Nyack College Baseball Perseveres, and Local Athlete Wins Gold Abroad

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Mike Shea of Congers already held the school’s career points record—as well as the school’s single-game goals and points marks—but when the College of Mount Saint Vincent visited Centenary in Hackettstown, NJ, in the season finale, the senior attack was looking for something more elusive.

The Dolphins, based in Riverdale, had yet to finish with at least a .500 mark in men’s lacrosse, and just needed a win to go an historic 7-7 in Shea’s final collegiate season.

But scripts are not always written in storybook fashion, and the determined Dolphins were turned back, 16-10, after drawing to within two goals late in the game.

“It was tough, we wanted to go out with a win,” the Clarkstown North graduate noted. “We had a chance, we came back from 12-6 to 12-10, but they scored four and it was over.”

Shea, whose eligibility is complete, has one more year at the college, but he hopes to perhaps be offered a coaching job somewhere.

In the meantime, Shea’s playing days are not over, even though he recognizes that a pro career is a long shot. Instead, he will be playing with amateur teams in two divisions in the summer Sound Shore Lacrosse League based in the Hudson Valley.

Shea will be joining “a bunch of guys from (Clarkstown) South” who represent Foley’s Tavern in Pleasantville, and he will also be a part of Tiger Blood Lacrosse, a newly formed outfit.

On Foley’s, Shea will have two Clarkstown South grads as teammates in John Gabriel of West Nyack, and Mike Holvig of New City, both of whom who are also playing together at New England College in Henniker, NH.

Gabriel, a senior midfielder, leads the Pilgrims in scoring--and is second in Division III--with 81 points on 53 goals and 28 assists. He sparked a huge 18-10 victory over the College of New England that secured home field for Saturday’s quarterfinal playoff game against Roger Williams University in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC).

Holvig is a sophomore defenseman for the Pilgrims.

The Dolphins expect more help in the future from sophomore midfielder Matt Desimone of Congers. The Clarkstown North graduate finished fifth in team scoring with 12 goals and two assists in only 14 games, including eight starts.

Honored

On the strength of leading the women’s basketball team to a 21-7 season, including a 17-4 mark in the East Coast Conference, St. Thomas Aquinas College head coach Kim Lusk of West Nyack was named all-Met Division II coach of the year at the 78^th Metropolitan Writers Association annual dinner.

The Lady Spartans’ Brian Sloper of Williston Park was selected to the all-Met team for a second straight season, after leading the team with 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

World champion

Harvard University sophomore defender Josephine Pucci of Pearl River, and three former Crimson players, helped Team USA capture the gold medal at the IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship in Zurich, Switzerland.

Pucci, who had a goal in Team USA’s first-round win over Slovakia, was on the ice in the title game, a 3-2 overtime victory over Canada. It was her first IIHF title as a member of Team USA.

Former Harvard stars Caitlin Cahow, Angela Ruggiero, and Julie Chu posted their third straight title with the team, directed by veteran Harvard coach Katey Stone.

In the tournament, the Americans allowed just two goals in three games while scoring 27.

Perseverance

The Nyack College baseball team, which is no longer looking for its first win of the season, visits Dowling today, and then entertains Philadelphia University on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Warriors, who had lost 31 straight games over two seasons, losing several in extra innings and others after holding late leads, finally broke through against local rival Dominican, winning 3-2 at home on April 18.

“This game truly showed how much fight and heart are in this team,” second-year head coach Matt Cornacchione was quoted as saying. “I am continually impressed with how hard we play, and the way we show up every game.”

Junior pitcher Kevin Earlier of Moriches held the Chargers to one earned run in eight innings, striking out eight, and Wayne Richardson of Wallington, NJ, also a junior, preserved the victory with two strikeouts. The right-hander made the final putout, taking a toss from first baseman Zack McVadon of Chesapeake, VA.

Spartan effort

Junior right-hander Joe Ferrara of Congers went the distance for the St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team in a 5-0 victory over rival Dominican College at Veterans Park in Orangeburg.

Ferrara, a Clarkstown North graduate, allowed just three hits in his nine-inning stint, and struck out six Chargers, who fell to 22-15.

Chris Brown of Tenafly, NJ, Tony Blake of Windsor, CT, and Marco Moreno of Miami, FL, were the only Chargers to solve Ferrara’s slants as he lowered his ERA to a very-fine 1.30 while evening his record to 3-3.

The Spartans, now 18-20-1 overall, struck for three runs in the first inning against Caleb Whitely of San Antonio, TX, and never looked back. They got offensive support from lefty-hitting first baseman Vin Malzahn of Port Jervis HS, who supplied an RBI double and a two-run double.

Mike Walraven of Pine Bush went 3-for-4, and sophomore infielder Frank Salerno of New City scored two runs for the Spartans, who visit Mercy College of Dobbs Ferry today at 3 p.m., and again on Sunday for a noon doubleheader.

Looking to next season, the Mavericks (15-19) expect that up-and-coming freshmen Corey Lopez of New City, a catcher; outfielder Brendan Siegriest of Nanuet, and pitcher John Tricario of New City will see more game action, and provide more support.

Dominican welcomes Wilmington University on Saturday for a twinbill scheduled to start at 5 p.m.

The visiting Wildcats appear to be an awesome opponent for Coach Rick Giannetti’s Chargers, sporting a 32-6 record including two wins each over STAC and Nyack.

Wilmington has a team batting average of .280 to opponents’ .206, has outscored the opposition 243-101, and for good measure the staff is pitching to a sparkling 2.37 ERA.

Mortarboard musings

• The Manhattan College baseball team meets East Tennessee State University (24-15) in a three-game series this weekend in Johnson City, TN. Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at noon. Suffern’s Scott McClennan, a freshman hurler, has a crisp 1.76 ERA in seven appearances, including two starts, for the Jaspers (20-10).
• The men’s tennis team at St. Thomas Aquinas College closed its regular season with a 9-0 victory over Caldwell. The win, sparked by senior Nick Cittadino of Brick, NJ, lifted the Spartans’ record to 9-10.
• Led by sophomore Lewis Morse of Kings Ferry, who placed 18^th with a two-day total of 81-81—162, the Dominican College golf team turned in a seventh-place effort at the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference tournament at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club in Lafayette, PA. A depleted Nyack College squad--sophomore Sean Lawrence of Monroe Township, NJ, withdrew with an injury—still managed a fifth-place finish, led by Lisbon, Portugal, senior Joao Gill’s 78-82—160.
• The St. Thomas Aquinas College golf team, top-ranked in the East Region, will compete in the NCAA Super Regionals, scheduled May 2-4 at Glade Springs Resort in Daniels, WV. Senior Chris Fitzpatrick of Westwood, NJ, is ranked 2^nd in the region with a scoring average of 74.23. Other key Spartans include junior John Casey of Garnerville and North Rockland High, Mike Gunderson of Duxbury, MA, and Thomas Linehan of Dansville.
• The Dominican College men’s lacrosse team hosts C.W. Post on Saturday in East Coast Conference action at 1 p.m. on Senior Day.  Rookie Thomas Dertinger of Nanuet has compiled 17 points in 10 games.
• Ali Steinberg of Suffern, recently honored as Skyline Conference player of the week, continues to wield a hot hand for the women’s lacrosse team at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights defeated Villanova 13-10 at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ, as senior midfielder Marlena Welsh of Jarrettsville, MD, and Steinberg, a junior midfielder, each scored four goals. Rutgers hosts Georgetown at 1 p.m. on Sunday in a game that will serve as Senior Day for five Scarlet Knights.
• Rockland Community College, led by runner-up Colby Lewis, maintained its first-place standing in the Mid-Hudson Conference golf standings by winning a conference match at Spook Rock Golf Course in Suffern. Lewis netted a 74, while Albertus Magnus graduate Terrance Michalak finished with an 80, and teammate John Borean, a Clarkstown South grad, posted an 81. Dan Gizzi of Stony Point continues to show improvement, and fired a season-best 84. RCC won with 319; Ulster finished second with 348.