Johansen, North Shore win Nassau C title

Amanda Johansen came away with a loose ball and had no defenders between her and the goal. The North Shore attack drove in from the right side and leaped, extending her stick high into the air before launching a shot into the net with 6:07 left in the first half.

Johansen had five goals and an assist, Tess Korten had three goals and an assist and Lauren Janelli had two goals and five assists as No. 2 North Shore defeated No. 4 Locust Valley, 16-6, in the Nassau Class C girls lacrosse final yesterday afternoon at Hofstra's James M. Shuart Stadium. North Shore (13-4) will play the winner of Thursday's Suffolk Class C final between Mount Sinai and Bayport-Blue Point in the Long Island championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Shuart Stadium. "Everybody stepped up this game, not one person had a bad game," Johansen said. "When the whole team works up to their full potential no other team can beat us."

North Shore jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first seven minutes and took an 8-3 lead into halftime. The Vikings kept up the pressure and avoided complacency in the second half, keeping Locust Valley's Bairre Reilly relatively in check.

"I think that it's important never to let down your guard," North Shore coach Sarah Hogan said. "Bairre Reilly is a strong player. She was the most important thing we talked about."

Reilly had three goals and two assists for Locust Valley (12-6) to bring her county-best point total to 113.

Johansen and Janelli each have more than 50 goals and 30 assists, forming an unselfish duo Hogan called "a great little combo." The J & J girls have the Vikings sitting as county champs for the first time since 1992.

"We always connect every game, so this was no different," Janelli said. "We just did what we usually did. It's how it is every time we play together."

SEE PHOTOSNassau 'C' final: North Shore 16, Locust Valley 6