Bronxville in the game against Mamaroneck yesterday. Photo by J. Murrer. 

By J. Murrer and S.Q. DeJoy

May 2, 2024: This Saturday, May 4, LaxFest returns to the Bronxville School. This full-day celebration of lacrosse was first started in 2018 as a way to bring the community out to celebrate lacrosse with back-to-back games throughout the day.  The event is sponsored by Bronxville's Athletic Department and the PTA Athletic Council in partnership with Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association (BYLA). This year's event will once again raise awareness for the One Love Foundation. The One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization with the goal of ending relationship abuse.

Chambers and Hayes Fields will be host to a full schedule of Bronxville boys’ and girls’ youth, JV and varsity games. The Bronco Barn concession stand will be open, and food trucks will be on site in the Meadow Ave lot 12:00-3:00PM.

Bronxville High School's Happy Feet Club will be collecting gently used athletic equipment to donate to youth organizations in need. Collection boxes will be outside the Bronco Barn all day.

Bronxville is one of the smaller schools in Section 1, but the lacrosse teams are loaded with talent. The Class D Broncos play against schools of all sizes including some of the top lacrosse programs in Section 1. Both teams will have their work cut out for them this weekend as the varsity girls face Class A Suffern, and the varsity boys go up against Class C John Jay-Cross River.

Varsity Teams Preview

Bronco Girls

The girls’ lacrosse team has a 7-5 record, but the record alone does not tell the whole story.  In the last two weeks, the Broncos have had wins over Class C Pelham and Class A Mamaronec. Three of their losses came early in the season to Yorktown, Nyack, and Greenwich.

Just this past week the team lost a 7-5 battle with Rye, the No. 2 team in Section 1 according to Lohud’s Power Rankings.  The Broncos will not compete against these schools in the Class D playoffs, but the experience of going up against top ten schools prepares them well for the upcoming postseason.

“My team loves the competitiveness,” said Co-captain Amy Villanueva, a junior who has played on the varsity team since 8^th grade. “Playing up challenges and motivates us. We have a lot of younger girls, and it is amazing how impactful they have been and how well we work together on the field.”

Amy Villanueva in the game against Rye last week. Photo by Joe Villanueva.

“We have really started to click and build our confidence as a team,” said second-year Head Coach Gianna Maffei.  “We are getting better every single day, and the girls are starting to communicate ideas and directives with one another on the field.” Maffei was named Coach of the Year by Lohud in 2023.

The Bronco girls are ranked No. 8 in the Lohud’s Section 1 Power Rankings and will face No. 3 Suffern on Saturday at 3PM. Suffern will likely be looking to even the score after losing to the Broncos in overtime last year.

Bronco Boys

The Bronxville boys’ lacrosse team (5-4) also has a schedule packed with top Section 1 competitors.  The Broncos have recent wins over Fordham Prep, Greenwich, and Albertus Magnus and recent losses to Class B Horace Greeley and Class A Mamaroneck.

“The boys enjoy playing the tough out-of-conference competition that we have scheduled, and the team is currently building towards the end of the season and playoffs,” said Head Coach and Athletic Director Joe Haven. Haven was the Head Coach for the girls’ lacrosse team when they won the State Championship in 2022.

The boys’ team, who has been in Lohud’s top ten Power Rankings for most of the season will play No. 7 John Jay-Cross River on Saturday at 5PM.

“There is a great lacrosse tradition up at John Jay,” said three-year Captain and goalie Luke Arrighi.  “Every year we have played them it has been a pretty good game, and we’re just looking forward to it. It’s another out of class team, a little bigger school, so obviously that brings a little more focus on that game.  It would be a really big win for us, and I think that can help us bring some momentum into the playoffs. John Jay is a good team like Pleasantville with a deep roster and very talented and very athletic players. All these games get us a lot better and help us for the post-season.”

Bronco defense and goalie Luke Arrighi in yesterday’s game against Mamaroneck. Photo by J. Murrer.

Saturday will be a great celebration of lacrosse and a time to bring awareness to good causes, including One Love.

“For many years, One Love has been an integral part of our community,” said Villanueva.  “It is a super important cause that reflects on relationships and having healthy relationships. We have supported this cause for so long that it feels like a part of us.”

Saturday, May 4 – Schedule of Events at Chambers and Hayes Fields

12:00 pm: JV girls’ lacrosse vs. Suffern

1:30 pm: JV boys’ lacrosse vs. John Jay

3:00 pm: Varsity girls’ lacrosse vs. Suffern

5:00 pm: Varsity boys’ lacrosse vs. John Jay

BYLA games 8:15am – 12:00pm

Go Broncos.