For the 23rd time, the West Genesee boys lacrosse team has given itself a chance to earn the state Class A championship – and it took the last step toward that title game in a very familiar manner.
Buoyed by a superb defense, the Wildcats fought past Section V champion Pittsford 8-7 in Wednesday night’s state semifinal, held right in the Panthers’ backyard at St. John Fisher College.
Stung early, WG’s back line, led by Nick Mellen, Jake McCarthy, Alex Tripodi and goalie Nick O’Neill, blanked Pittsford for more than 26 minutes of game time, giving the Wildcats ample time to rally from a three-goal deficit, and then making the one stop it needed in the final minute to hang on.
WG never had a lead until Conor Bartlett’s goal midway through the fourth quarter broke a 6-6 tie. Then Nick Cunningham helped make it 8-6 when, with 2:05 left, he faked a shot at the doorstep and passed to Mike Fletcher, who put it past Pittsford goalie Kevin Maguire.
Still, it wasn’t over. Pittsford cut the margin to one, and ended that 26-plus minute drought, on Colby Barker’s goal with 1:45 to play.
David Procopio won the ensuing face-off, but the Wildcats, as it had done far too much for its own comfort during the game, turned it over. Pittsford called time-out, trying to set up a tying goal.
Deciding to shoot quickly, Pittsford got the ball back to Barker, who from the right side got an open look – but Nick O’Neill made his biggest save of the season with exactly one minute to play.
“It was very nerve-wracking,” said O’Neill. “But it felt good to get that save.”
WG held on from there, running out the last minute and vanquishing a tough Pittsford foe that, in the early stages, looked like it had solved the Wildcats’ defensive riddle.
Pittsford entered the game at 19-1, its lone defeat to Victor in overtime, and it boasted an exciting attack that did not require much help to crank up – but WG gave it to them during a high-scoring first quarter.
Three different times, Wildcats turnovers led to Panthers goals. Led by James Felix, who scored twice, Pittsford grabbed a 2-0 lead, withstood goals by Nick Cunningham and Mike Fletcher, and ended the period on a 3-0 run, with Colby Barker and Jack Kaufman both finding the net on transition goals.
Trailing 5-2 through one period, WG had to slow the game down, and it did. Ryan McDonald and David Procopio both scored in the second quarter, while Kaufman netted his second goal in between those plays.
Pittsford took a 6-4 lead into the break, but more importantly for the Wildcats, it had solved the Panthers’ offensive scheme after a rough start.
“At the start, we were rattled a bit,” said Mellen. “But we figured them out and played smart defense.”
Much of the third quarter was played in Pittsford’s end. WG endured another series of turnovers, but also played strong defense any time the Panthers had the ball, and got the only goal of the period when Fletcher scored, unassisted, at the 10:16 mark.
Barely a minute into the fourth quarter, Procopio tied it, 6-6, setting up the tense finish that helped bring WG to the brink of a 16th state championship.
On Saturday at 1:30, the Wildcats travel to Vestal High School, near Binghamton, to face Niskayuna, who stunned state no. 1-ranked Syosset 14-11 in its state semifinal at Middletown. The Silver Warriors are attempting to become the first Section II program to win a state title in any class.