Yorktown Patch Weekly Sports Report

It was a classic first half between the rival Yorktown and Lakeland/Panas boys lacrosse squads, a half that saw each team score six goals in the hallowed Murphy Cup game Saturday night in front of an SRO crowd at Charlie Murphy Field at Yorktown High School.

The game came down to the team that would make the most out of their opportunities in the second half. Yorktown (9-4) did and Lakeland/Panas (7-6) didn’t as the Huskers outscored the Rebels 5-1 in the second half to earn an 11-7 triumph.

The win was extra sweet for the Huskers because last season, for the first time ever, Yorktown lost twice to Lakeland/Panas. The Rebels defeated Yorktown in the Murphy Cup contest at Lakeland 10-7 and in overtime in the Section 1 Class A championship game 8-7 at White Plains High School.

Since Yorktown is in Class B this year for the postseason, it can’t avenge that championship loss, but  the team went all out to bring the Murphy Cup back to where it usually resides. Saturday's win gave Yorktown a glittering 19-3 mark in Murphy Cup competition.

“It’s a tremendous amount of relief,” Yorktown coach Dave Marr said. “Having the Murph Cup not here is tough to do, it’s a tough feeling. It’s nerve racking. It’s a satisfied feeling to know you don’t have to worry about it now.”

The cup and the Huskers’ home field is named after Charlie Murphy, the benefactor of the legendary Yorktown lacrosse program, which started back in the mid-1960s.

That was the start to the most storied program in Section 1 history as Yorktown has amassed 33 Section 1 titles (28 of them since 1979) and six state titles, the first of those coming in ‘84.

“Last year during our game against Lakeland/Panas in the Murphy Cup, we were tied 5-5 and we lost the game in the second half,” Yorktown's Nick Mariano said. “This year we just came out fired up, stuck to our game plan and we won.”

Mariano registered four goals against the Rebels, sharing game high honors in that category with teammate Ty Schuldt.

Lakeland/Panas may have lost but its coach, Jim Lindsay, appreciated the hustle his team displayed against the Huskers.

“This is an emotional game, the kids played their hearts out,” Lindsay said. “That’s probably the best game we played from start to finish all year. That’s a very good team we played against tonight. We played for a full 48 minutes. The ball just didn’t ball didn’t bounce our way.”

“Defensively, this is the first time we showed that we could play for an entire game,” Lindsay continued. “We gave them some fits. We come to practice Monday and we just build on that.”

Lakeland/Panas did enjoy an offensive outburst late in the opening quarter when it scored four goals in a row, coming from Tony Laguerre, Conor Prunty, Andrew Sofronio and Robert Caffrey, to go up 4-2.

“We were playing with a lot of energy, we were picking up loose balls and we were finishing opportunities,” Lindsay said.

The two teams continued to go back and forth as Yorktown scored twice, once before the end of the first quarter, on a goal by Mariano, and on a goal by Schuldt, 45 seconds into the second quarter, to tie the game at four.

“Nicky just seemed to do well against their zone, he was able to find a way to get open and Tyler’s been our horse pretty much all year, especially the last couple of weeks after returning from injury,” Marr said.

The two teams split the next four goals before halftime, setting the stage for Yorktown in the decisive third quarter. That’s when Yorktown outscored the Rebels 3-0.

Schuldt started the scoring with an unassisted tally, Justin Mabus then scored off an assist from Conor Gately, then Schuldt scored again with Mariano assisting.

“Words can’t explain it,” Mariano said. “Last year, we lost it. This year we had to win it back and that’s what we did. I just can’t explain how happy I feel.”

Hornets' de Marte shines

Lakeland senior pitcher Jonathan de Marte, who is going to pitch at the University of Richmond next year, earned Lakeland baseball player of the week honors by defeating host Yorktown 4-1 Saturday afternoon. The win gave Lakeland (11-2) the Sorrentino Cup.

The Hornets' hurler was masterful as he struck out 13 Huskers (2-9) and had a perfect game going into the seventh inning before it was broken up by a home run from Jake Matranga.

“I was throwing a lot of strikes, I was able to work ahead in the count,” de Marte said. “I was getting the change-up to work, I threw a lot of change-ups for strikes.”

Matranga’s dinger was the only hit given up by de Marte.

“I threw a fastball I was supposed to throw low and away but I left it up,” de Marte said.

In addition to his excellence on the mound, de Marte also starred at the plate, by going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Teammate Joey Arena was 2 for 3, including a home run, with 3 RBI.

The win was Lakeland’s second against the Huskers, having beat Yorktown 5-3 at the start of the season on opening night at LHS.

“We swept them for the year so that feels good,” de Marte said.

The Sorrentino Cup is named after Joe Sorrentino Jr. who was born Jan. 4, 1965 and died Dec. 12, 1981. Sorrentino played football, basketball and baseball for the Huskers.

Softball set

In what could be a playoff preview, Lakeland (8-4) will travel to Hendrick Hudson, last year’s Section 1 Class A finalist, Monday, May 9, before hosting the Sailors on Tuesday, May 10.

Both games are at 4:30 p.m.