LACROSSE

Boys lacrosse: John Jay starts fast and finishes strong to post win over Lakeland/Panas

Mike Dougherty
Rockland/Westchester Journal News

CORTLANDT – John Jay is right on schedule.

There are two weeks to go before the calendar flips to May, so improving from game to game is the goal right now. Clearly, the Wolves are beginning to settle in. The offense is more cohesive. The defense is adjusting quickly and coming up with timely stops.

Expectations are beginning to rise following a down year.

John Jay started well and finished hard Thursday, posting a 13-5 victory over Lakeland/Panas. That makes four wins in a row heading into the most difficult stretch of the season.

“It’s a great confidence booster,” Wolves midfielder Andrew Kiefer said. “Last year, we had a young team and, with COVID, a very inexperienced team. Now that we’ve had a full preseason and real scrimmages, there’s more chemistry and it shows on the field.”

vJohn Jay (CR) Luca Duva (2) drives to the goal against Lakeland/Panas during boys lacrosse action at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt on Thursday. John Jay (CR) won the game 13-5.

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John Jay was clicking early, taking a 6-1 lead at the intermission after long stick midfielder Finn O’Callagan found Nick Savastano in stride with a perfect flip in transition.

The Wolves played methodically with the ball most of the first half.

“We’re all very comfortable,” John Jay attackman Luca Duva said. “All the boys know how to play the different spots, we know where to be and when to be there. We time up our cuts and are constantly looking for each other.”

If there is an issue right now, it’s getting nonchalant with leads.  

The Rebels came roaring back in the second half with a little more communication and intensity on the defensive end. Justin Stabile rattled off back-to-back-to-back goals to make it a 6-4 contest and force a Wolves timeout seven minutes into the second half.

“We try to limit that,” Keifer added. “I feel like we sometimes get too comfortable with the lead and underestimate what the other team is going to come out with in the second half. We try to stop that initial punch and continue doing what we were doing in the first half.”

From left, Lakeland/Panas' Joe Alleva (7) and John Jay (CR) Quincy Greene (28) battle for ball control during boys lacrosse action at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt on Thursday. John Jay (CR) won the game 13-5.

What it means

John Jay is in a good place with showdowns against Rye, Scarsdale and Yorktown coming in the next two weeks. Those are all tests. If the Wolves have aspirations of a lengthy postseason run, they will need to remain competitive in those games.

Lakeland/Panas is also hoping to get better in the weeks ahead, but the No. 1 priority is getting experience. The Rebels graduated seven starters and have six players sidelined right now due to injury, including all three starting poles.

“I have nothing in my playbook of experience for something like this,” coach Jim Lindsay said. “I feel bad for the kids, you put all the prep time in for this and it’s deflating when you see guys on the sideline who should be out there, but it’s the hand we’ve been dealt.

“We just have to put the inexperienced kids out there and let them learn. Unfortunately, while they learn we’re making mistakes that take you from 6-4 down to 10-4 down. The goal is to be better by May and if we can do that, we’ll be fine.”

From left, John Jay (CR) Jonah Silverman (8) deflects the shot by Lakeland/Panas' Nic Conetta (15) during boys lacrosse action at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 14, 2022. John Jay (CR) won the game 13-5.

Player of the game

Finn O’Callaghan is the latest trouble-making long stick midfielder and he was hyperactive on Thursday, finishing with a goal and an assist.

By the numbers

John Jay (5-2): Chris DiChiara finished with three goals and an assist. … Duva also scored three times. … Nick Savastano delivered two goals and two assists. … Kiefer had two goals and one assist. … Jon Altneu netted a pair of goals. … Dom Savastano had 15 faceoff wins. … Andrew Minard stopped 11 shots.

Lakeland/Panas (2-3): Stabile finished with three goals. … Joe Alleva and Nick Graap scored one apiece. … Chris Macaluso handed out a pair of assists.

Quotable

“We try to keep our heads up when the other team makes a run,” Duva said. “When the other team scores, we want to get two back and stay loose on the offensive end.”

Mike Dougherty covers boys soccer, boys lacrosse, girls basketball and golf for The Journal News/lohud.com. He can be reached at mdougher@lohud.com, or on Twitter @hoopsmbd, @lohudlacrosse, @lohudhoopsmbd and @lohudgolf.