Ramapo Defeats Pascack Valley, Moves on to Quarterfinals

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

Ever since a 5-4 loss earlier in the season, Ramapo has been dying to get another shot at Pascack Valley.

They got their wish, drawing the Indians in the second round of the North 1 Group 2 state lacrosse tournament

Determined and focused, the Raiders made the most of their opportunity, defeating Pascack Valley 14-5 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Pascack Valley wasn’t able to get anything going on offense. The physicality of the Raiders proved too much to handle, as Valley was rarely able to get good looks at the net.

After scoring two minutes into the game, Ramapo scored 5 unanswered goals, giving the Raiders a 5-1 lead after the first.

The second quarter went back and forth with neither team have a significant edge. Each team scored 3 goals, making it 8-4 at intermission.

The turning point came in third period. Pascack Valley was motivated and controlled possession for most of the quarter. Surprisingly, they were shut out in the third, mostly because of missing easy shots and the fantastic goal keeping of Dylan Vaccarella. Instead of letting Valley back in the game, Vaccarella made save after save to preserve the lead.

After not being able to put in at least one goal when given so many opportunities, the Indians seemed deflated in the final period. Ramapo put in 5 goals during the fourth, making the score appear as though it was a blowout. By the time it was all over, Ramapo had secured the 14-5 victory and received the revenge they had hoped so dearly for.

Senior Zach Hirsch recorded a hat trick for Ramapo, who will now play Mercer County Champions and 3 seed Hopewell Valley in the quarterfinals.

Mike Buldo Licciardi led Pascack Valley with 3 goals, but other scorers like Kevin Illian and Nick Sunseri couldn’t seem to find the back of the net.

Although hoping for a better result in the state tournament, Pascack Valley has to be happy with the season they have had. This is the first team to win a league title and beat their first Gibbs division opponent in Ramapo.

When looking back on the history of Pascack Valley lacrosse, they will look at this team as the one who put Valley lacrosse on the map.

And knowing this team, they wouldn't want it any other way.

Valley Looks to Make a Run in State Tournament

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

May has arrived and teams are looking to peak at the right time. Pascack Valley has been climbing the mountain to success all season and is determined to finally reach the top.

After their loss to Glen Rock in the Bergen County Quarterfinals, the Indians knew they still had a chance for a title.

The pairings for the North 1 Group 2 state lacrosse tournament were recently announced, with Pascack Valley earning the 6 seed and a first round matchup with Ramapo.

Those outside Bergen County claimed the top three seeds. Somerville, Chatham, and Hopewell Valley grabbed the 1,2, and 3 seeds respectively.

Usually in any tournament that involves the entire state, rematches are hard to come by. Lucky for the Indians, they will be up against a team who they already defeated 5-4 earlier in the season.

Although that win was their first against a Gibbs division opponent in the program’s history, the Indians mustn’t become complacent, as Ramapo will be looking for revenge.

If Pascack Valley is able to get past the Raiders, they will end up facing the winner of the 3 seed Hopewell Valley and 14 seed Allentown in the quarterfinals.

Since none of teams seeded ahead of them are teams in their division, Ramapo will be the only familiar opponent the Indians will see throughout the state playoffs.

With the talent and a tremendous goalie in Kevin Swtizer, Pascack Valley (13-4) sure has the firepower to make a run for the state crown.

They might even have a chance to play second seeded Chatham in the semifinals, who has a Pascack Valley teacher as their assistant coach.

Although that matchup may sound tempting, Valley must not look past Ramapo because in the state tournament, it is either win or go home.

The grueling practices and hard-fought games have prepared Pascack Valley for this moment. “The regular season has prepared us well,” said Senior Joe Farinelli. “It has kept us in shape and pushed us to get better.”

The preparation has ended and now it is up to the players to decide whether they want to pack it in or contend in June for a state title.

“The key to this game is defensive intensity,” said Fred Buldo-Licciardi, who has coached these players for many years through the junior lacrosse program.

Not only must the defense be intense, but everyone will need to be focused. One lapse in judgment could be the difference between the Indians spending Memorial Day weekend down the beach or on the practice field.

State Tournament Update

Pascack Valley earned the 6 seed in the North 1 Group 2 state lacrosse tournament and will play Ramapo in the first round.

Pascack Valley Shines on Senior Day

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

After all the practices and games over the last four years, the seniors had one final chance to shine on their home field.

They went out with class, defeating Indian Hills 9-4 on Senior Day at Pascack Valley High School.

The seniors were honored before the game, receiving one final applause before they attend college in the fall. Each was announced individually, walking across the middle of the field with their parents. It was a fantastic moment all around, showing that hard work and determination really does payoff.

As for the game itself, it wasn’t always easy for the Indians. Although Kevin Illian scored in the first minute and the offense had plenty of shots on goal, they only held a 2-0 lead after the first quarter.

Indian Hills made it even closer, pulling within one goal halfway through the second. Junior Mike Buldo Licciardi scored with a minute left to give Valley the momentum and a 4-2 lead at the break. 

The key moment for Pascack Valley was in the third quarter. Juniors Nick Sunseri, Mike Buldo, and Kevin Illian all scored goals to make it 7-2 heading into the fourth. After playing poor in parts of the first half, the Indians showed their true colors after intermission.

The fourth quarter wasn’t one of much importance as Valley coasted to a 9-4 victory. The game ended with a roaring applause from the crowd, showing their appreciation for the seniors one last time.

The offense was extremely balanced for Pascack Valley as Illian led the charge with 3 goals while Sunseri, Buldo, and Farinelli added 2 goals each. Junior Nick Soravilla played a big role as well, dishing out 3 assists for the now 13-3 Indians.

After going undefeated at home and winning the first league title in school history, each of the 15 seniors have to feel proud in what they have accomplished.

 “Oh man it felt great knowing we finished it off with a win,” said captain Mike Vicchio, “and 11/14 at the X is great as well.”

Although it may seem like it, the season is still not over. Valley plays Wayne Hills on Tuesday before taking their chances in the state tournament.

No matter how many games this team plays, these players will always be remembered in the school community as the team that made Pascack Valley lacrosse relevant.

“I feel like I left what I needed to on that field,” added Vicchio, “but I wish it didn’t have to end.”

Everything does come to an end eventually, but there is one thing the Indians can do to extend the inevitable.

That is to keeping winning.

And these seniors know how to do that pretty well.

Valley Falls to Glen Rock in Bergen County Quarters

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

Both Glen Rock and Pascack Valley both pride themselves on defense, making it a foregone conclusion that it would be a low scoring game.

Those who believed that would only have been half right.

At River Dell on Tuesday night, Pascack Valley fell at the hands of Glen Rock 11-3, ending their shot at a county crown.

The key for the Panthers was their defense, as Pascack Valley rarely had a good shot on goal. When they were able to get a clean look, goalie Jake Quiat was there, making 7 saves in the game.

After Pascack Valley scored 2 minutes into the game, Glen Rock scored 6 unanswered goals to take a 6-1 lead into halftime.

When Joe Farinelli scored with 3 minutes left in the third, the Indians cut the lead to 8-3, giving them a glimmer of hope.

Glen Rock proved too much however, scoring 5 more goals to finish the game with an 11-3 win. 

Senior Tim Miller put on a show once again for Glen Rock, scoring 4 goals and adding 3 assists. He now has 69 points on the season, which is good for the county lead. Mike Mount added 3 more goals for the Panthers, who improve to 13-0.

Although they lost, there was one player who stood out for Pascack Valley. Junior Kevin Illian scored 2 goals and had 1 assist. He wasn’t intimidated at all by the undefeated Panthers and continued to play his game.

The season isn’t over for Pascack Valley as they still have the state tournament to go along with a few more regular season games. This was a learning experience for the Indians, realizing the level of play needed to compete with the best of the best.

When asked what his team could take and use towards preparing for the state game, Nick Soravilla responded, “It means that we have to work twice as hard during practice to get ready for it.”

They don't have to mourn the loss for long as Indian Hills comes to town tomorrow to play Pascack Valley in one of their last regular season games.

“We have to take all these games seriously from this point on,” added Soravilla. “If we treat every game like it's a county game, it will only better prepare us for the state tournament.”

Pascack Valley Outlasts River Dell, Moves on to Quarterfinals

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

The first game is always the toughest, especially in a one and done type of format.

Pascack Valley, seeded 6th,  passed the test with flying colors, defeating 11th seeded River Dell 9-4 in the first round of the Bergen County tournament.

Although having defeated the Golden Hawks earlier in the season 14-4, the Indians knew this was an elimination game and anything could happen.

Pascack Valley controlled the tempo, having multiple shots on goal in the first period. Although scoring only two goals in the first, they put the pressure on River Dell goalie Bob Sagerman early and often.

The key moment came during the second quarter when Pascack Valley scored 4 goals, taking a 6-1 lead into the half. The defense was fantastic once again, limiting shots on goal and matching the physicality of the Golden Hawks.

Juniors Kevin Illian and Mike Buldo Liccardi added goals to make it 8-2 after the third, ultimately putting the game out of reach. Liccardi led the team with 4 goals, while Illian added 3 goals for the Indians who improve their record to 12-2.

When asked about what his team needed to do to make a deep run in the tournament, Coach Craig Buckley replied, “In order for us to be successful in the county tournament, we need to continue to play strong on the defensive side of the ball as well as play an unselfish, "team" offense.  We have done both of these things very well up until this point and it needs to continue.”

If the offense can continue to produce goals and the defense keeps up the intensity, there is no reason why Pascack Valley can't shock the county and make a deep run.

Having advanced to the next round, Pascack Valley will play the winner of Glen Rock and St. Joe’s on Tuesday.

Whoever Pascack Valley ends up playing, they better realize that this team is on a mission and will not go down without a fight.

Pascack Valley Shuts Out Paramus to Earn League Title

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

When lacrosse teams starting conditioning and lifting during the winter months, there are three goals they intend to accomplish.

The first is a league title, the second a county championship, and the third a state crown.

Pascack Valley accomplished their first goal Wednesday afternoon on their home turf. By shutting out Paramus 13-0, they are now the champions of the Curcio Division.

“It's a huge accomplishment, especially since it’s our first shut out of the year,” said defensive captain Jeff Diorio. “We can attribute a lot of our success to our communication and physicality.”

This has been a memorable season for the Indians and a league championship is just another accomplishment to add to the collection. These individuals believed they could make an impact on this level and that's exactly what they did.

Although the weather was slow to cooperate, the Indians came out focused and ready to play. When half time had come about, the Pascack Valley was sitting fittingly with an 8-0 lead. At that point, they could feel the league championship in their grasp.

With the county tournament soon approaching, teams want to be reaching the peak of their play at this time of the year. With that being said, this might have been the most complete performance the Indians had put in all seaon. The defense was incredible, pitching a shutout and only allowing a few shots on goal.

“It's also all about the box, added Diorio, “and keeping our play clean and not taking any penalties was a big part of our game.”

On offense, the scoring was balanced and it seemed as though everyone was looking for their teammates instead of looking for their own shot. When it was all said and done, 9 different players scored for the Indians, led by Kevin Illian who recorded a hat trick.

Of those 9 players, one of them was sophomore Brendan Morrissey, whose goal was his first of the year. Morrissey’s role has increased throughout the season and he will need to continue to produce for the Indians down the stretch.

When asked about his goal, Morrissey replied "It felt great and I had to give my team a little extra with my dance,"

The other player to record his first goal was Junior Kenny Sessa. He also filled in for Vicchio when needed and won almost all of his face-offs.

Coach Craig Buckley has to be happy with his team’s performance going into his team’s first county game against River Dell this Saturday. It seems as though it is all coming together at the right time.

Along with being proud of his guys, he was also drenched as Juniors Nick Soravilla and Kevin Illian gave him the well-known “gatorade shower”, symbolizing this fantastic accomplishment. He may have been soaked, but he couldn't have been mad because his guys had earned this moment.

“Defense wins championships, said Diorio, “and we're all really glad to be a part of the first league championship team here at PV.

With task one out of the way, Pascack Valley mustn’t become complacent and needs to continue to strive for success.

They will back on the practice field Friday afternoon with one thing in mind and one thing only.

A county championship.

And they have the pieces to do it.

Green and White Prevail in Front of a Huge Hometown Crowd

Kyle Stackpole

PV Sports Beat

There are many ways to lure students to particular sporting events, but giving out t-shirts may be the best one yet. The Indians had a gigantic crowd supporting them Monday afternoon and were determined not to disappoint.

After being teammates just of couple years before, players from Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley faced off in a battle to improve their record and more importantly, for bragging rights.

The Indians made it obvious they were ready to play, easily defeating the Cowboys 14-3, earning their 10^th win of the season, and giving the student section something to cheer about.

“It was awesome,” said Senior Captain Mike Vicchio, “I love playing in front of my family, friends, and classmates. The support from the crowd helps us play better and to dominate Hills in front of a good portion of the school was sick.”

Valley wasted no time fooling around as they scored two goals only 5 minutes into the game. By the time the Cowboys had time to blink, they were in a two-goal hole. The Indians added another, giving them a three-goal cushion heading into the second quarter.

The Cowboys did show some life in the second, scoring two minutes into the period, making it a 3-1 contest. They was as close as Hills would get as Pascack Valley added three goals by the end of the quarter, giving them a comfortable lead heading into halftime.

After Illian scored less than 30 seconds into the second half, the game was all but over.

Valley used the remaining time to give minutes to guys who usually don’t get a chance to play, letting them get accustomed to the varsity spotlight.

When it was all said and done, Valley came out victorious with a 14-3 win.

The highlight of the game (well at least for me) was seeing junior defender Ryan Foley sprinting down the middle of the field and scoring his first goal of the season. Although the game was out of reach that might have been the loudest the fans had cheered during the game.

As stated before, Pascack Valley now improves to 10-2 and will face Paramus on Wednesday.

“I had a great time because we were all feeling it out there,” added Vicchio, “and the fans loved it, especially vs. Hills.”

Hopefully this same fan base will support when Pascack Valley faces River Dell in their first county game Saturday at Pascack Valley High School at 2 pm.

When asked if Vicchio had any last words, he simply replied, “I love it. Vegas.”

Pascack Valley Lacrosse earns 6 seed in County Tournament

The seeds for the Bergen County Lacrosse tournament have been posted and Pascack Valley (10-2) has earned the 6 seed and will play the 11 seed River Dell in the first round.

The game will be played at Pascack Valley High School at 2 pm.

For all pairings for the tournament, here is the link

http://blog.northjersey.com/varsityaces/11201/boys-lax-bergen-county-tournament-seeds/#.T6AAmIek88w.twitter