Syosset's furious rally in the second half Thursday has given the Braves their first chance to win the state boys Class A lacrosse title.
With the score tied late in the fourth quarter, Syosset's Jared Leverne caught Jeff Lee's pass in stride up the middle and beat Yorktown goalie Michael Bonitatibus for the winner with 1:21 left.
The goal capped a run of five straight scores over the third and fourth quarters to erase a four-goal deficit as Syosset beat Yorktown 7-6 in a state semifinal at Hofstra.
"When I first caught the ball I thought, we have no timeouts, I have to slow the ball down," Leverne said. "I turned around, had daylight and I just went."The victory ends a 14-game winning streak for Yorktown (Section I) and extends Syosset's to six. The Braves play 14-time state champion West Genesee at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hofstra in the final.
"It's really the way it's been our entire season," coach John Calabria said. "When they want to play, watch out."
Yorktown (20-3) had one final possession with 41 seconds left. Rocky Bonitatibus, Mike's brother, fanned on a shot and the ball was kicked and rolled around. Yorktown got the ball back with four seconds left, but had a shot sail well wide as time expired.
"I'm just hearing tick tock in my head," Syosset's Jeff Cohen said.
Syosset (17-4) trailed 6-2 with 3:21 left in the third. Matt Albert started the Braves run by putting one in late in the third on a pass from Adam Wachler, who had a goal and two assists. Zach Fuss snuck past the Yorktown defense for a goal just 26 seconds into the fourth. It looked like the comeback would end there when Mike Bonitatibus, who made 11 saves, stopped the Braves from scoring on two straight man-up opportunities, but they weren't done.
Wachler scored with 3:19 left. Then Cohen scored his goal, man up, on a pass from Doug Tesoriero to tie it 16 seconds later. The Yorktown defense had kept Cohen from working his way free to the net a few times throughout the game.
"One of the most physical teams we've ever played," Leverne said. "My arm and probably Jeff's arm is probably dead after that," Leverne said.
Syosset had been riding goalie Evan Cohen throughout the playoffs. The senior was excellent again making 12 saves, including five in the fourth, but in the third Yorktown had some luck beating him high during a string of four straight goals. Kevin Interlicchio scored three of the four goals including one to the top left corner to put Yorktown up 6-2.
The win caps two thrilling days for Syosset.
"I'm still soaking it all in," Cohen said. "It's such an emotional thrill ride."
Jared Leverne