Section V boys lacrosse playoff preview: McQuaid, Victor earn top seeds

BRIGHTON — Like most teams, McQuaid hoped to play its best lacrosse as the calendar turned to May. Instead, following 11 straight wins to start the season, this month offered its share of speed bumps.

First, an overtime loss to Class B contender Irondequoit on May 1, followed by another one-goal defeat to Section III's Fayetteville-Manlius only days later.

While such a winning streak is an impressive feat, how the Knights responded to rare losses could define their season. Three straight victories later, spirits are high entering the Class A tournament.

"They're high school kids at the end of the day. There's gonna be a game every year where maybe they don't show up ready to go," McQuaid coach Alex Gray said. "We probably needed it, a little wake-up call, to not get complacent and re-focus."

Thursday's regular season finale showcased two of Section V's best teams. McQuaid hosted Victor, the top seed and defending champion in Class B, and shut down the Blue Devils in the second half en route to a 9-6 win. Among the heroes in that game was senior goalie Will Gordon , who finished with a season-high 16 saves.

"We were looking forward to this game all season. We had it circled on the calendar," Gordon said. "It's a great way to go into sectionals, beating one of the best teams in Rochester."

McQuaid faced four other Section V Class A teams during the regular season and won each contest, the closest by an 8-7 margin over Pittsford — a potential semifinal opponent — in late March. Still, the Knights know the next week-plus could offer more adversities to overcome, and in doing so would mean the program's first-ever Section V title.

For a team as offensively capable as McQuaid, its first-year head coach thinks proficiency at the other end will be the biggest key.

"It all starts with the defensive end, and you build your way out from there," Gray said. "We have a great group of kids and a heavy group of seniors who know the game. Everybody's playing their best ball at the end of the year, so we've gotta be ready for different looks and hopefully the ball bounces our way."

Section V Class A tournament

• Defending champion: Pittsford
• Top seed: McQuaid
• Semifinals: Friday, May 24 at Gates Chili
• Final: Tuesday, May 28 at St. John Fisher

The breakdown: Seven of the eight teams in Class A own win-loss records of .500 or better. McQuaid, the top seed, has never won a section title but has made two final appearances (2007, 2023). The Knights possess two goal scorers in the top 10 of Section V: John Harding (50) and Vincenzo Giangreco (48). McQuaid (JP Gianforti and Domenic Giangreco ) and Hilton ( Michael Mitrano and Drew O'Buck ) are the only Section V teams with multiple players in the top 10 in faceoff win percentage. Pittsford, last year's champion and this season's No. 4 seed, has played in three straight Class A title games, winning one. Class A features two of Section V's busiest goalies — Greece's Jonathan Bucciarelli (217 saves) and Rush-Henrietta's Daniel Schmitz (216 saves) were among the area's leaders.

Section V Class B tournament

• Defending champion: Victor
• Top seed: Victor
• Semifinals: Friday, May 24 at Pittsford Sutherland
• Final: Tuesday, May 28 at St. John Fisher

The breakdown: Victor won seven Section V titles from 2014 to 2023. After losing two straight to open the season, the Blue Devils claimed 13 games in a row before dropping the regular season finale to McQuaid. Among those wins, an 8-4 victory over No. 2 Irondequoit in early May. The Eagles' title drought extends to 2012, but Irondequoit possesses arguably Section V's top faceoff specialist Jonah Carrier and top goal-scorer Cooper Moore. Canandaigua, seeded third, has won six of its last seven games. That includes a two-goal win over Pittsford in the season finale, which includes three goals from Alex Rheude and a 13-for-16 showing at the X from Mason DePew. The Gray Wolves allowed less than four goals per game during that stretch.

Section V Class C tournament

• Defending champion: Honeoye Falls-Lima
• Top seed: Palmyra-Macedon
• Semifinals: Wednesday, May 22 at Victor
• Final: Saturday, May 25 at FLCC

The breakdown: Palmyra-Macedon (16-0) is one of only five undefeated teams in New York state. The Red Raiders' Keagan Hoesterey is Section V's current leader in points (123) and assists (81), while freshman Jackson Dennie is fourth in goals (56) and Luke VanGorden is fourth in faceoff wins (194). Honeoye Falls-Lima is seeking its third title in four years, led by Drew Angelo who ranks second in Section V in faceoff wins and ground balls. The Cougars' Chase Perryman has 48 goals and 93 points this season. Jeremy Askin, of third-seeded Geneva, enters the postseason with more faceoff wins (245) than any Section V player. Max Heieck (48 goals, 89 points) lists among the top scorers.

Section V Class D tournament

• Defending champion: Penn Yan
• Top seed: Aquinas
• Semifinals: Wednesday, May 22 at FLCC
• Final: Saturday, May 25 at FLCC

The breakdown: No Section V team has won more titles than Penn Yan. The Mustangs have claimed 25 titles since the tournament's inception in 1975, including six straight in Class D and six straight in Class C before that. Aquinas has not won a section title since 2010, and are 0-4 in title games since its last win. Lil Irish sophomore Tano Auriuso enters sectionals second in goals scored (61) and fourth in points (9-1).

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Section V boys lacrosse playoff preview: McQuaid, Victor earn top seeds