Coming into the 2022 season with lofty postseason expectations, it’s no surprise that the Mamaroneck lacrosse team would seek out a slew accomplished non-league foes to round out its schedule. On Saturday, March 26, the Tigers opened the season with just such a test and performed with aplomb, riding a strong second half performance to top Long Island’s Sachem North 13-7. As the Tigers embark on their season, this early-season encounter could portend big things for the large-school powerhouse this spring.
It may have taken a while for Mamaroneck to find its rhythm on Saturday, as the Tigers and Flaming Arrows headed into halftime tied at 5-5. Once play resumed, however, the Tigers proved why they’re considered to be one of the most formidable teams in Section I, going on an 8-3 run to close out the game.
Senior Alex Martin—who led the Tigers with six goals and one assist—that the team’s strong second half was mostly a function of finding an extra gear.
“Once we started fighting, that was the difference,” said Martin. “Once we started fighting, we have so much chemistry, it all started to come together.”
Martin wasn’t the only Mamaroneck player to light up the scoreboard on Saturday, as Rhett Chambers added four of his own. Goalie Chris Matthews made 12 saves on the afternoon, anchoring a solid defensive effort in the second half that gifted the Tigers with a number of good scoring chances in transition.
According to Martin, that up-tempo style may end up being a calling card for the Tigers this year.
“We love to push it in transition, that’s one of our big strengths,” he said. “It’s something that we’ve been focusing on since our time in the LMYL (Larchmont Mamaroneck Youth Lacrosse) program, and we’ve just carried it over since.”
The Tigers—who entered into the season as the No. 2 ranked team in Section I—will be back in action on March 30, after press time, when they travel to Briarcliff to take on a Bears team that earned their own decisive season-opening win over Scardale on Saturday afternoon. Last season, Scarsdale upset Mamaroneck for the Section I title, edging the Tigers 8-7 in a double-overtime championship showdown.
For Martin and the returning Tigers, however, the key is keeping last June’s defeat in perspective.
“We’ve talked about it, we’ve referenced it, but we’ve really just tried to put it behind us the best we could and just focus on this year,” Martin said. “We just have to get back to work in practice and work hard to get better each day.”
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