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Father and son coaches, Steve Tripp of Glen Cove (right)...

Father and son coaches, Steve Tripp of Glen Cove (right) and Doug Tripp of Oyster Bay congratulate each other after a Nassau boys lacrosse game in which they were competitors on Thursday, April 24, 2025 in Oyster Bay. Credit: Dawn McCormick

The opposing head coaches were on the back ends of the handshake line and began moving forward and got closer, and then they wrapped their arms around each other. They let go briefly to pose for a photo, and then came another long, emotional hug.

Glen Cove had pulled away in the final four minutes to beat Oyster Bay 11-7 Thursday at James H. Vernon School in East Norwich after John Lianos scored two of his four goals and delivered one of his two assists.

But this was more than just another boys lacrosse game.

This was father coaching against son for the first time.

Steve Tripp’s Big Red had beaten the Baymen, under the direction of his son, Doug Tripp. They would reconvene later back at home in Glen Cove.

“When you’re in the game, I hardly see him,” Steve said. “You know how much time he’s putting in. … It came down to the fourth quarter just like we both knew it would.

“Obviously, it’s more fun to win and make him wash the dishes or something when we get home.”

Steve is 64 and in his 38th season guiding Glen Cove. Doug Tripp is 32 and in his first season guiding Oyster Bay. Steve saw a future coach when Doug played for him from 2006 to 2010 and finished as an All-America honorable mention midfielder.

Doug became the JV coach for five years at Glen Cove and then five more at Port Washington before coming to Oyster Bay.

“I honestly couldn’t be more happy,” Doug said. “Even though we lost, it’s still just the moment of being on the field with my dad as coaches.

“Now if it just could’ve been 11-7, Oyster Bay.”

Glen Cove (7-2, 6-1) led 8-5 early in the fourth behind four Luciano Blanco goals.

Then Steven Wulforst scored his second and Finn Meyer scored his second for the Baymen (5-4, 5-3).

But Lianos fired in a goal from about 15 yards out for a 9-7 lead with 3:40 left. The senior midfielder soon followed with another, then fed David Backus for a goal with 1:14 remaining.

Dad was going to win.

“It’s inspiring, for sure, because when you get old, you start thinking the next generation has got to pick up,” Lianos said. “But Tripp showed his son that he definitely still has it in him. I’m glad I could help that happen.”

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