A Quick 60
The Challenge
MSGVarsity.com Sports Talk
High School SportsDesk
Livecast primer: PSAL Class A boys lax final
There are no secrets when Tottenville and New Dorp meet Sunday for the PSAL Class A boys lacrosse final live on MSGVarsity.com at 5:30 p.m. from Aviator Sports Complex.
The Staten Island rivals know each other very, very well, although this is the first time they’ll met with a city title on the line.
Top-seeded Tottenville (12-1) beat No. 2 New Dorp (11-2) three times during the regular season, winning 3-2 at home on April 4 and 7-1 away exactly a month later in league play. The Pirates also beat the Central Cougars, 7-6 in overtime in the Staten Island Shootout semifinals on April 29.
The key, according to Tottenville senior attack Kenny Coughlin, is shooting from different angles against New Dorp’s Chris Fiore, arguably the city’s best goaltender.
“We know that Chris is a great goalie so we knew we had to switch up our shots,” Coughlin said. “We know that myself and Nick DeMeo, the super sophomore that we have, we both get locked out so a bunch of other guys have to step up and take some good shots.”
The Hobart and William Smith Colleges-bound Coughlin has led Tottenville, which is vying for its first title since 2004, with 31 goals and 19 assists. A star linebacker for the Pirates football team, Coughlin suffered a tough loss in last year’s lacrosse final to Midwood.
“It would feel great. I haven’t won a championship yet at Tottenville since I transferred from Poly,” Coughlin said. “I’ve always been so close…This is my last chance and I’m going to give it everything I have.”
Tottenville, ranked No. 4 in New York City by MSG Varsity, received a bye into the semifinals and defeated Hunter College HS 10-5 to book its ticket into Sunday’s final. DeMeo had four goals and an assist, Cody Rivera had two goals and two assists and Coughlin added a pair of goals and three assists.
New Dorp, ranked No. 8 in New York City by MSG Varsity, is attempting to win its first PSAL title since 2009. The Central Cougars are led by Fiore, a two-time All-American who made 30 saves in a 7-6 semifinal win against Cardozo.
New Dorp’s strength offensively is in transition, where Shawn Brackett and Shannon Richardson can get out and run. Brackett scored a team-high 33 goals, including three against the Judges.
Richardson, who will play at Division II Alderson-Broaddus College next year, has 22 goals on the season, including two of the Central Cougars’ three league goals against Tottenville.
Tri-State lacrosse Top 20: Week 4
NYC power rankings: Spring sports
All-Metro boys and girls basketball: 2012-13
2012-2013 All-City teams
