YORKTOWN, N.Y.—It was an odd scene for the Section 1 Class B championship game between Yorktown, the No. 7 ranked Class B team in the state and Horace Greeley, ranked No. 2, on June 3.
While the game was played at Yorktown (11-8), with Greeley being the top seed and Yorktown seeded third, Greeley (16-3) wore their home whites, while Yorktown donned road darks. The Quaker fans sat where the Huskers’ fans usually sit behind the team benches and vice versa.
But while some attendees did a double take when entering historic Charlie Murphy Field, the players were unfazed. Both teams were ready to go.
Especially Yorktown, which won the last two Class B sectional titles in 2023 and 2024, the latter coming against Greeley. The Huskers jumped out to leads of 2-0 and 11-7 but the Quakers stormed back to last year’s loss to Yorktown by a score of 17-15 and brought home Greeley’s first-ever boys lacrosse sectional title.
Yorktown’s Gianluca Marchini (4G) opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game. Fifty-five seconds later, Frank Ofrias (4G) gave the Huskers a 2-0 advantage.
“We just came in with the momentum, being the third-ranked team, just seeing them on the home side of the field, we had to come in with power and momentum, and we wanted to stick it to them,” Marchini said.
Chad Bowen’s play at the face-off X (he was 26 of 34) fueled the Huskers’ quick start.
“Chad did a great job winning the faceoffs, giving us possession,” said Yorktown coach Tim Schurr. “That’s really where that stemmed from.”
The game went back and forth after that. Greeley went up 6-5 late in the opening quarter before Yorktown’s Brady Sheridan (2G, 1A) scored to tie it with just six seconds remaining in the period.
Sheridan’s goal started a 6-1 Yorktown run, putting the Huskers out in front 11-7 with 5:54 to go before halftime. Just as he did in the quick start, Bowen’s play helped set the foundation.
“The key to the whole game was Chad,” Schurr said. “Chad was giving us possession, keeping them away from the ball, having the ball. We may have worn down later in the game, but he’s a great competitor.”
Greeley scored the final two goals of the second quarter but a goal by Ofrias 19 seconds into the third stanza put the Huskers back up by three, 12-9.
But the Quakers took control of the game after that, going on a 8-1 run, to go up 17-13 with 2:02 left in the game.
In the end, the Huskers just couldn’t shut down Greeley sharpshooter and Bucknell University-bound senior Jameson Blakeslee, who registered a game-high eight goals.
“They were finding open guys,” Schurr said of Greeley. “No. 16 (Blakeslee) was shooting the ball very well. I don’t know how many goals he had but he had a lot of goals from the outside.”
Yorktown fought to the end; Ryan Fastiggi (2G, 1A) scored with 1:41 remaining in the contest before Marchini tallied the Huskers’ final goal of the season with 14.4 seconds left in the game to pull Yorktown to within two, 17-15.
“It came off a fast break, I saw the shorty, I hitched, took it inside, and I bounce shot it,” Marchini said.
Jack Simone (2G), Jayden Tyndal (1G), and Hunter Mezzatesta (12 saves) also produced for Yorktown (11-8).
While the season didn’t end the way the Huskers wanted, Marchini will never forget this Yorktown campaign, which saw the Huskers reach the sectional title game for the 45th straight season.
“They were a great group of teammates,” Marchini said of the Huskers he played with. “I am not going to forget this team. It’s one of the best teams I have ever played on.”
Marchini also appreciated the effort of all his coaches, especially assistant coach Jeremy Guski.
“Our offense worked hard,” Marchini said. “Coach Guski put a lot of time in with the offense throughout the season and really got us where we needed to be. He believed in us.”
Marchini, a junior, is hoping the loss gives the team motivation to capture its 43rd sectional title next spring.
“Seeing them (Quakers) hold up that section plaque, it really got to us,” Marchini said. “Next year we are going to make a big run.”
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