Nike/US Lacrosse High School Wrap NORTHEAST REGION TOP 10 FINAL BOYS’
LaxMagazine.com/HSBN
1. DARIEN (CONN.) The Blue Wave (23-0)
capped a perfect season with a 10-8 win over New Canaan in the Class M final for its 10th state title. Phil Huffard (Yale) starred in goal.
2. CHAMINADE (N.Y.) The Flyers (13-3) beat
St. Anthony’s for the CHSAA title. Sean Cerrone (Villanova) led the team with 48 points. Cerrone, Sam Bonafede (Princeton) and Jack Tigh combined for 14 points in the final, coach Jack Moran’s 500th win.
3. GREENWICH (CONN.) The Cardinals (20-3) beat Ridgefield
Boys’ Player of the Year MIKE D’AMARIO Niskayuna (N.Y.) By Will Cleveland
Mike D’Amario remembers the first time he tried to score behind-the-back. He was in second grade, breaking away, with no defensemen in sight. Instead of simply of shooting, he tried to be flashy. He got yanked. “It was the wrong way to do it,” D’Amario said. “You should only take it when you need to or when you run out of angles. I could’ve finished easier. It was a valuable lesson.” D’Amario never lacked for creativity. He harnessed it to the tune of 82 goals and 38 assists in 21 games, earning the left-handed Niskayuna (N.Y.) attackman Nike/US Lacrosse Northeast Region Player of the Year honors. He led the Silver Warriors (19-2) to their third straight state semifinal appearance. “It helps you get a little extra love, a little extra attention from the defenseman,” D’Amario said. “Sometimes it is your best option. It’s something you’ve got to perfect. It’s not only fun, but it works.” Niskayuna coach Mike Vorgang ventured to say D’Amario scored more behind- the-back goals than everyone else he has coached in 20-plus years combined. “He’s really good at mid-range shooting and really crafty,” Vorgang said. “He did a lot of damage there, working around the goal and the crease. We’ve never had a kid with his skill set. He’s one of the best we’ve had here.” Niskayuna implemented a box-influenced two-man offensive scheme this season to take advantage of D’Amario’s abilities. Coming from Section II (Albany area), the Silver Warriors were tasked with facing a Long Island team (from Section VIII or Section XI) in the state semifinals. “It’s a burden we embrace,” D’Amario said. “You’ve got to be the beat the best to be the best.” Niskayuna’s season ended with a 23-9 loss to eventual state champ Massapequa in the Class A semifinals, a bittersweet end for D’Amario. “One of these years, it will fall through,” he said. When it does, Vorgang said he will remember D’Amario as a transformational
player. D’Amario will continue his career at Virginia, which has an open attack spot vacated by Mark Cockerton. “I can’t wait for the next chapter,” he said. LM
34 LACROSSE MAGAZINE August 2014>>
three times en route to the Class L state title, their first. Luke Finneran, Will Perry (Providence) and Jamie Paradise keyed their playoff wins.
4. MASSAPEQUA (N.Y.) The Chiefs (19-2) claimed their first
state title. Craig Berge (Georgetown), Ian Kirby (Towson) and Jim Byrnes (Quinnipiac) led the offense.
5. ST. ANTHONY’S (N.Y.) Penn-bound Joe Licciardi led the Friars (13-5) with 32 goals.
6. YORKTOWN (N.Y.) The Cornhuskers (18-5) won their
first Class B state title in 11 years (seventh overall). Faceoff man Luke Palmadesso (Villanova) was 19-for-23 in the final. Defenseman Austin Fusco is headed to Syracuse.
7. JAMESVILLE-DEWITT (N.Y.) The Red Rams (19-3) lost in the
Class B final for the second straight year. Griffin Feiner (Hartford) had nearly 200 goals his last two seasons.
8. NISKAYUNA (N.Y.) Led by Mike D’Amario (Virginia), the
Silver Warriors (19-2) lost just twice — in the semifinals to Massapequa and early in the season to Darien.
9. RIDGEFIELD (CONN.) The Tigers (16-5) lost three times
to eventual Class L state champion Greenwich, including double- and triple- overtime losses.
10. BRONXVILLE (N.Y.) The Broncos (18-6) avenged last
year’s Class C state final loss to Cazenovia with a 13-10 win to clinch the title.
— W.C. A Publication of US Lacrosse
©DAILY GAZETTE (MD); ©GREG RAYMOND (PH)
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