South Side boys lacrosse stuns Yorktown to reach state Class B championship
South Side's Michael Aiello charges down the field during the state Class B boys lacrosse semifinals on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Albany. Credit: Kelly Marsh
ALBANY — South Side had just fallen into a five-goal hole with 4:09 left in the third quarter against 42-time Section I boys lacrosse champ Yorktown. And so this dream Cyclones season was teetering on the edge Wednesday in the Class B state semifinals.
Coach Steve DiPietro called for time and expressed some wise words.
“Just about taking our time and being composed, that not one shot was going to be worth five points, that we had to just chip away, and we had been playing well and their goalie [Hunter Mezzatesta] was playing phenomenal,” DiPietro said.
“And I just said, ‘They’re going to fall. You’ve just got to keep with it.’ ”
The Cyclones scored the next seven goals and went on to stun the Huskers, 10-8, at the University at Albany’s Fallon Field, an uplifting win to send them into the title round.
“Oh, it’s huge,” said senior attackman Mike Aiello, who posted both his goals and all three of his assists after South Side went down by five. “It’s so big. I’m so happy for Coach DiPietro. He’s been at this for so long. We always do it for him. He loves us so much. He’s the greatest coach out there.”
Owen West had three goals, Liam Livingston had two goals and two assists and Michael Melkonian went 19-3 at the faceoff X.
Now the Cyclones (20-1) will try to finish this against Victor of Section V at 3 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.
“We have 27 seniors who are just hungry,” said West, who’s one of them.
West broke a 7-7 tie on a rocket from the left side with 5:32 left. Livingston made it a two-goal game 1:17 later. Yorktown’s Andrew Weissman scored his fourth, cutting it to 9-8 with 2:14 to go.
But Cole DiPietro scored his second with 36.9 seconds remaining to clinch it.
“We’re just such a gritty group,” West said. “I knew we were going to come out with the win when we took that go-ahead goal.”
The Huskers (15-6) led 7-2. Cue the comeback.
It began with four goals in the final 1:54 of the third.
Aiello scored. DiPietro and West delivered man-up goals. And Aiello scored again. Patrick Costello then tied it with 8:34 left in the fourth.
“Seven-two, we’re feeling pretty good,” Yorktown coach Tim Schurr said. “And then the wheels sort of fell off the wagon when we started fouling.”