Mt. Sinai girls exceed expectations
Mt. Sinai's Alex Flobeck consoles teammate Sydney Pirreca after their loss to Christian Brothers Academy during the Class C state title game. (June 11, 2011) Credit: Gregg Ordon
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- During the awards presentation, when the public address announcer said, "Your 2011 runner-up, Mount Sinai," a crowd of about 100 Mustangs fans, clad in team red, erupted in cheer Saturday at SUNY-Cortland.
Real loud. Louder than those of the contingent from Christian Brothers Academy (of nearby Syracuse), which celebrated a state Class C girls lacrosse title.
Supportive family and friends, certainly. Folks who made the longest trip of any group to the state tournament and wanted to get their trek's worth -- probably. But mixed in, likely, was the realization and a greater appreciation of the team's journey. Winning its first Suffolk title and Long Island championship, reaching the state final and being edged, 9-8.
Beyond that, there is plenty of reason for optimism and excitement. Mt. Sinai's silver lining is in the 8s and 9s that litter the team's printed roster. The Mustangs have 17 underclassmen, including 11 freshmen and eighth-graders.
Coach Courtney Leonard admitted after their semifinal win that her "realistic goals" didn't include a trip to states. Understandably so. The raw talent was there, but it takes time to build chemistry; experience is usually a prerequisite for success. Um, the Mustangs took the advanced placement course.
"This was a steppingstone," Leonard said. "Next year, all these eighth-graders will actually be in high school. It's looking good for us."
Kasey Mitchell, the team's second leading scorer: eighth-grader. Caroline Fitzgerald, the third leading scorer: sophomore. Julia Michaels, the star goalie whom they consider the biggest factor in their run: ninth-grader.
Freshman Shayna Pirreca -- one of the stars, along with her eighth-grade sister Sydney -- said "we feel for the seniors" and was too upset to look far ahead. But Rachel Dillon, one of the four seniors, said her former teammates "have the best years ahead of them."
"They got a taste of winning to know what it takes," said Dillon, who will play for the University of Denver. "I expect to be up here next year after [my semester], watching them in states."
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