Harvey’s Scarsella: A National LAX Showcase Invitee

Like father like daughter. Fourteen-year-old Sophia Scarsella of Briarcliff Manor is following in her father’s footsteps on the lacrosse field where the Harvey freshman is quickly blossoming into one of Westchester’s finest high school players. Coming off a year when Sophia helped her team win a league championship and earned recognition for her stellar play from two leagues, she continues to hone her skills while playing for the Revolution Lacrosse club team. Earlier this month, she was one of only five area players among the 150 girls her age selected to participate in the Under Armour150 national combine at Manheim, Pennsylvania, Jan. 2-3.

Mike Scarsella, who played lacrosse for Fox Lane High School and then helped SUNY Cortland win its conference four years straight, has seen his daughter grow from a seventh-grade part-time starter on the Harvey varsity to becoming one of the team’s important go-to players.

Scarsella won’t take all the credit for his daughter’s athleticism. He says Sophia’s mom, Andrea, deserves a good deal of the credit, too. “Andrea was an outstanding athlete at Irvington High School where she starred in tennis and field hockey before attending Cornell University, and has been a huge influence on how Sophia sees herself going forward in terms of athletics and academics,” he said. “We are very proud of what Sophia has done in terms of her commitment to lacrosse,” Scarsella said.

When Sophia joined other freshman and sophomore invitees in the national recruiting showcase, the girls participated in speed and agility tests under the watchful eyes of college coaches from around the country.

Harvey’s varsity lacrosse coach, Greg Janos, was not surprised to learn that Sophia was selected to participate in the Under Armour 150. “She has been the best in her class on our team for the past two seasons, and I'm sure she will be this upcoming season as well,” said Janos.

Sophia, who finished second on the team last year in points behind sophomore Sadie Albert of Katonah, was instrumental in helping Harvey finish the 2015 season a perfect 12-0 and capture the Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HVAL) championship, the first league title in program history.

Sophia collected 28 goals and 14 assists and was named a 2015 HVAL All-League player in addition to being selected to play in the New England Prep School Women’s Lacrosse Association all-star game.

Coach Janos says Sophia, who has made the Headmaster’s List with a 3.8 grade-point average, is committed to being the best she can be. “Sophia has a great attitude and is a hard -working athlete who strives to improve each day. She has a natural scorer's touch in the 8 meter.”

Sophia says her town lacrosse program in which her father coached gave her an early exposure to the sport, and she appreciates having had the opportunity to play on Harvey’s varsity since the seventh grade. “Our team is extremely competitive and it challenges me to develop my skills after playing against girls four or five years older,” she said.

Just like her father did, Sophia will play the midfielder position this spring and serve as one of the team’s three captains. Coach Janos said, “Sophia has always been very committed to the team and is a very mature player for her age. She is one of the players that I rely on regularly and have entrusted to be a captain this year with seniors Sarah Chintz and Melissa Shaw-Patino.” Chintz is a Katonah resident and Shaw-Patino lives in Pound Ridge.

Coach Janos says his freshman player “is already becoming the complete package on and off the field and putting herself in a great position to play lacrosse at the next level.”

Sophia got a taste of the next level when she played in the tournament game at the showcase while coaches from more than 60 division I, II and III colleges observed. Reports are she played well at both ends of the field.