals the past two years, the Chiefs used a seven-goal third quarter to advance.    Senior midfielder scored three straight unassisted goals and finished with four goals and two assists.

   "Everything this season has been predicated on coming back to this stage and beating whoever came out of Suffolk," Greenblatt said. "That it was Ward Melville makes it so much sweeter, especially since they're a great team. Nothing but respect, but it's amazing to beat them."

   More Long Island boys: Manhasset faceoff specialist Marc Psyllos as the Indians rolled to a 16-3 victory over Harborfields in the Class B quarterfinals.

   Manhasset is back in the state semifinals for the first time since 2015.

   Psyllos won all six faceoffs he took in the first quarter and the Indians scored goals on five of their first seven shots. Midfielder Michael Farrell posted a first-half hat trick in th triumph.

   "We like to play at a fast tempo," coach Keith Cromwell said. "After the county final (a 6-5 double-overtime victory vs. Garden City), it was nice to get back to what we do best, which is flying around the field and putting that pedal down."

   Dominating defense: Fairport has allowed one goal in its last 72 minutes of boys Class A action after a 5-1 win over Orchard Park.

   After a scoreless first half at St. John Fisher College, Orchard Park's Jake Shul scored early in the third quarter. Fairport responded less than two minutes later when Alex Nicastro connected and took the lead for good five minutes later on a goal by Colin Peers. Peers and Nicastro also scored down the stretch in the fourth quarter to wrap up the win. Goalie Tim Defendis who had 12 saves.

   "That's been our thing all year, our defense has been outstanding," Fairport coach Mike Torrelli said. "To hold a team to one goal, a very good offensive team, I don't care what league you're in or who you play, when you're averaging 16 goals a game, you're pretty good. Tim played out of his mind."

    • Consistent Class D contender Penn Yan, another team that thrives in defense, advanced with an 8-5 win over Eden. The Mustangs had blanked Eden 14-0 back in late April.

ADVERTISEMENT

   Eden led 3-1 before Penn Yan clamped down and took the lead on goals by Mekhi Mahan, Colton Smith (four goals overall) and Conner Fingar in a span of 1:53 in the second quarter.

   Sweep: Section 1 put on a dominating show in sweeping its four quarterfinals vs. Section 9 by a combined 62-12 margin.

NYSPHSAA boys lacrosse brackets NYSPHSAA girls lacrosse brackets NYSPHSAA baseball brackets NYSPHSAA softball brackets Past years' brackets

   Chief among them was John Jay's 20-4 rout of Warwick behind two goals and six assists from Bryce Ford.

   The victory set up a rematch with Manhasset, which won the regular-season non-leaguer 11-5.

   "It was the first game of the year," John Jay's Luke Mercer said. "We weren't really at our best and we were missing a couple of kids. It was a close game, but we kind of let it go in the second half. We're going to game plan for them and I think we should be good."

    • In Class A, Mam- aroneck rode a first-quarter hat trick from Grant Malas to beat Kingston 10-4.

   Next up is a meeting with Massapequa on Wednesday.

   "I'm very much looking forward to it," Tigers midfielder J.B. Conner said. "I want to play a nationally ranked program like Massapequa. I think it'll be a good experience and I think we can stay in there with them."

   J-D girls step up: Jamesville-DeWitt fell two goals down in the second half before regrouping for a 10-8 win over Vestal in the girls Class C lacrosse quarterfinals.

   J-D went on a 5-0 run to take a 10-7 edge with under five minuted to go.

   Underclassmen Kailey McKenna, Riley LaTray and Evely Kessler combined for five goals and three assists.

   Working overtime: Kasey Choma's goal midway through overtime, her fifth score of the game, carried Eastport-South Manor past Manhasset 10-9 in the Class B quarterfinals.

   Manhasset won the opening OT draw but ESM goalkeeper Katie Vahle (eight saves) came up clutch. Two nights after making three saves in 45 seconds to preserve an 8-7 win over West Babylon in the Section 11 final, she made a diving stop and a kick save in the first half of overtime.

   "If it wasn't for Katie Vahle, we would not be where we are today," Choma said. "She's an amazing goalie."