Western was the victor but they played a closer than expected game with a much improved New York City team in the first game of day three of the Empire State Lacrosse Games at the beautiful RIT Stadium Field.
  
Western scored the first two goals of the game, starting with one just 38 seconds into the game, when Dom Scalzo (Webster Thomas) scored on a feed from Mike Danylyshyn (Fairport) who scored the second with an assist from Michael Manley. Nick Weaver scored an unassisted goal for NYC at the 6:10 mark. Matt Pierotti (Corning East) scored on an assist from Danylyshyn at 3:14 ending the first quarter with Western up 3-1.
  
New York City scored first in the second period when Anthony Adler scored (unassisted) soon after the opening face off, won on a technical by Jacques Ward. Scalzo scored right off the next face off, one of nine in a row by Western’s face off man, Carter Bloor (Corning East), who through the first three, games tops the leader board for face offs with 30 wins. Michael White (Nichols) scored on a feed from Grant Catalino in man up at 9:38, but NYC came right back with a goal by Forest Sonnenfeldt (assisted by Max Vanboargondien), also in man up. Scalzo scored his third at 5:20 which was offset a couple of minutes later by Sonnenfeldt who scored an assisted man up goal with the help of Phil Dimin. The halftime break started with Western ahead 6-4.
  
After a slow start, New York came to within one goal again when Ward scored an unassisted goal while NYC was in man down. Western responded quickly with a goal by Justin Rose (unassisted) just thirty seconds later. The game slowed down, offensively, until the last minute of the quarter, when three goals were scored, starting with a NYC goal at 0:38 by Dimin (assisted by Weaver) in man up. Canandaigua’s Adam Groot scored at 0:14 (unassisted) and Grant Catalino scored at 0:05 (unassisted) to give Western a 9-6 lead after three quarters.
  
Western broke the game open in the fourth quarter, scoring three goals while holding New York City to a single goal, at 10:25 by Vanboargondien. Western saw scores by Charlie Sauter while in man down, Catalino with another bull dodge goal and a third one from Manley.
  
RJ Wickham, playing three quarter in the Western goal made 8s/5ga (62%) and Thomas Holden finished the game with 1s/1ga (50%). Carter Bloor, who has taken a staggering number of face offs during the tournament added 16 more wins, while giving up 5 (76%).
  
Michael Brockway recorded 10 saves while allowing 12 goals against (46%) for NYC.
  
Scoring for New York City were Weaver (1g-1a), Adler (1g), Sonnenfeldt (2g), Ward (2g), Dimin (1g-1a), Vanboargondien (1a).
  
Scoring for Western were Scalzo (3g), Danylyshyn (1g-2a), Pierotti (1g), White (1g), Rose (1g), Groot (1g), Catalino (2g-1a), Sauter (1g), Manley (1g-1a).
  
Western will play an important game against Hudson Valley at noon on Sunday. The game could help to decide who takes home a medal.
    

  

(July 28, 2006)- In an unusual game, Hudson Valley scored all but one of the goals in the first half, and Adirondack scored all of the goals in the second half. The first half effort was enough for HV to improve their record to 3-1 and hold on to the second best record after round four and greatly improve their chances for a medal.
  
The Hudson Valley defense held Adirondack to a single shot on goal in the first quarter which goalie David Sarubbi saved. At the other end of the field, the HV offense scored five goals in the first quarter, starting with an unassisted goal by Matt Witko who won the face off and scored just 16 seconds into the game. Jay Lucas scored the second at 10:00 on a feed from Brian Douglass. Kevin Stockel, who has 12 points in four games, scored the third on a feed from Chris Bocklet. Stockel then assisted goals by Myles Monaghan and Robbie Bosco. Hudson Valley had a 5-0 lead at the end of the quarter.
  
Although Adirondack scored the first goal at the start of the second quarter, an unassisted man down goal by Matt Johnson, the rest of the quarter belonged to Hudson Valley. Bocklet scored an unassisted goal at 8:30 and Monaghan added another (assisted by Andrew Collins) at 6:28 and again at 1:57 (unassisted). Brian Douglass, who is high in the leader board after three games, scored the last goal of the quarter and the last goal of the game for Hudson Valley at 0:15 (assisted by Evan von Heyn). Adirondack then held HV scoreless for then next 24:15.
  
Adirondack scored two goals in the third quarter. Steve Lefebvre scored the first at 5:19 with an assist from Jack Leary and then Aaron Cahill scored at 4:33 with an assist from Matt Levine. Hudson Valley led at the end of three quarters 9-3.
  
ADK continued their scoring streak with three more goals in the last quarter as Rob Prendergast scored (unassisted) at 10:05, followed by a combination from Derek Sipperly to Sam Boardman, and ending with another unassisted goal by Prendergast. The streak was not quite enough as HV took the 9-6 win.
  
Adirondack goalie Nic Rende recorded 8s/9ga (47%). HV’s David Sarubbi was a bit inconsistent, making five saves in a row in the third quarter but giving up 3 goals in the last quarter. He finished with 7s/6ga (54%).
  
Scoring for Adirondack were Johnson (1g), Lefebvre (1g), Prendergast (2g), Bradman (1g), Leary (1g), Levine (1g) and Sipperly (1g).
  
Scoring for Hudson Valley were Witko (1g), Lucas (1g), Stockel (1g-2a), Monaghan (3g), Bosco (1g-1a), Douglas (1g-1a), Collins (1a) and von Heyn (1a).
  
Hudson Valley will play a big game against Western at noon on Sunday where both teams will have an opportunity to affect the medal standings.
       

  

(July 28, 2006)- The Long Island – Central game is usually one of the most anticipated games of the annual tournament and this year was no different. Many felt that, even after Central’s loss to Hudson Valley, they could bounce back and beat the Long Island contingent. Although there were a number of lighting strikes in the area during game time the lightning did not come from the Central team, who only sporadically looked like they could stop the powerful offense or the aggressive defense from LI. Long Island scored 4g in the first and 5 more before the half, while holding Central to a total of 3 and they then repeated the numbers in the second half.
 
The game did not start, however without controversy as the Long Island team appealed a ruling that suspended star midfielder Rhamel Bratton for the Central game after he was ejected in the late game on Friday against Hudson Valley for receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. After a great deal of discussion, the suspension was upheld, and Bratton did not play in the game. He will, however, be available for Sunday’s game against Adirondack.
 
Long Island scored first, at 11:01 when Justin Turri scored on a pass from Al Kohart. Central returned at 8:45 with a goal by Jeremy Boltus (assisted by Nick Lococo). That Central goal, however was their last of the quarter, while LI saw two goals from Shamel Bratton and another from Zach Howell (assisted by defenseman Matt Vernam). LI had a 4-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
Central came within two goals when Tim Rommel scored on a pass from Joel White at 8:16. Long Island scored three more before Central struck back. Dean Gibbons scored two goals, one assisted by Ryan Young who also scored the third in the run. White scored an unassisted goal for Central and LI then saw two more goals, the first by Young assisted by Howell in man up and the second by Gibbons, assisted by Bratton in a 5-on-3 set. The half ended with Long Island firmly in control with a 9-3 lead.
 
The second half was lengthened by two breaks for lightning in the area. RIT is using sophisticated detection equipment that monitors the distance of such storms from the campus and uses the volunteer ham radio operators to notify the field personnel. Rules required all players and spectators to move to safety until the conditions change. The first break was called early in the third quarter and lasted more than 40 minutes. The second break occurred in the last quarter and lasted about 30 minutes.
 
Central appeared to rally after the halftime break, scoring the first two goals, the first from the initial face off, when Jeremy Boltus scored on a feed from Nunzio Doldo just six seconds into the quarter. John Greeley took the score to 9-5 with his goal and help from Jack Harmatuk at 11:08. The first lightning break cleared the stands at this point.
 
When the game was resumed, Long Island scored three more behind the efforts of Gibbons who scored one unassisted goal and one with an assist from Corey Winkoff. The other goal came from Bratton (unassisted). Central ended the scoring for the quarter as well as for the game when Boltus scored an unassisted goal at 1:45.
 
Long Island scored five more unanswered goals in the last quarter with a 30 minute lighting break about half way through the period. Bratton, Winkoff, Steven Denapoli and Gibbons each added one goal and Young added two, while Bratton added two assists and Gibbons added one assist.
 
The end of the game was spoiled somewhat by the weather and the frustration of players who have played a great deal of lacrosse over a short period of time and under hot and humid conditions. Central, who amassed 14 penalties in the game saw 6 of them in the fourth quarter. Long Island had 9 penalties, with only one in the last quarter.
 
Stephen Bentz won 15 of 17 face offs for LI while Al Kohart had 5 for 7.
 
Scoring for Central were Boltus (3g), Rommel (1g), White (1g-1a), Greeley (1g), Lococo (1a), Doldo (1a) and Harmatuk (1a).
 
Scoring for Long Island were Turri (1g), Shamel Bratton (4g-3a), Howell (1g-1a), Gibbons (6g-1a), Young (4g-1a), Winkoff (1g-2a), Denapoli (1g) and Al Kohart (1a).
 
Long Island will lock up the gold medal with a win over Adirondack on Sunday.