John Jay Loses Another Heartbreaker to Yorktown

Over the last few years, John Jay and Yorktown have lived a rivalry on the razor’s edge. Yorktown won in overtime in the sectionals two years ago, and last year, another OT thriller went the Husker’s way. So no surprise, on Tuesday April 4, the margin was no different, and unfortunately, it was the Wolves who were left dripping blood again.

Unable to score in the final moment, John Jay lost the overtime draw and Luca Marchini applied the blade for the 8-7 victory.

The teams didn’t wait to get started either. Brendan Corelli put a wrap-around shot into the catcher of Hunter Mezzatesta, and Yorktown took over to unleash an onslaught on Blake O’Callaghan.

About three minutes in total, Andrew Kiefer finally got a strip. But Chris Constantine quickly returned the favor and set his team up for the early lead. Another wrap around, this time JT Carney did the honors and found the net.

1-0 with 7:38 left in the first, the subsequent draw sent bodies flying, and the physical play rumbled down the field. A loose ball in front caused even more convergence, and on the pick up, Ryan Vogel got the scoop on O’Callaghan for a 2-0 lead at 6:27.

So the John Jay goalie stepped up on the next turn. He snared Marchini’s shot, and the Wolves went on the wag. After O’Callaghan got the ball ahead, Kiefer passed to Luca Duva out front, and he went overhead to get on the board.

In at 5:05, the Dom Savastano duel at midfield yielded another serious scramble and landed the ball to John Jay. But this time it was Mezzatesta who turned defense into offense.

He made a slick save of Duva’s underhand bouncer, and the Husker offense was away. Andrew Weissman swung to the right of O’Callaghan and Constantine on the receiving end, he sidearmed the goal at 3:04.

A 3-1 game, Savastano took matters into his own hands. He won the draw outright, raced downfield and high bounced the ball past Mezzatesta to close the quarter scoring.

Mezzatesta and O’Callaghan trading saves to start the second, the tie was next. First Duva fired from the right, and with the ball kicking, Kiefer came in flying high on the rebound.

Another tough save for the Husker goalie proved not enough, though. Duva got a second chance and made it count at 7:50.

The attacker didn’t give Yorktown the chance to gather either. After a Savastano draw win on the whistle, Duva made a couple of jukes into space and fired over his left shoulder for a 4-3 lead at 6:44.

The draw then going to Yorktown, the physical play continued, and John Jay’s defense muscled the home team into a turnover. Soon enough, though, play was going back the other way, and John Jay got a little too physical.

A big hit on the goal line, and John Jay was down one. The ferocious play continued anyway, which ultimately left it to O’Callaghan. A convergence around him, the John Jay goalie snuck in and picked up the ball.

Four minutes to go in the half, the pace and scramble gave no one the time to gasp. That is until halftime finally yielded a breather.

Not nearly enough, the back and forth continued, and a Conor Duncan interception in the John Jay end would do the same for the scoreboard. In possession, Chris Constantine hit Marchini on the right, and he went overhand at 7:45.

Good for the tie, O’Callaghan got his team started again. With Marchini getting a lane on the goal line, the sophomore reached high for the save, and while Mezzatesta was there on Duva’s incursion, Savastano got the strip to maintain possession.

That left it to Duva to give some more dance lessons. He put on a little stutter step, and there was enough space to give John Jay a 5-4 lead at 3:35.

Not for long, Yorktown took the face, and Carney was the one with the smile. Starting at the 40, he charged hard, weaved through defense and swung away for the 5-5 tie.

Three minutes left in the third, there was still plenty of time, and after the draw win, Duva was on the clock. The footwork taking him right this time, he sidestepped the defense and sidearmed the score at 2:09.

6-5 now, Savastano had his team ready to pile on with another win in the middle. But Mezzatesta was the one who laid out this possession. On Kiefer’s wrap-around miss, the Yorktown goalie raced for the ball and dove headlong to give his team possession. Back the other way on the break, Constantine found himself alone with a lane and went overhead to tie at six.

A quarter to go, 12 seconds was all it took for Yorktown to take the lead. Carney picked up the draw, raced upfield for Weissman, and he was in at 11:48.

Then the goalies took over. Big saves on both sides, score remained unabated, and with only two minutes to go, Yorktown looked like they would get away when Johnny Desiderio picked up a loose ball in his own end.

But a moving pick was called, and John Jay took advantage. This time Jon Altneu two stepped on the right, and John Jay was staying alive at 7-7.

1:52 to go, Savastano got the draw on the whistle, and the Wolves had their chance. Kiefer making the rush, he was stripped before getting the shot off, and Yorktown had possession.

Not cashing in either, OT came due. Yorktown winning the scramble, the final dance went to Marchini. He came from behind, got a little space on the way forward, and his game winning shot left the Wolves on all fours.