Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse scores seven straight goals in second half to capture first state title in program history

Bayport-Blue Point’s Maclin Keyser climbed the fence of the bleachers at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium, his helmet off and his eye black smeared.

Keyser then described a dream he had growing up, one of lifting a state title for his hometown team with his childhood friends.

That dream didn’t just turn into reality; the senior captain manifested it with a performance that would’ve made his younger self blush.

The Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse team lifted its first state title in program history on Saturday after defeating Section III’s Jamesville-Dewitt, 13-6, in the state Class C title game. The Phantoms, who had won their first Long Island title since 2011, added a much larger trophy to their collection.

“There’s no better feeling,” Keyser said. “And to do it with my friends, I’ve been playing with them since I can remember. This is just what I’ve been dreaming of since I was younger.”

The Phantoms (21-1) led 6-4 at halftime thanks to a strong first half from Keyser. He assisted fellow senior Ryan Hannaford in the first quarter before scoring two goals in the second quarter.

While Keyser’s impact was evident, you couldn’t ignore the performance of goalie Brady Smith (12 saves). He allowed just two second-half goals and stopped seven shots.

“I haven’t been able to soak it all in,” Smith said. “Me and my guys, we’ve been all dreaming of it since we started playing in kindergarten.”

Smith’s efforts allowed the Phantoms to dominate both possession and momentum, leading to numerous offensive opportunities, including seven unanswered goals in the second half.

“I could not be prouder of him,” BBP coach Doug Meehan said of Smith. “He deserves all the recognition; he has had quite the journey and he has handled it with such dignity.”

Bayport-Blue Point conceded just 1:20 into the third quarter but did not allow another goal until there was 4:40 left in the fourth. But by then, the Phantoms had already pulled away.

Mike Luce scored a minute later for BBP’s 13th goal of the game.

“We just have a high motor,” Keyser said. “We were a bit gassed heading into the locker room, but we just rallied. We have so much heart, so much character. We fought so hard to be here, we weren’t going to quit now.”

Bayport-Blue Point flexed its depth throughout. Keyser and fellow seniors Connor Curran and Ben Morris each scored three goals, with Keyser and Curran also adding one assist each. Traigh Tomassone scored the Phantoms’ first two goals to give Bayport-Blue Point a lead it would never cede.

“These kids have something a whole lot more than talent,” Meehan said. “We had six guys with a point, that’s really tough to defend. Four out of the six are seniors, and they’re not afraid of the moment. They’ve prepared their whole lives for it. It’s special.”

Luce continued to showcase why he’s one of the best defenders on Long Island, and Hannaford added two goals.

Now there’s only one thing left to do for a Phantoms team that has seemingly done it all: Walk into school on Monday as the most successful boys lacrosse players in school history.

“It’s truly just a dream come true,” Smith said. “ . . . It just feels awesome.”