When Yorktown traveled to Somers on April 14, it marked their only meeting this season, as the Huskers will compete in Class B and the Tuskers in Class C for the sectionals.
If this game was any indication, a Yorktown-Somers sectional championship matchup would be something special.
Yorktown entered ranked No. 5 in Class B, while Somers was No. 9 in Class C in the state rankings. The energy at Somers was palpable as the defending Class C state champions hosted Yorktown in a matchup that lived up to the hype.
Yorktown took a 7-5 lead midway through the fourth quarter before Somers rallied for a 9-8 victory.
“It’s really exciting games like these that tend to get the team going,” said Yorktown’s Frank Ofrias. “These are the types of games that we want to be in. The crowd was loud and it definitely got us hyped to play harder.”
Somers’ Cameron Violante scored with 5:14 remaining in the first quarter before Yorktown’s Frank Ofrias answered nearly two minutes later, finishing a quick transition sequence to tie the game at 1-1.
“Tommy Carney gave me a perfect pass where I was just waiting on the backside pipe and I was able to put it in,” Ofrias said. “It felt great to tie it up and get us going.”
Ofrias’ teammate Gianluca Marchini scored 19 seconds later with 2:49 left in the opening quarter to give Yorktown a 2-1 lead.
“That goal felt great, I was able to get my hand free and shoot around the defenseman,” Marchini said. “That goal came from Brady Sheridan coming down the ally and hit me with the look back.”
Somers wasted no time tying the game as Violante scored his second goal 18 seconds into the second quarter to make it 2-2. Gianluca Marchini answered 1:27 later, finishing a fast break to give Yorktown a 3-2 lead.
“I saw the ball being transitioned the other way and ran back,” Marchini said. “Frank Ofrias hit me up too and I was able to run around my defender and score.”
With 3:09 left before halftime, Somers’ Tristan Iglesias scored to tie the game at 3-3.
Ofrias rifled in a shot from close range with 7:11 left in the third quarter to put Yorktown back on top, 4-3.
“That goal was big for momentum,” Ofrias said. “Starting the second half strong and taking the lead gave us confidence. Rowan [Larsen] gave me a good pass and I was able to get it by the goalie.”
Iglesias scored nearly three minutes later to tie the game at 4-4.
As competitive as the first three quarters were, the intensity picked up in the fourth quarter, giving it the feel of a Section 1 championship game, even if the calendar said April rather than late May.
Sheridan (1G, 1A) took advantage of an extra-man opportunity, scoring to put Yorktown back in front 5-4 with 10:51 remaining in the game. Tommy Carney (1G, 2A) then increased the Huskers’ lead to 6-4 when he finished off a fast break that started with a pass from Yorktown goalie Hunter Mezzatesta (8 saves) from behind the goal.
Iglesias and Ofrias traded goals — the third of the game for each — leaving Yorktown in front 7-5 with 6:59 remaining in the contest.
“The third one came from staying aggressive on offense, Tommy once again found me on a great pass, and I buried it,” Ofrias said. “Putting us up by two felt huge. The boys showed a lot of effort tonight and we are going to bounce back Thursday against another good opponent.”
Somers then scored four consecutive goals, two by Iglesias, giving him 5 on the game and the Tuskers a 9-7 lead with 2:48 remaining.
Yorktown’s JT Carney cut the Somers’ lead to one, 9-8, 17 seconds later, but the hosts held on for the victory.
Tyler Caricati won 13 of 20 faceoffs for Yorktown.
The Huskers (3-2) next contest is at 7 p.m. Thursday against visiting Bronxville.
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