Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse starts fast, hangs on for win over East Islip
Connor Curran #13 of Bayport-Blue Point, left, gets congratulated by teammate Ryan Hannaford #10 after scoring a goal in the third quarter of a Suffolk II boys lacrosse game against host East Islip on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Credit: James Escher
The first quarter was unfolding between two undefeated teams that were sharing space on the top rung of the Suffolk II boys lacrosse standings. Yet it was unfolding entirely in the direction of Bayport-Blue Point.
The Phantoms, who exited in the Suffolk Class C semis last season, scored six times in the opening 12 minutes and the first eight goals overall against East Islip, a Suffolk Class B finalist in 2023.
And Bayport-Blue Point held on for an impressive 11-8 victory Wednesday at East Islip Middle School.
“It’s a great win,” said coach Doug Meehan. “It’s a great team win. I think everyone contributed, top to bottom. Any time you have the opportunity to go against a very, very skilled team, a very well-coached team, it’s a task. And I think our guys stepped up to the task.”
Connor Curran contributed three goals and two assists, Ben Morris added two goals and one assist and Dan Aiello had one goal and three assists.
So the Phantoms (9-0, 7-0) have the top rung to themselves. They have their eyes on first prize in C. The program hasn’t ruled in the county since 2011.
“That’s what we talked about at the start of the season.” said Curran, a junior attackman and Towson commit. “We talked about our goals, and everyone’s thinking counties. Obviously, we haven’t been there in a while. But we’ve got to beat some pretty good teams.”
They beat one in East Islip (8-1, 6-1), which fell despite getting five goals from Matt Ferraro.
“I think it takes a little bit of the pressure off of trying to go and win every single game and be undefeated,” coach Thomas Zummo said. “… Now we go out and have to work on getting better.”
Morris closed from the right side and scored the first goal 1:07 in. Maclin Keyser followed with a man-up goal on a left-side rocket.
And so it went. When Morris scored again, it was 6-0.
When Traigh Tomassone scored three minutes into the second quarter, it was 8-0.
Meehan said he “had no doubt that there was a comeback coming.”
East Islip had it down to 8-2 by halftime, 10-5 after three and 11-8 on a Ferraro goal with 1:16 left.
“The boys had fight,” Zummo said.
But the Phantoms had the win.
“We played very well,” Curran said. “We pushed the tempo in practice. We really got amped up for this game.”
