by Tom Rock, Newsday

WEST POINT, N.Y. - It was a dirty word Danny Orlando has heard before. He may even have used it once or twice. But he never enjoyed it as much as he did yesterday.

It was in the third quarter, after the South Side sophomore goalie made one of his 13 saves. The Yorktown player who took the shot yelled the four-letter word that made Orlando grin.

"Once I heard him say that, I knew we had them," Orlando said. "They knew they weren't playing well and they weren't going to be for the rest of the game."

The profanity was a reflection of the opposition's frustration as South Side dominated Yorktown (Section I), 13-7, in a Class B boys lacrosse semifinal in front of 400 at Michie Stadium. South Side will face undefeated Corning East (Section IV) for the state championship at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium.

Orlando wasn't the only one who experienced the palpable wilt of Yorktown (16-4).

"In the middle of the third quarter, you could sense they were starting to fall," said senior attackman Chris White (one goal, six assists). "We just had to shut the door on them."

No one's been able to shut the door on South Side (19-1) for some time. The Cyclones have won 16 straight, picking up their first county title and Long Island championship along the way.

"It's been a learning experience as we go along," South Side coach Joe Baccarella said. "It seems like nothing fazes these guys."

Not even losing the starting goalie early in the game. Senior John Kennedy began the contest in the crease, as he has all year, but early in the first quarter, he blocked a shot with his midsection and had to come out.

Orlando, a sophomore who usually comes in during the second half for Kennedy, was pressed into duty earlier than usual. He made several impressive stops, including two on Yorktown's Matthias McCall in a 27-second span in the second quarter, as the South Side offense took over the game. The Cyclones scored four straight goals in the second quarter and another four between the second and third quarters.

"If our offense is clicking," White said, "there are not many teams that can stay with us."

South Side's run to this point has not only been unprecedented but impressive. The team has won its last two games by a combined 29-14.

"It hasn't been easy, but we've been able to put some insurance goals on the board," said senior midfielder Kevin Riley, who had four goals yesterday. "Beating the defending Long Island champion [Shoreham-Wading River] and state champion just makes it that much sweeter, more special in a way."

Nothing would be more special than a state title, something White said he and his classmates have been dreaming about since they started playing together in the second grade. The road should get considerably more difficult against Corning East (20-0).

"We know nothing about Corning East, but that doesn't matter," Baccarella said. "We just play. We try to get match-ups and play lacrosse."

SOUTH SIDE 13

YORKTOWN 7
Copyright © 2004, Newsday