By Dan Miranda
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 6/8/14

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The stage was set. Two Class C powers were going to faceoff in the state title game: Cazenovia and Bronxville.

A year prior, Cazenovia defeated Bronxville, 13-11, in the same game.

Fast-forward 365 days: a rematch is born. This time though, the game’s outcome had an opposite result. Bronxville defeated the previously-undefeated Lakers, 13-10, to capture the 2014 New York State Class C title Saturday at Hofstra University.

The Broncos won the shot battle, 47-21. They won the ground ball battle, 51-31. They won the faceoff battle, 17-10. Most importantly though, they won the fourth quarter: 5-1.

The momentum shifted to Bronxville changed when senior Matt Behrens scored for Bronxville with 1:16 remaining in the third quarter to cut the Cazenovia Central (22-1) lead to 9-8. Behrens later scored the go-ahead goal to put the Broncos up 11-10 with 7:17 left.

It was a game that Behrens had a hold on from the beginning. The first play of the game featured a Cazenovia faceoff win, and when a Cazenovia player held possession of the ball for too long, Behrens stripped it out of his stick and took it into the box for a shot that hit the post.

“Our emotions were high, our energy was high, and to come out and make a big play like that – obviously I wish I finished that,” said Behrens. “But that stop right there was great, and got us out on the right foot.”

While it was Behrens who was key to Bronxville’s second half run, it was junior Henry Grass who kept the Broncos in the game in the first and second quarters. Grass assisted the opening goal for Bronxville, and would go on to assist four more and add two scores.

“We finished the game on Wednesday night against Babylon pretty strong, so we had a lot of momentum,” said Grass. “We knew what we had to do – we had a good scouting report. And our coach got us prepared. We knew we were able to beat that zone, it was just about executing it.”

“Henry can do it all,” said Bronxville head coach Tim Horgan. “He can shoot, he can ride, and he can pick up ground balls. He’s a phenomenal player and we’re very lucky to get him back next year.”

The two coaches showed equal respect for their opponent at the end of the contest, and had the utmost admiration for their opposing programs.

“It was a great fight between two high quality lacrosse programs,” said Cazenovia head coach Jim Longo. “It took a great team to beat a great team.”

“You don’t want to see that team lose,” said Horgan, speaking about Cazenovia. “Their coaches are some of the nicest people, and they have worked so hard, and they are so humble.”

For the Lakers, the bright spots were goalkeeper Trevor Cross and the sophomores. Cross finished with 12 saves; attacks Jake Lewis, Cole Willard, and Derek White combined for eight of the 10 goals scored by the upstate squad.

“Those guys have been getting it done all season,” said Longo. “We have a wonderful youth program in our town that feeds us great players – year in, year out.”

But it was Bronxville and Grass, the offensive MVP, who ultimately had the final word and the retribution for last year’s loss.

“We knew we were going to play them if we got back to this game, and we knew they graduated a couple of good seniors,” said Grass. “It’s great to have revenge.”

Bronxville 13, Cazenovia Central 10

Cazenovia: 2-3-4-1-10
Bronxville: 3-2-3-5-13

Cazenovia Central: Cole Willard 3G, 1A; Jake Lewis 3G; Henry Mann 2G, 1A; Derek White 2G, 1A; P.J. Brown 1A

Bronxville: Henry Grass 2G, 5A; Matt Behrens 3G, 1A; Michael Crawford 3G, 1A; Aiden Walsh 2G, 1A; Will Duncan 2G; Liam Lynch 1G

Saves: Trevor Cross (C) 12, Andrew Harwood (B) 2