Regional lacrosse: Niskayuna faces old rival today

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Yorktown traveled to Shenendehowa for a non-league boys’ lacrosse game in early April, but the Cornhuskers are headed this way again to face a different Section II opponent in a game with much more at stake.

Niskayuna and Yorktown will renew their cross-state rivalry in one of three regional semifinals today at the University at Albany’s John Fallon Field. The Section II girls’ champions are on the road at Fox Lane High School for regional semis.

“They’re good in the faceoff X. They play great defense. They’re very patient on offense and they shoot well,” said Niskayuna coach Mike Vorgang of Yorktown. “I think it’s going to be a battle.”

Vorgang scouted Yorktown’s 12-4 win over John Jay late in March. Yorktown (17-2) beat John Jay again on Friday, 17-3, behind Nick Mariano’s six goals to capture its 36th Section I championship. Niskayuna (19-0) topped Ballston Spa. 20-4, Saturday for its 12th Section II title to set up today’s 3:30 Class B contest.

“A bunch of us were at the game early in the season when Shen beat them,” said Niskayuna junior Mike D’Amario, who had six goals against Ballston Spa. “They’re a really good team.”

Yorktown lost at Shenendehowa in overtime, 12-11. The Cornhuskers’ other loss also came in overtime, 13-12 against St. Anthony’s of Long Island, and they’ve rattled off five straight wins since.

“Everybody is different now than they were in the beginning of the season,” said Mike Vorgang. “In order for us to win, we’ve got to play a perfect game. Yorktown is an excellent team.”

Yorktown holds a 4-2 regional advantage against Niskayuna, with wins in 1994, 1999, 2007, and 2008. Niskayuna beat Yorktown in 2000 and in 2005, when it made a run to the state Class A championship game.

Niskayuna entered the week with a No. 1 state ranking, and Yorktown was No. 3.

Glens Falls (9-5) and Bronxville (Section I, 19-1) will play a Class C game today at 5:30, and Shenendehowa (16-3) meets Mamaroneck (Section I, 13-6) at 8.

Glens Falls earned its fourth straight regional berth with a 13-10 win over Schuylerville. Bronxville — which has lost only to Yorktown — advanced with a 15-9 win over Pleasantville. Bronxville beat Glens Falls in 2012 and 2011 regional finals.

Shenendehowa beat Shaker, 18-10. behind Brian Rogers’ seven goals, and Mamaroneck beat North Rockland, 7-4, to set up their first regional meeting.

Girls

Guilderland (16-1) and Suffern (Section I, 16-3) begin the girls’ triple-header with a Class A game at 2. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 12-6) plays John Jay (Section I, 14-4-1) in a Class B game at 4, and Albany Academy (17-2) plays Putnam Valley (Section I, 17-3) in a Class C game at 6.

Guilderland beat Shaker, 15-8, to earn a matchup with Suffern’s young team that has no seniors and only two juniors. Suffern advanced with a 9-4 win against North Rockland.

John Jay upset Yorktown, 12-10, for its first secional title since 1993. Burnt Hills won its second area title in three years at Queensbury’s expense, 14-11.

Academy beat Emma Willard, 15-5, and Putnam Valley beat Albertus Magnus, 11-9, to reach the regionals.