At left: Dylan Haas, John Bello (Somers). At right: Drew Beck, Andrew Masterson (John Jay). John Jay has won four straight titles. Somers is likely to be the top seed in the playoffs.
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Photos by Jim Stout/MaxPreps.com
I thought I had it all figured out on Friday night at about 9:20 p.m. when John Jay walked off the field with a 13-10 loss to Yorktown, but with a ton of respect.
After all, the Indians not only went toe to toe with the No. 2-ranked team in the LaxLessons.com Top 25 regional rankings and eighth-ranked team in the Under Armour/Inside Lacrosse national rankings, but did not at all look like the team that many questioned after losing to Lakeland/Panas and Putnam Valley in the middle of the season.
John Jay played with a plan and was poised and aggressive the whole way. The Indians and their 13 sophomores had clearly improved and come together as the start of the playoffs awaits.
So there it is, I thought. John Jay has to be the favorite to win it all once again.
Fast forward less than 24 hours later, and my thought process on the matter underwent a swift change. That’s because I had just seen Somers pull together after a rocky start to defeat one of the top programs in Connecticut, Cheshire 15-9.
There’s a lot to get to, and I have plenty more thoughts I will share. But first, let’s hear yours.
Question: Who will win the Section 1 Class B championship? John Jay? Somers? or are you going with someone else?
Reach Joe Lombardi at joe@laxlessons.com.
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Joe this is a very interesting and talked about topic right now.
I think it comes down to defense and athleticism. Somers gets the edge in both areas.
Look Somers is more athletic and has Jo Jo but there are more important factors to look at like coaching and discipline. John Jay has a big edge here. The Savs scout and prepare teams thoroughly. They will have a masterful game plan that I’m sure Somers will have no answer for. I expect them to box and one Jo Jo as they did KI. He will get frustrated and it could be a 4-5 goal JJ win.
Cmon now Four straight sectional titles. Win over the #1 team in HS lax history. Somers was great during the Rabidou era but what have they done since? Beat a flat Yorktown team once or twice? Big whoop. John Jay 12, Somers 7
I expect JJ did not want to tip its hand in the first meeting vs. Somers. That’s why they didn’t shut off Jo Jo. I can almost guarantee when they play again he will be shut off and then doubled whenever he touches the ball just as Cold Spring Harbor did. I hope Pfiffner is playing well as I was just reading here or else this game will be like 9-3 John Jay.
Purple-
Which team was the #1 in HS lax history?
re:lax, PurpleReigns is referring to Huntington. John Jay, which lost to the Blue Devils 9-6 early in the 2007 season, came back and beat Huntington 11-10 in double OT in the state semifinals to snap Huntington’s 63-game win streak at Hofstra.
That was the Huntington team led by twins Shamel and Rhamel Bratton (now starring at UVa) and Zach Howell (now starring at Duke). It was certainly one of the most dramatic and monumental HS lax games I’ve ever covered.
I don’t know if ’07 Huntington was the best HS lax team in history, but it was certainly one of the best and one of the most publicized.
Purple Reigns is referring to the win over Huntington in the 2007 State semis. I think certainly can beat Somers for the title. Its just a question of whether or not it will happen on that day. They both still have to get there.
Joe you asked for some contenders besides Somers and John Jay. I realize some people may jump on me but I really believe Greeley can win it all. I realize we lost very desicively to both John Jay and Somers but we are a different team now. I think we can beat either team in the semis and then the finals. So who’s gonna win Class B? GREELEY!
Joe & IJ-
Thanks. Definitely was a good team. I remember that one, great game. No bearing on this year’s tilt however.
Exactly. No bearing at all. JJ fans – please let go of the Huntington game. I mean you wound up losing to a mediocre JD team in the final after you won that game so whatever.
I agree JJ will box and one Jo Jo but they will learn we have other guys who can do work … Pfiff, Peaches, Dylan Haas, Colin Tulgren, Lombatz … The list goes on and on
If a John Jay-Somers rematch happens (and that’s still a big “if”), It would be hard to imagine John Jay not playing a box and one vs. Marasco as it did with great success against Kevin Interlicchio. However, I would expect Somers to counter that by playing Marasco at midfield possibly right off the bat.
There will be some key defensive matchups in a possible JJ-Somers game as well. John Jay is a midfielder oriented team with Will Stewart and Forrest Walter, Mike Daniello can play either attack or midfield. That’s a difficult team to defense because midfielders create more offense in unsettled situations when the defense does not have a chance to set up.
Somers’ close unit of Eddie Schurr, Erik Zmuidins and John Bello has been playing well of late in front of goalie Chris Longo, who is also having an outstanding yesterday. Yesterday, they held Cheshire to one goal in the second half.
Quaker Nation
Have always felt that Greeley has enough quality players to be very competitive in Class B assuming the team plays up to its potential.
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I’m not sure who’s winning Sec 1, but the winner will be facing a very nasty Nisky team that has been crushing some decent opponents.
HV-. Lax Why do you think Coach Lew does not scout. I have seen him at a few of our JJ games. His game plan the first time in changing defenses, and shutting off was OK. I know Savs might have more tricks up there sleeve. However do not underestimate the importance of getting the first seed over the second. The semi-final game matchups could get interesting. Right now I believe it will come down to who brings there A game, and limits big mistakes!
right now id go with john jay, if u saw the first game diana had a play role on faceoffs and ground balls, and based on yesterday he looks extremley hurt. without him i go john jay by 5, with him somers by 2
Uh oh. Do the Sav’s also have every Greeley DVD, Schoolhouse?
laxerr-Agree with you that a strong performance all over the field by Diana, as he did vs. Town could tip the scales in somers favor.
Crease-The way this season is going with all the OT games, absolutely agree that it will come down to who brings their A game to the field.
OK so John Jay will be better prepared and has an edge in Xs and Os. I get that. But I really think all the scouting in the world can’t prepare them for Somers’ physicality. I mean John Jay was pushed around by Yorktown, a team that is not that physical at all other than one or two guys.
No – One in Section One, is even close to Matching Somers Physical play. Will this and there recently Potent offense be enough to bring home a section Championship?
Somers will get too many penalties playing that style.
JJ over looks nobody. they also no they will play a good greeley team in the semis and have at least 5 films on them.
Who coaches JJ? Nolan, Savs or
Martin Scorsese, with all these films!!
LOL!
I wonder how many films of Jamesville Dewitt Nicky and Vinny and Nolan had …
Somers and Lew scout like crazy and JJ will not even be close to us. We will destroy jj 15-8
The Color Purple Runs,
Maybe not overall team vs somers but I’ll put Katches and Litwak of Greeley aggressive, physical play against the most aggressive on Somers. And they have excellent lacrosse skills as well.
ripo,
Agree that as always J will be prepared for Greeley and they’ll definitely be favored.
But HG is a good team with more then several really skilled players on O and D (although not all playing up to their ability I think). I expected them to win more games and am not sure why they haven’t. Was also surprised by the margin of some of their losses. If they could return to the way they played Town in the 1st half of their game they could be a favorite. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda”………….
you mean the first half of yorktown when town went up 7-1 and starting subbing
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Joe,
Two questions 1- Is the seed meeting really at 9:30am on Tuesday. thought it was usually at night?.2- What is the curfew for the Section Championship, just in case JJ and Somers go into like 7 Overtimes?
Hello Al. Or should I say “BOOYA” –
Anyway, yes, the seeding meetings for all sports are now held at BOCES in Elmsford. It will convene at 9 a.m. tomorrow. I hope to have the pairings/seedings by noon or so.
As far as overtimes, there is no curfew per sé. It is in the discretion of the Section 1 lacrosse chairman and school officials. So you think we’re going to have some OTs if JJ and Somers wind up playing?
I picked Somers to start the season and have looked pretty good for doing so, BUT John Jay is the better team right now.
This has the potential to be a shootout of the highest order. The winner may have to score 15, 16, 17 goals.
I’m going to say John Jay wins 16-14, But if the Savs are successful with a scheme on Marasco, Jay could win by 4 or 5 goals. Somers just doesn’t have the team D to handle Jay’s offensive depth.
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