Carmel advances to Section 1 Class A boys lacrosse championship for the first time
CARMEL – Might as well make history.
After making noticeable strides over the last four years, Carmel was looking to do more this spring than post a couple of statement wins.
Check.
The Rams ended a memorable run by Scarsdale, dispatching the back-to-back-to-back Section 1 Class A champions Thursday in an intense semifinal by a 10-7 margin.
Carmel will play Mamaroneck for a title next week, a first.
“It means the world,” senior attackman Matt Risley said. “This group has been together since kindergarten and first grade so it’s something we’ve been working for all our lives, and to finally get a chance to play in that game, nothing compares.”
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This didn’t happen in an instant.
“I was hoping we could make lacrosse cool,” said Matt Caione, a former high school and college All-American at Yorktown and Syracuse who took over the program eight years ago. “It’s a neat story, this senior class, they started out playing with the Yorktown kids where I started playing. They grew up playing the right way and they fell in love with it and never stopped.”
The Rams didn’t blink when the second half got sweaty.
Rhett Needleman got the Raiders within 5-4, but in the final minute of a back-and-forth third quarter, Carmel goalie Jake Meissner went end to end unchecked, so he wound up and let fly. It was his second attempt of the evening.
And this one found the back of the net.
“The first shot, I was so angry, I hit the pipe,” Meissner said. “I told my coach I was going to do it again, that it was a warning shot. I went down again, nobody slid and I just let it rip. I didn’t even realize I scored until all my teammates were on me. I was just in shock.”
Thomas Connolly set up Adam Boeheim for another goal 17 seconds later, sending the Rams into the fourth with a 7-4 advantage. Each time Scarsdale attempted to start a rally down the stretch, Risley shut the comeback down with a goal.
“This means everything to us,” Meissner added. “We’re making history. When we were freshmen, we won one playoff game, then we went to quarters, then semis. Now we’re finally here.”
What it means
There is college talent in this lineup with Risley (Salisbury), Connolly (Fairfield) and Ryan Aabel (Weslyan). And while they along with Meissner deliver most of the highlight plays, there’s a cast of role players that simply outworks and outhustles the opposition without complaint. And while this will be the program’s first championship game appearance, most of these guys have big game experience. Mamaroneck will need to match the energy in Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. final.
“We feel like every time we go on the field we have superior athletes, some who have played in two state championship football games, so they’ve been in tough spots and big-time situations and know how to come through,” Caione said.
Player of the game
Hands down, it was Meissner who filled up the highlight reel.
“I don’t really know how to put into words what that kid has done for us,” Risley said. “He’s the best player on the field. We’re blessed to have him in cage.”
Box score
Scarsdale (10-8): Rhett Needleman 3G; Jake Goldstein 1G, 5A; Anders Burrows 1G; Jackson Starr 1G; Jack Greco 1G; Nicky Ebner-Borst 22S.
Carmel (15-3): Matt Risley 3G, 2A; Thomas Connolly 3G, 1A; Adam Boeheim 1G, 1A; Ryan Aabel 1G, 1A; Jake Lotz 1G, 1A; Jake Meissner 1G, 21S; Chris Nickerson 1A.
They said it
“We knew this was possible from Day 1,” Risley said. “I think everyone in the locker room believed. The coaches believed. Our families and friends, everyone believed. And when everyone around you believes, it definitely helps us believe.”
“I feel spoiled,” Caione added. “It’s been like this since I first had these kids, since upper elementary and middle school. It’s fun coaching them because they know how to play. I don’t have to micromanage them from the sideline. They’re athletes and find a way to win one way or another.”
“We knew they were good,” Meissner said. “We lost to them last year and the year before so it was rapid fire in there. Some of the shots were 90 MPH and some were a little easier to handle, but it was a lot of work.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Carmel boys lacrosse advances to Section 1 championship for first time
