It was a record-setting night for Yorktown senior goalie Hunter Mezzatesta, who is bound for the University of Virginia. He recorded his 704th career save, breaking Joe Colarusso’s school record of 703 set in 1981, midway through the fourth quarter of Yorktown’s 9-3 win against visiting John Jay-Cross River on April 21.
Yorktown entered the game as the No. 6 Class B team in the state, while John Jay entered as the No. 9 team in Class C.
“A big part of my ability to stay consistent in the goal is treating every save like it’s the same as the last one, just another opportunity to do my job for the team,” Mezzatesta said. “In that moment, I really wasn’t thinking about the record at all.”
After he made the save, Mezzatesta said, “hearing the roar of the crowd, it kind of hit me.” He held his stick high in the air with the ball inside.
“That moment just represented years of hard work, discipline and support from so many people, my coaches, teammates, family, and the whole Yorktown community,” he said. “t was really special and something I’ll never forget.”
Breaking the record was special to Mezzatesta since Colarusso has been his personal goalie coach since sixth grade.
“It means a lot, especially because of who set it,” Mezzatesta said. “Joe Colarusso is someone I’ve worked with for years and someone who’s had a huge impact on me as a player and a person.”
He added that “what that goal really did was give me structure—it pushed me to set daily, weekly and monthly goals and stay disciplined with my training and preparation.
“The number is special, but what I’ll take with me is the work and mindset it took to get there. That’s helped me in school, in sports and will help me in life moving forward.”
Teammate Gianlucca Marchini said the record meant a lot to the entire squad.
“Beating a rival like John Jay is always a big deal, but doing it on a night when Hunter broke the all-time save record made it even more special,” Marchini said. “He’s a great person on and off the field. Hunter is a really consistent goalie who makes important saves and keeps the defense organized. He gives the team confidence and is a key part of why we’re successful. He means a lot to the team.”
Mezzatesta said becoming the all-time saves leader at Yorktown comes down to the people around him and the standards set at the 42-time sectional and seven-time state championship program.
“I’ve played behind great defenses every year and our coaches have pushed us to be our best every day,” Mezzatesta said. “At Yorktown, there’s a tradition and an expectation. You know the history when you step on the field . . . at the end of the day, this is a team accomplishment. It’s the defense, the coaches, the teammates, and the whole community that made it possible.”
For the game, Mezzatesta made 11 saves, giving him 708 for his career, which he said “means a lot to me because of what it represents at Yorktown.”
From his coach and mentor, Colarusso, to “so many legends who came before me,” including Mike Bonitatibus, Liam Donnelly, Ryan Penner, Rocco D'Andria, Brian Carcaterra, Austin Graham, Steve Kavovit, Louis Ragusa, Vito DeBellis and Adam Norris — Mezzatesta follows a legacy.
“There’s just too many to name,” he said.
Many of those players have been part of Mezzatesta’s journey in various ways.
“Whether it’s through coaching, training, or just being examples of what Yorktown lacrosse stands for — to now be in the record books alongside them and be part of that history is something really special to me,” Mezzatesta said.
“If this can inspire younger kids in the community, boys and girls, to pick up a stick, try goalie, and chase their own goals, that’s probably the most meaningful part — it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself and leaving an impact that lasts beyond just the number.”
As for the game, Yorktown struck quickly when Marchini (3G, 2A) scored on a shot down low 1 minute, 25 seconds into the contest, putting the Huskers up 1-0.
Marchini doubled the Huskers’ advantage when he scored again on a shot in front of the goal, with Brady Sheridan (1G, 1A) assisting, with 9:03 remaining in the opening quarter.
“I knew going into the game that I wanted to set the tone,” Marchini said. “Getting those first two goals helped build momentum and the offense was able to get good looks at the net.”
Yorktown’s Tyler Caricati (12/14 faceoffs won, 1A) won the ensuing faceoff, leading to a goal on a laser shot by JT Carney nine seconds after Marchini’s second goal, increasing the Huskers’ lead to 3-0.
JT Carney (2G) finished off the scoring in the Huskers’ dominant first quarter, where they outshot John Jay 11-1, by scoring his 16th goal of the season on an assist from his cousin Tommy Carney (1G, 1A), his ninth assist of the season, giving Yorktown a 4-0 lead.
Yorktown added two more goals in the second quarter. The first came when Frank Ofrias picked up a loose ball and put it in the net, followed by Marchini getting his hat trick on a goal in transition.
“I was able to get a hat trick because everyone was playing unselfish and that opened up opportunities for me,” Marchini said. “It was great getting a hat trick against a big rival.”
John Jay scored its first goal before the end of the second quarter, leaving Yorktown with a 6-1 lead at halftime, in a half that saw the Huskers outshoot the Wolves 24-5.
Tommy Carney added to the Huskers’ lead when he scored on a shot down low toward the shins of the John Jay goalie for his 13th goal of the season.
Sheridan then tallied his 11th goal of the spring on an extra-man opportunity with a laser shot from the far side. Ryan Fastiggi, off an assist from Vinny Marchini, found the back of the net afterward, putting Yorktown up 9-1.
John Jay scored twice before the end of the third quarter to close out the scoring.
Yorktown (6-2) will visit Harrison at 5 p.m. Friday in a rematch of last year’s Section 1 Class B semifinals, which the Huskers, as the No. 3 seed, won at No. 2 Harrison 17-4.
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