CORTLAND – Wanting to climb to the pedestal of a state Class A championship game required the Liverpool boys lacrosse team to achieve one more hard-fought victory – but it would prove out of reach.
Rochester McQuaid, the Section V champions, was the opponent in Wednesday’s state semifinal at SUNY-Cortland, and rode a quick start all the way to a 10-5 victory over the Warriors.
Start to finish, a large part of the story was in the face-off circle. The Knights’ duo of Dom Gianagreco and Eoin Meyer took turns grabbing draws throughout the afternoon, increasing McQuaid’s possession time and making a strong Liverpool defense do all it could to keep the game close.
Taking the initial face-off, it took just 45 seconds for the Knights to go in front, Giangreco bouncing a shot past Owen Salanger. Vinny Giangreco scored two minutes later, and A.J. Quadrello and John Harding followed with goals.
Only a series of great stops from Salanger kept the deficit to 4-0 going into the second period, but even when Chris Mattot put Liverpool on the board off a feed from Dom Osbeck, J.P. Gianforti answered for the Knights just 11 seconds later.
Salanger, who finished with 16 saves, did all he could to spark the Warriors, even making a full-field run to take a shot midway through the quarter. Yet all it could add was a second goal from Mattot, again assisted by Osbeck, and went to the break trailing 6-2.
Though Mattot added a third goal in the third period, the Warriors met with more frustration, with two different shots crashing off posts and the Knights’ John Harding adding a third goal to the two he scored early.
Each time Liverpool produced anything, the Knights answered it. It happened again midway through the fourth quarter, Brady Michaud and Owen Michaud both finding the net but Vinny Giangreco hitting on his second goal in between those tallies.
McQuaid also proved effective running out the game’s last five-plus minutes, deftly possessing the ball despite plenty of Liverpool pressure, and adding a goal from Liam Palmer with 1:02 left to clinch it.
This memorable Liverpool season ended at 10-10, the rigors of a tough schedule rewarded by a post-season run that included beating rival Cicero-North Syracuse, dethroning reigning two-time state champion Baldwinsville and then a regional win over Corning.
Salanger, Osbeck, Owen Michaud, Gavin Kenna and defenders Braden Seymour and Joe Gravante lead the departing senior class, but a large and strong returning group in 2025 is led by Mattot, Brady Michaud, Jake Berthoff and Danny Dunn.
