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Shoreham's Connor Drost (16) readies a shot on goal against...

Shoreham's Connor Drost (16) readies a shot on goal against Mountain Lakes' defender Connor O'Leary (3) in the second half. Shoreham-Wading River defeated Mountain Lakes (NJ) 8-7. (May 14, 2011) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan

It was a senior moment that won't soon be forgotten. In fact, the memory of senior day at Shoreham-Wading River Saturday may ripen with age, so that when the boys lacrosse players from the Class of 2011 are senior citizens and gather to recall and toast their glory days, this will be one of them.

A dozen 12th-graders who have played for SWR coach Tom Rotanz Sr. (of course) since the first grade played their final scheduled home game for the man who taught them the game. And proved how much they've learned.

Senior Paul Curran picked up a loose ball in front and fired home a goal with 10:18 remaining that proved to be the game-winner in the Wildcats' 8-7 non-league victory over Mountain Lakes, a perennial New Jersey small-school powerhouse that had beaten SWR in five of six previous meetings.

But from the yellow carnations worn by Rotanz and his staff, to his emotional pregame salute to each of the seniors introduced to the crowd, to his choked-up postgame speech to the team, clearly this was no ordinary senior day.

"Around the house, he was writing things down. He's been thinking about this for a while," said Tom Rotanz Jr., a senior attack who had a goal and an assist. His brother Tim, a sophomore, had four goals and two assists and is Long Island's leading scorer in both points (85) and goals (57). But Saturday belonged to his older brother and classmates.

"Before big games, he's always more detailed, but you could tell this was a huge deal," said Tom Jr., who assisted on one of Tim's goals.

Tom Sr. said he woke up at 3:30 a.m.: "Wide awake. I couldn't sleep. I didn't know what I'd say about each player. About 10 years ago, I started dreading two things -- how I'd react at my daughter's wedding and how I'd react on senior day for Tommy. It's not easy being a coach's son, but he gets it. He has character traits I wish I had. This was a chapter in my life I wasn't looking forward to turning the page to, but it was nice to have his friends share a day like this."

Those seniors did more than share. They contributed. Curran had a goal and an assist. Connor Drost and Peter Gersbeck scored goals in the key third period when the Wildcats (13-2) erased a 5-2 deficit with five straight goals, three by Tim Rotanz. Drost won faceoffs and was a demon on ground balls. Kris Miller had an assist. Defenseman Brandon Warner scooped a key ground ball in front of the cage in the final minute. Defenseman C.J. Miller was a force all afternoon.

"He's the first lacrosse coach I ever knew," Curran said. "This is very special for all of us. We've played for him our whole lives."

Said Drost: "When he was getting emotional in his speech before the game, you could tell how much this meant to him."

Rotanz Sr. was emotional long after the game. "You have dreams and often they don't come true," he said. "But for these kids to progress to this . . . and play their hearts out . . . is something you can only dream of."

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