Disappointing End for Tigers Doesn't Mar Season

After winning two straight sectional championships, the Mamaroneck varsity ice hockey team had a different emotion after this year's playoffs — disappointment.

Despite a 40-22 edge in shots, the Tigers lost to Lakeland/Panas 5-4 at Hommocks Park Ice Rink on Saturday night in the Division I sectional semifinals.

After Scott Hagan tied the game for Mamaroneck with 6:26 left, Robert Caffrey completed a hat trick by scoring the winner with 2:11 to play. The Rebels lost to Suffern the next day in the Section 1 final.

"I've been spoiled," Mamaroneck junior Sam Christiansen said. "My freshman year we upset Suffern [in the sectional final], the next year we go to the state finals. This is unfamiliar territory. It feels weird."

"Nothing really went well," said coach Mike Chiapparelli, who was late to the game because he had a family emergency. "All the things that happened that day were tough on us."

The disappointing conclusion marred an otherwise successful season. Despite having to replace all six starters, the Tigers stormed out of the gate with 10 straight wins, including 5-2 over Division II champion Rye, 7-2 against upstate power Shenendehowa and 6-4 over Section 9 champion Monroe-Woodbury.

"We trained very hard in the off-season and came into this season in the best shape of any team around," Chiapparelli said.

Among the players who stepped into starring roles was Joe Naclerio, who had 47 points in his first three years, but recorded 53 this season.

"People realize that they have shoes to fill and they really need to step it up," Naclerio said.  "As a captain, I really had to be a leader."

Matt Conner and Scott Hagan were also 40-point scorers this season, while Dean Chiapparelli, Christiansen and Craig Schiff all had at least 20.

Mamaroneck's winning streak ended with back-to-back overtime losses to Suffern and White Plains, but the Tigers bounced back with eight wins in nine games until the shocking loss to the Rebels.

Mamaroneck, which was ranked as high as No. 4 in the state, finished with 18 wins, more than all but two teams in Division I — Suffern and West Genesee.

"I'm disappointed because at the beginning of the season I had aspirations of at least getting to the sectional finals," Christiansen said. "But I had fun and we were fourth in the state, so by no means was it a failure season. We just didn't get to exactly where we wanted."