Fairport 2022

Class A - Monroe County League

In the abbreviated 2021 season, the Red Raiders took the top seed in Class A with an 8-5 record and with only seven teams in the Class A bracket they had a bye in the first round. They beat a greatly improved Hilton, 11-6 in the semifinals, and then beat Pittsford in overtime for their tenth championship and second in a row. Full Story

There are seven teams in Class A this year and all teams can play in the tournament which will start with quarter final games on May 25th this year. As of March 17th, the coaches poll predicts that Fairport and Pittsford will play in the championship game. The first complete poll will be posted on April 3rd. Full Story

There are ten teams in Class B this year and all teams can play in the tournament which will start with out-bracket games on May 23rd this year. As of March 17th, the coaches poll predicts that Canandaigua will play Victor or Thomas in the championship game. The first complete poll will be posted on April 3rd. Full Story

In the twentieth century many coaches studied the game and then took over the programs for their own long, noteworthy runs. Full Story

"The Nieman family is battling a new diagnosis for Coach Dave Nieman--- Guillain-Barré Syndrome. GB is an extremely rare neurological condition. Guillain-Barre recovery and rehabilitation is a very, very long road." Full Story

There are so many great stories about coaches with long and successful runs, but one story is about a short run with astounding results. Full Story

In the earliest years, there were only 199 All-Americans for the whole country, so the number in each area that played was small. Monroe County and Finger Lakes teams shared the number of awards and picked their own winners. Full Story

In the “modern period” there have been a just a few programs that were constantly at the top of the local lacrosse world and one of them was Rush-Henrietta. Full Story

At the Executive Committee meeting in June of 1974, there were three significant decisions. The third was the decision to approve lacrosse as a sectional sport in 1975. Full Story

The Fairport Red Raiders are looking for one more game to fill out their 2022 schedule. Fairport was 10-5 last year and won the Class A championship title. If interested contact Head Coach Mike Torrelli at mtorrelli@fairport.org. Full Story

The Haverling Rams are looking for varsity and modified games to fill out their 2022 schedule. Haverling finished the 2021 season at 10-5 and second in the section in office, averaging almost 14 goals, per game. Jamie O`Neil returns for his senior year after scoring 69g-60a last year. Full Story

Before the 1960’s officials were generally selected by the home team. They were most often “retired” coaches or former players who wanted to stay close to the game. Full Story

[ Editor note: We recently heard that Joe Caraher, mentioned in this story, will be returning as the Mynderse  Head Coach for the 2022 season. ]

For over twenty-five years, Mynderse Academy Head Coach Al Henry created a very big family. The hallmark of his many years of teaching lacrosse centered around the concept that the lacrosse teams were a family. Full Story

By William David Moore

It would be a tough act to follow – a New York State Championship, or at least a legitimate claim for one. Jim Loman’s accession to the lacrosse coaching duties at Geneva High School in the spring of 1924 brought high expectations for him and the school’s fledgling, but highly accomplished team of ‘stickwielders.’ Full Story

Back in “the old days”, most coaches became head coaches only after learning from mentors. They often started by coaching modified or junior varsity teams and eventually had enough experience to be hired as the head of a program. When coaches “grew up” in the same program, the team benefited from the consistency of teaching the “way we do things” and most often the team, over years, was successful. Full Story

Section V ran their first lacrosse tournament in 1975 and eleven teams were entered with Rush-Henrietta seeded first. Webster Thomas was seeded second and when fourth-seeded Irondequoit beat them (7-4) in the semifinals, Irondequoit faced Thomas for the championship.Tournament Page. Full Story

Born in October of 1920, Herbert T. Fitch lived a life that was full of lacrosse and service. At Geneva High School he played football, basketball and lacrosse and was a four-year letterman, helping Geneva capture the league title in both his junior and senior years. Full Story

[Editor: As we look at one hundred years, we have the chance to look not just way, way back, but also in the more recent past. This time we look at the accomplishments of both a Geneva alumnus and an Irondequoit great.]

With 431 wins Irondequoit’s John Pratt is at the head of the list of most wins within Section V. In fact, at present, he is at number 14 in the state and 34 in the nation for wins. Full Story

As Dr. J.B. Covert of Hobart was facilitating the 1922 birth of lacrosse at Geneva High School, legendary Syracuse University coach Laurie Cox was mentoring the development of the sport at the scholastic level in the larger city to the east. A pair of teams emerged from that mentorship, Syracuse Central and Christian Brothers Academy. Along with Geneva those two schools created the foundation of competitive schoolboy lacrosse in Upstate New York that would last until 1940. Full Story

The first twenty years of the Irondequoit lacrosse history were led by two coaches, Vern Babcock, sometimes called the “father of Irondequoit lacrosse” and Ernie Lisi who is also called the “father of Irondequoit Lacrosse” and who, in his sixteen years, put Irondequoit on the local and national map. Full Story

Many readers might not know that Corning East (and West) lacrosse teams both played in Section V before moving back to Section IV where they are today. From 1976 and through the 1983 season, Corning East was a top contender in Section V. Geneva alumnus, Coach Corcoran started the Corning program in 1967 and they played in Section IV or the Upstate League until 1975. Full Story

When Joe Corcoran restarted the Geneva lacrosse program in 1957, freshman Jack McDonald made the team. He had three coaches in his first three years as Joe Kraus (son of the well-known “Babe” Kraus) coached his sophomore year and then Bob Manners started his long run which continued until Jack replaced him in 1970. In his senior year, Jack won the Covert Trophy for the most valuable player. Those four years was the beginning of a life-long love of the sport. Full Story

By William David Moore

"For more than a quarter of a century Jim Loman taught good sportsmanship, as attested by the number of banners that hang from our walls." - Geneva Superintendent of Schools Lynn Housman, 1949

The infant Geneva High School lacrosse program and native son Jim Loman first intersected in the summer of 1923. The two would be intimately linked for 17 years. Full Story

The Genesee Valley Lacrosse Officials Association is once again providing training for people who would like to learn how to help conduct the boys game and earn some money in the process. The new official’s orientation classes will start soon. It is great opportunity for someone who is thinking about staying involved in the game and wants to learn what it takes to be a “certified” NYS HS Lacrosse Official. Full Story

By William David Moore

Some of the most interesting lacrosse games played in Geneva are staged on the asphalt pavement on the south end of Exchange Street. - Geneva Daily Times June 4, 1921

In a LAX LINES piece on SportFive.Net, “New Sport for School,” Coach Paul Wilson introduced Geneva as the pioneering scholastic program in Section Five nearly a century ago. What was the source of the idea and where did the impetus for the sport’s first adoption come from? The Daily Times’ “Sports Notes” author continues: Full Story