BY DARREN SANDS
"Good morning, on this day we become legendary -- everything we dreamed of." -- Kanye West
Couldn't think of a more appropriate theme to start off the day on our blog. We're here at Hofstra and will watch three Long Island teams try and claim a state championship title. Syosset, Rocky Point and Mt. Sinai -- all playing in the most important game of their lives.
First up is Syosset, who, if you told me in March that they'd be here, I simply would not have believed you. I asked coach John Calabria (whom I might add seems exhilirated as any player) to take me back to the Garden City game they lost, 10-2, and he did not. All he said is that he'd love to have that game back. To play them again. Now here they are, at Hofstra, 48 minutes from their first state title. And now we're just minutes away from the opening faceoff. You and that refresh button get friendly, it's on!
UPDATES
FINAL -- WEST GENESEE WINS ITS 15th* CLASS A NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OVER SYOSSET, 11-7.
(*Thanks!)
GOAL -- Jordan Rodgers scores again for West Genesee and this game is all but over. Syosset gets outscored 5-1 thus far in the fourth quarter. West Genny leads 11-7 with 45 seconds left and counting.
With about two and a half minutes left, Syosset's Adam Wachler hit a pipe and could have closed it to 10-8. Just under two minutes and counting.
GOAL -- Jack Kennedy, West Genny's pole, gallops down the field and shoots it in the upper right corner to make the score, 10-7. Four minutes left and counting in this game. Time could be running out for Syosset.
GOAL -- The Wildcats answer right back. Mike Fetterly scores for West Genny with 5:17 remaining in the game to extend its lead to 9-7.
GOAL -- Syosset's Jeff Cohen bounces in his second goal of the game with exactly six minutes remaining. West Genny still leads, 8-7.
GOAL -- Jordan Rodgers again for West Genny -- that's six straight goals for the Wildcats. They lead with 6:09 and counting, 8-6.
GOAL -- West Genny's Ryan Barber with the nicest goal of the game -- dives in front of the crease and sticks it in the bottom left corner. With 10:30 remaining, West Genny leads, 7-6.
END OF THIRD QUARTER -- This is it. Score is tied. Twelve minutes left in the game. Cohen was hot inside the cage, but do you worry that his confidence is down now that a few got by him? Syosset coach John Calabria took his hat off and gave his team a spirited speech, the contents of which I'm not sure I could publish here. Here we go!
GOAL -- Jordan Rodgers with a nice underhanded shot with six seconds left in the third to tie the game at 6-6.
GOAL -- Another biggie by Cohen, but the rebound goes to WG's Glesener and he bounces one past Cohen, and Syosset's lead is now only 6-5.
Another big save for Evan Cohen on a shot by Ryan Barber right up front. Did a pretty pop-up and catch right inside. Syosset has started to possess the ball in an attempt to slow down their pace and, as I'm writing, Cohen makes another huge save from the right side. He works so well with his guys up front. Waited for the slide and then steps right up in front of the shooter with his stick high.
GOAL -- Here comes West Genny. Ryan Barber scores at 5:04 to close Syosset's lead to 6-4.
GOAL -- West Genny's John Glesener scores. Closes score to 6-3.
(To anonymous reader: Three of Syosset's second quarter goals were with an extra-man)
GOAL Wacher scores with 8:16 left in the third to open the second half. Will West Genesee even make a run here? Syosset leads, 6-2.
HALFTIME -- Five-goal second quarter for the Braves. Syosset's offense is on and they've got faceoff specialist Matt Albert to thank. He's won 7 of 9 faceoffs. He's not unlike a rhythm shooter in basketball. Once he gets going he's very, very good. Syosset is out-shooting West Genesee 19-12, but the key stat here is that they've got six penalties (4 minutes, 30 seconds) and Syosset is making them pay. For what it's worth, West Genesee never left the field. Not sure if that's something they do regularly, but Syosset went under the shade in the Pavillion in the far right corner of the field. I'm wondering which team will come out more sharp. Second half predictions anyone?
GOAL -- Syosset gets extra-man penalty when Jeff Cohen gets cross-checked by Waldron. He gets up, shakes his head a little like the cartoons. Adam Wachler puts one in from 8 yards out and with just under five minutes left, Syosset leads, 5-2.
GOAL -- What a shift in momentum. Adam Wachler finds Matt Albert wide open right in front of the cage. Time out, West Genny. To make things worse for WG, Ben Waldron was called for slashing, and Syosset has an extra man-up. With 5:57 left in the second, Syosset leads, 4-2.
GOAL -- With 7:32 remaining in the second quarter, Loftus scores for Syosset for the lead, 3-2.
GOAL -- Jeff Cohen just made a sick play. Catches a bad pass one handed at the X, drives left and sticks a hard left shot in the top left corner. He ties it up, 2-2.
GOAL -- Eddie Loftus puts one in for Syosset, West Genny leads, 2-1.
END OF FIRST QUARTER -- Evan Cohen had two big saves in there towards the end, which is what they need: huge goaltending. He has been solid thus far. West Genny's defense is ridiculous. Let's see if Syosset has got any legs.
GOAL -- Tim Besio for West Genny. Boy, can these kids move the ball, or what? They look strong. Genny leads, 2-0.
Syosset has 30 second man-up -- West Genny's Joe Fazio called for a push. Twenty-nine seconds later, Genny's Ben Waldron is called for a slash. Six-on-five for Syosset here. Genny is the clearly the aggressor.
GOAL -- 18 seconds gone in the game and the Wildcats' Luke Commeti comes flying down the field and scores. They lead, 1-0.
