Irondequoit, Victor will meet for Class B title: How each team reached the final

PITTSFORD -- Few Section V lacrosse programs can match Victor's recent string of success. But before the Blue Devils' reign, Irondequoit was often Class B's team to beat.

Next week, the teams will meet to determine whether there'll be a transfer of power or status quo. Both Irondequoit and Victor emerged winners in their respective Class B semifinal games on Friday at Pittsford Sutherland High School. The Blue Devils opened the day with a 10-4 victory over Spencerport, while the Eagles soared over Canandaigua 10-6 in the nightcap.

While Irondequoit and Victor each carry rich traditions of winning, their 2024 versions display significant contrast. The defending champion Blue Devils' approach is meticulous and clinical, while the challenging Eagles are breakneck and rugged.

Styles will clash on May 28 when the teams meet for the Class B section title at St. John Fisher University. On Friday, both methods proved advantageous.

Victor's depth shines in win over Spencerport

Of Section V's four remaining large school teams (including Class A), Victor is the only club that lacks a player in the top 10 of goals scored or points recorded this season.

In the semifinals, the Blue Devils' depth was evident. Aiden Clinkscales, Jack Herendeen, Jackson Mead and Brody Secker all had multi-goal games.

Few, if any, of their scores came via an isolation play. When attacking the Spencerport defense, Victor was content to pass around the perimeter, then opportunistic when the Rangers allowed an opening.

"The more we can spread the ball around, the better off we are," Victor coach Dan Stone said. "We tell them continuously, we don't care who puts the goals in the net. We want to make sure everyone helps get them there, and assists are just as important as goals. If it works out that one guy was scoring them all, that's OK as long as others are helping facilitate that. If we spread the wealth, even better."

Part of that approach was dictated by Spencerport's defense, which sat back in a zone and packed bodies around goalie Taylor Kaye. And when Kaye (12 saves) was challenged, he was up to the task more often than not.

"All the credit to Spencerport, their defense was fantastic," Stone said.

Victor scored the game's first four goals and led by five midway through the third quarter. While the Rangers scored three of four goals – including two from Zach Tortora – near the end of the third, the Blue Devils closed out the game with relative comfort.

Still, Victor's high bar ensures there's always areas to improve. Even ahead by a half-dozen goals late in the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils' coaching staff called a timeout after the offense burned a possession with a rushed shot attempt.

The intent: To reinforce good habits on the cusp of another section title game.

"We always talk about the fundamentals. Those little things, we've still got to improve," Stone said. "We're still a work in progress, even though we're 17 games into the season."

Irondequoit weathers early storm against Canandaigua

Even for the most aggressive of teams, Irondequoit's quick-strike ability is a cut above.

That pace was needed against Canandaigua, after the Gray Wolves' Alex Rheude and Jack Stanney both tallied goals in the first five minutes.

No matter. From the 5:05 to 1:52 of the first quarter, Irondequoit scored five goals, including two from Steven Clinkscales, to seize a 5-3 lead. The sequence was pivotal in a game which the teams traded goals the rest of the way.

"It was huge, because this is a game of runs," Irondequoit coach Aaron Bottazzo said. "When they went up by two, we just didn't want the guys to get tight. And we know with (Jonah Carrier) at the faceoff X, we've just gotta stay calm because there's always a chance of a fast-break when he's out there. Weathering the storm, you know it'll need to happen at some point, it just so happened to be at the very beginning of the game."

Faceoff specialists: Irondequoit's Carrier ranked Section V's best at the X

Irondequoit has not won a section title since 2012 and this win ensures the opportunity to compete for one.

That opportunity isn't lost on the Eagles' players, several of whom were around when the team reached the 2022 final but fell to Canandaigua. Their hope is to end the longest drought in program history and nab the team's 17th Section V title.

"The past few years, that's been our goal to make it to the championship and win it," senior Oliver Grisdale said. "I think this is our year."

What's ahead when Irondequoit faces Victor

There was a belief, perhaps perceived, that Victor could take a step back from last season's state runner-up team due to the volume of departing players. That suggestion, according to Blue Devils senior Jack Herendeen, planted a chip on the shoulders of Victor's players.

"Obviously last year we lost a lot of really great seniors," Herendeen said. "Everyone's been saying that we won't be able to get it done, but we're here to prove everyone wrong."

Doubt Victor at one's own peril. But Irondequoit boasts plenty of traits that could give fits, from its excellence at the faceoff X to the play of its goaltender Sven Habitzreuther, who's saving 61% of shots faced this season (he had 12 saves on 18 shots against Canandaigua).

The teams already met on May 7 with Victor earning an 8-4 win. Irondequoit is perfect in five games since, and hopes its previous matchup with the defending champions will prove a valuable learning experience.

"We just have to play relentlessly," Bottazzo said. "We like to think we're a lunch pale group that works hard to be successful. We might have to grind out 48 minutes or more if need be, and continue to weather storms like we did today, because Victor is extremely talented and extremely well-coached.

"We might trade some punches, and we'll have to get up and fight some more."

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Irondequoit, Victor will meet for Class B title: How each team reached the final