Manhasset boys lacrosse dominates in Class C state semifinal
Manhasset's Matt Perfetto (11) moves the ball against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake during the Class C state semifinal game on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, in Albany. Credit: Hans Pennink
ALBANY, N.Y. — This was a state semifinal matchup, but Manhasset looked like it couldn’t wait to play for the championship.
Manhasset found every possible way to dominate Section II champion Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake on Wednesday. It was more aggressive and quicker. It was more physical on defense and more connected on offense. And it never let up on the accelerator against the Spartans in rolling to a 16-5 victory in a Class C semifinal at SUNY-Albany's Bob Ford Field.
Matt Perfetto and Jack Petersen had four goals apiece and Joey Terenzi added a goal and six assists to lead the way for Manhasset. Hunter Panzik, Liam Connor and Matthew Cargiulo each scored twice and Cal Girrard scored once for Manhasset.
Manhasset (16-4) will face Section III champion Westhill in the state Class C championship at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at Hofstra. Manhasset will be going for its fifth state championship and first since 2010.
Asked if the players on the team can smell or even taste a state title, Terenzi replied “we can bite it.”
“We’ve been talking about Manhasset and its lacrosse reputation and how long it’s been for our program,” said Perfetto, who was also helped Manhasset to a state boys basketball title this year. “We’ve been feeling since September that it’s time for us to get back and make our community proud of what we’re known to be good at.”
Perfetto had three of his goals in the first 15 minutes of play while Manhasset opened a 6-1 lead. Cargiulo scored his second goal with 10 seconds left to make it 10-2 at the half. When Connor scored his second goal with 58 seconds left in the third quarter the margin was 15-3 and the state-mandated running clock kicked in.
“Our speed really makes a difference,” Petersen said. “When they first see it, it (unsettles) them on defense. They see what we’re possible of and don’t really know where the (favorable) matchups are going to be.”
Manhasset is loaded with 10 players headed for top Division I programs next fall. And given the way it played against the Spartans (17-3), it might be hard to reconcile that it’s a team with four losses.
“Those close losses maybe put us on track to be playing this way,” Manhasset coach Keith Cromwell said. “We’ve figured ourselves out in the past few weeks and it’s been great to see.”
“We came to believe in each other and this is when it had to happen,” Terenzi said. “Our time is running out — we have one more game left — and we have to capitalize on this opportunity. If we don’t win states, as crazy as this sounds, we’re going to feel like this season didn’t mean jack.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
