Pittsford, N.Y -- Before the Section III playoffs started, the captains of the LaFayette boys lacrosse team gathered the players to deliver an important message.

The Lancers were coming off a 14-7 shellacking at the hands of Skaneateles and held a 9-7 record heading into the postseason.

Some Lancers were not coming to practice regularly and some of those who lacked necessary effort. That needed to change, the captains said, or else the season would soon be over. It wasn’t the first time that topic was raised, but with the team’s season on the brink it was the most urgent.

“We used to have problems with guys showing up to practice and taking practice seriously," said Lancers senior midfielder Reid Jackowski, one of those captains. “We came in as captains and told the team if you don’t want to be here, then leave. Everyone bought in after that.”

Apparently so.

Jackowski scored 37 seconds into overtime Saturday to cap an improbable run and give the Lancers a 9-8 win over Section I’s Briarcliff in the state Class D title game on Saturday at St. John Fisher College.

The goal was Jackowski’s second of the game. He scored with 2:20 left in the fourth to cap a Lancers rally from a three-goal deficit and force the extra period. Homer Mason led the way for LaFayette (16-7) with three goals, while Jackowski and Zach Delaney each scored twice.

Their combined efforts helped the Cinderella Lancers drive through the postseason with seven wins, including a stunning revenge triumph over No.-1 ranked Skaneateles en route to winning the sectionals.

“They’re high school kids. And it’s a long, long season. I think that was the biggest thing, was just trying to get everybody back in line, and say ‘Hey, it’s not over yet. We’ve still got a long way to go,” said LaFayette coach Chris O’Hara. “We knew that we had the talent. Our top 12 guys could probably run with just just about anybody. Trying to run 12 guys for 48 minutes is not easy. That sectional game against Skaneateles, the kids really finally showed the mental toughness that we’ve been looking for all year, to go with the physical toughness.”

This is the program’s first state title since 2005, when it won the Class C crown.

LaFayette faceoff man Skariwate Papineau gave the Lancers the only overtime possession they would need. Papineau had a tough game at the "X’ against Briarcliffe’s Michael Donoghue, who won 15-of-20 on the day. But with the game on the line, Papineau got the one that counted.

“He’s gotten us to where we are the second half of the season,” O’Hara said of Papineau. “He’s an emotional kid. He’s passionate, and he plays with a lot of heart. We knew it was in him.”

The Lancers called timeout, and when play resumed Dylan Lyons worked the ball up top before feeding Jackowski on the left side. Jackowski quickly cranked a shot past Bears goalie Ian Leahy.

LaFayette’s Reid Jackowski scored 37 seconds into OT to give the Lancers a 9-8 win over Briarcliff in the state Class D title game. pic.twitter.com/PSZbhd2vwt — CNY High School Sports (@cnyhssports) June 8, 2019

“I looked at the goalie and the goalie was following Dylan’s eyes. So as soon as I caught it, I just let it go because he wasn’t paying attention to me,” Jackowski said. “And by the time he turned, the ball was already going in the net. This is something I’ve dreamed about shooting around in my back yard. Every player wishes they could get the tying goal, the winning goal. And it happened to me today. So it’s pretty incredible.”

Briarcliffe held an 8-5 lead early in the fourth before Homer ripped home a shot with 9:25 remaining. Delaney brought the Lancers within 8-7 on a bouncing goal a little more than a minute late.

“The kids, they’ve got the skills. They know that they’re never out of it,” O’Hara said.

“We were trying to keep our composure,” Jackowski said. “Throughout sectionals we’ve been up most of the time. So it was definitely difficult for us to come back. But we wanted this game so bad. Everyone put in their best effort and we came out on top.”

LaFayette goalie Collin Dix made a huge stop on Briarcliffe’s Matthew Waterhouse with 3:26 left, and the Lancers called timeout.

A pair of LaFayette shots then sailed wide, but Jackowski cashed in with a quick turn and shoot off a feed from teammate Erin Gentile to tie the game.

“Coach told us big players make plays,” Jackowski said. “I got open, one of my players made the good pass and I was able to get the goal. Our adrenaline was really up and everyone was fired up for that goal.”

Briarcliffe won the ensuing faceoff, but the Lancers forced a late turnover to set up Jackowski’s heroics minutes later.

“It’s been an incredible season,” O’Hara said. “To say that I could have saw this coming, no, that would not be true. They put it together.”

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