SYRACUSE - Six long years and the Lakers get a title with team work from the sophomore and junior class.

The Lakers stepped it up for the Section III, Class C Championship game with most of the scoring coming from those not graduating this month.

Junior Patrick Emmer added a goal and three assists to his season total, bringing him to 10 goals and nine assists overall, leading the Lakers over Christian Brothers Academy, 11-7 in the championship game at Coyne Field in Syracuse Wednesday.

Last year, the Lakers lost to the Brothers in the Section III, Class C playoffs and it was looking doubtful for this season's team to be able to pull off a championship victory, especially after graduating many key players.

Skaneateles lost Win Wickwire, Jeff Donigan, Devin Lynch, James Allen and Scott Castle to graduation, forcing the Lakers to bring in a lot of inexperience, especially on offense.

As the beginning of the season came near, Lakers head coach Ron Doctor was looking at this season as a building year with hopes of gaining experience and challenging CBA for the league title.

Entering sectionals with five losses on their record may not have helped to build their confidence, but perhaps the youth of the team gave them the fearless edge of never thinking anything but that they could win it all.

“We talked about this moment on the first day of practice, we knew we would be here,” sophomore Kelly Donigan said. “We are not done yet.”

“Coming in this year, we were known as a team that lost a lot of players and started with a lot of losses,” Emmer added.

“The underclassmen really stepped it up this season and we deserve this win.”

The game was tied 4-4 at the half when the team had chance to talk about where they were headed.

“We weren't really nervous,” Donigan said. “I knew we had plenty of time and we talked at the half about how we had this and we just needed to get out there and get it done.”

“Our face off guys have been doing great, (senior) Matt Wood is doing an amazing job adding to the team and it really helps get the play out there,” Emmer said.

“Plus our offense was awesome today, it was a real team effort with no one showing off, just working together.”

Emmer teamed up with Oliver Moore on two of the Lakers 11 goals, one each in the first and the second periods.

Skaneateles junior Moore also finished with three goals.

“They were wearing down and we kept up the fight,” Moore said. “Emmer is a big target and we work together to get the shots well. We are just doing what we can and we step up when the seniors can't make the goals.”

Also working with Emmer on the second goal of the third quarter was sophomore Donigan, who is used to the teamwork that he can expect from playing with Emmer.

“The seniors will carry us in the long run but we have to pitch in and help out,” Donigan said.

“Emmer and I worked together stick to stick and we have been working together on the attack line all year where he has been giving me the shots all year long. It's fun to do it for the seniors and we really work together well.”

With a young 2008 team, Skaneateles had to do a lot of building this season, especially the sophomores who have not had much chance to play at the varsity level.

“It feels great to win this,” Emmer said. “It has been six years since the Lakers took the title and I could never have dreamed of this, I am just so pumped right now, it is unbelievable.”

Emmer may not have believed it, but Donigan claims confidence from day one, some due to the teamwork he knew he could get with players like Emmer to work with.

“The way that this team works together is perfect and we can really depend on each other out there, Emmer is just one of the players out there that just keeps stepping up every game,” Donigan said.