For a group with as little varsity experience as Eastchester’s lacrosse team, every game is a learning experience. On May 3, the young Eagles squad found themselves in unfamiliar territory, protecting a late lead against Albertus Magnus. But despite their lack of seasoning, the Eagles held up under pressure, outlasting the Falcons 14-9 to pick up their first win of the year.  

Coming into Monday’s game, the Eagles had dropped two games to bigger schools in Scarsdale and New Rochelle, and head coach Octavio Bernabo admitted that the team had not yet been in position to close out a win, leading to some late-game struggles in the offensive zone.

“Every outing, every practice, our guys are learning new things and you saw that with them having to keep it under the box with two minutes to go,” Bernabo said. “But it’s definitely encouraging to see them get their first win even if we still have a lot of growth to get through.”

Even if the Eagles’ clock-killing game still needs some work, the win over Magnus was a huge leap for the team’s offense. After being held to single-digit point totals against the Huguenots and Raiders, Eastchester erupted for 14 goals on Monday, led by youngsters Alex Titto and Owen Blume who each netted five. 

Bernabo was especially pleased with the way his Eagles managed to stop potential Falcons’ runs and maintain momentum, something he believes speaks to the mental toughness of the team.

“I think it speaks to the mentality of the guys that are on this team,” he said. “We got beat up pretty bad by New Ro and Scarsdale, but their mindset is that you have to keep continuing to build off every opportunity we get.”

At 1-2 on the year, the Eagles will face a stiff test this week as they prepare to take on large-school White Plains on May 5, after press time. But with a winnable game on the horizon against Ardsley—the Panthers fell to White Plains 12-2 on Saturday—and a rematch with Magnus set for May 10, it is possible that Eastchester could find itself at .500 next week.

“It’s tough to know exactly where you’re at as a team with all the craziness surrounding this year,” Bernabo said. “But this is a group of guys that is enthusiastic about lacrosse and growing this program.”

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