Playing sports in college can lead to life-long friendships.  

For Keuka College seniors Chad Green and Justin Pecori, their friendship began years before attending college.

Green, a goaltender and Pecori, a midfielder, attended South Jefferson Central School in Adams. The two lived about five minutes away from each other and would ride the same bus to school.

_{Justin Pecori}

"His [Green's] family is pretty much my own; we hung out a lot off the field," Pecori said.  

Pecori, a biology major, started playing lacrosse in fourth grade because his older brother Steve, who was a two time All-American at Mercyhurst College, got him hooked on the sport. In sixth grade, Pecori became manager of the varsity team at South Jefferson, and even traveled with the team to road games.

While playing in the Frontier League in high school, Pecori was a two-time all-star and selected to the Section III all-star team his senior year. He was also chosen by the Watertown Times newspaper as an All-North player.

^{Chad Green}

For Green, lacrosse has been a family pastime for years.

"My family has a rich tradition of lacrosse; all of my uncles and my dad played during high school and college," Green said.

Green was turned on to the sport by his father, who played lacrosse at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. When Green was in the second grade, his father bought him a lacrosse stick and he became manager of a modified team at South Jefferson.  

While he was in high school, Green was selected a Frontier League all-star as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was a second team All-North selection, an honorable mention All-Central New York pick, and Defensive MVP of the U.S. Lacrosse Section III Senior All-Star Game, in which Pecori also played.

Prior to choosing a college destination, both Green and Pecori heard about Keuka from two other South Jefferson alumni who were attending Keuka at the timeand playing lacrosse: Wes and Luke Hopkins.

"I felt that Keuka was the best fit for me, plus with Justin also going to Keuka, I felt the transition would be smooth," Green said.

Pecori and Green both say they would recommend playing lacrosse for Coach Jason Paige at Keuka to any potential incoming students.

"I would recommend it to incoming players because of the people you meet and the lessons learned through hard work and years of dedication," said Pecori.

"I would recommend it because I have built many friendships that I don't think would be possible without lacrosse," Green stated.

When Pecori and Green came to Keuka, the Storm had posted back-to-back winning seasons. That streak is now at six.

"I came here with the intent to win games," said Pecori.

In their four seasons at Keuka, Pecori and Green helped the Storm compile a 33-16 record, including an 8-5 mark this season. They both went out in style, with Pecori scoring 6 goals and adding 2 assists and Green turning back 6 shots in 19-6 win over Cazenovia.

Pecori is third all-time in Keuka annals with 141 points, including 78 goals (No. 6) and 63 assists (No. 2). Green is second in saves with 379, 130 of them coming this season.

Now that college is ending for both student-athletes, they will have to find another way to feed their lacrosse addictions.

Pecori might play in summer leagues.

"I think that my lacrosse career will pretty much be over after my senior year because of graduate school," he said.

Green, on the other hand, will be back at Keuka to finish his degree and begin a new chapter of his lacrosse career as an assistant coach for Keuka.

Also, because of his German heritage, Green plans to try out for the German National Team for the upcoming 2010 World Games.

-- Anthony Affissio '08