Monsignor Farrell set a few lofty yet simple goals when the season began: go undefeated in league and win a city title.
“We put a big star on our regular-season games,” coach Steve Lyman said. “Anytime we are playing our league games we want to win them. … That really drives us.”
The Lions still draw motivation from last season’s one-goal loss to Mount St. Michael in the final and didn’t want to play that game on the road again. They moved a few step closer to that and the perfect conference record in NYCHSAA Class A boy lacrosse. Farrell topped Archbishop Stepinac, who was unbeaten at the time, 11-9 on Staten Island earlier this week. The championship game will now have to go through Farrell and it saves the Lions a possible long trip to White Plains. They have one league game left against St. Raymond.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that all you have to do is come out of school and you are exactly where you are going to play that playoff game,” Lyman said.
The season has been a special one for senior midfielder Mark Reni. He hurt his ankle and was unable to play in the second half of this team’s loss to Mount last season. Reni still wonders what if. He’s been the Lions top scorer this season with 34 goals and 14 assists and is also one of the league’s top faceoff guys. Reni had four goals helping Farrell pull away in the second quarter against Stepinac.
“I was really upset,” he said of last year. “Maybe I could have scored that goal to tie it. … This year so far I’ve been healthy.”
Farrell, which is 11-3 overall, has gotten plenty of offense from Kevin Buono (29 goals) and John Grillo (13 goals and 21 assists). Defense, however, has been one of the biggest keys, starting with Joe Lio, a three-year starter in goal. Lyman praised Vin Dimare. He has 123 groundballs and could break the school’s since season mark. Connor McManus has been a pleasant surprise.
“He just scoops that ball and starts our offense,” Lyman said of Dimare.
They all hope to be a part of Farrell’s first title since 1995, which came in the discontinued Metro Bowl. Reni believes it’s this squad’s closeness and chemistry that will get them through, giving them a different outcome from a year ago.
“This year we are playing like a family,” Reni said. “We have team chemistry on both sides.”
Maffezzoli breaking out late for Riverdale: T.J. Barnett was hoping for exactly what he’s been starting to get from Dan Maffezzoli. The junior midfielder has always had the ability dodge and get to the cage but has had trouble finishing. That’s begun to change in recent games and culminated in a three-goal performance against Fieldston on Wednesday.
“He’s really beginning to take advantage of being able to go righty and lefty and shoot on the run,” Barnett said. “He’s opened it up for a lot of other guys.”
Maffezzoli has scored seven of his nine goals in the last five games, starting with two scores against Poly Prep on April 28. He twice easily got by Eagles defenders with a stop-and-go move that would make most NBA point guards proud.
“He’s starting to get comfortable,” Barnett said. “It’s starting to click for him in the last couple games.”
Madison in the mix for boys, girls PSAL Class B titles: A year ago, Hunter College HS pulled off a double dip winning both the girls and boys PSAL Class B title. Now Madison will have its chance. On the girls side the Knights the clear favorite beating out Long Island City by game the regular season title. They will now look to erase the memory of last season’s loss in the championship game. Madison is led by senior Jasmine Fermin who has 41 goals.
The school’s boys team knows a thing about winning titles. It took home the Class B crown two years ago but struggled in the upper division a year later. The Knights are now primed for another title run, but have a serious challenger Frederick Douglass, which beat them in their second meeting this season to force a tie atop the division. Madison features the PSAL’s current top goal scorer in Kevin Goshorn, who has 54 goals. It also features dynamo Joshua James who has 36 goals and 19 assists. A second straight year of the championship sweep will not come easy.