Sachem Can't Lasso Bulls

With 12 minutes to go in a clash with Smithtown East, the switch flipped and the Sachem North boys lacrosse team looked like itself again. The late resurgence might have felled a lesser squad, but the host Bulls, hungry for a spot in the Division I playoffs, weren't about to have their day spoiled.

North's attack began to click in the fourth quarter, but the damage done by East in a game-changing third proved to be the difference in an 8-6 Bull victory at Nicholas Schroeder Field Wednesday afternoon.

"Hopefully this is a wake-up call for Saturday," Flaming Arrows coach Jay Mauro said, speaking of their matinee matchup with Middle Country. "Every game is important, and if you don't come to play every day, this is what's going to happen."

The loss dropped Sachem North to 9-3 overall and 8-2 in Division I. It had entered the day ranked behind only West Islip and Ward Melville in the league standings. Meanwhile, Smithtown East jumped to 6-4 in league play and 7-5 overall.

After giving up five unanswered goals and watching a one-goal lead turn into a four-goal deficit, Sachem made its move. Defensive midfielder Tyler Novak started it by intercepting a Smithtown pass at the restraining line and pushing the ball ahead. The ball ended up with Timmy Lang, and he fired a laser past Brian Balkam to slice the lead to 7-4. At the eight-minute mark, the Bulls were whistled for having too many men on the field, and Sachem cashed in when Jack Gannon whizzed one home to make it 7-5.

It was the closest that the visitors would get, and before long, Smithtown East sealed Sachem's fate with Garry Watson's first goal of the game, a shot in tight on North goalie Teddy Matos (10 saves). Once again, the damage was done in transition.

"A lot of the goals Teddy gave up weren't his fault," Mauro said. "When they have a 4-on-3 where we have three back, you have to make them make four passes and we didn't do that."

Even though North appeared off its game in the opening half, it managed to seize momentum going into intermission. With the teams locked at two goals apiece, junior Jake Cabble elevated to reel in a Gannon pass that sailed high, and on his way down bounced a shot low to give Sachem a 3-2 lead with 35 seconds to go.

The advantage was short-lived, and it wasn't long before the Arrows were well behind. East's Ryan DeSimone leaped in the air and scored just 19 seconds into the second half, and a beautiful pass over the crossbar from Kevin Dondero resulted in an Adam Hull bullet from 10 yards out that gave the hosts a 4-3 lead.

Smithtown continued to win the faceoff battle and capitalized on the extra possessions. Hull, Dondero and Jimmy Tenbrink all scored during a three-minute span in the third to open up a 7-3 advantage, and to punctuate a 5-0 quarter, Balkam and the Bulls thwarted two Arrow opportunities in the final minute.

"They caught us in transition," Mauro said. "Almost all of their goals were scored in transition. It's something that's hounded us the past couple weeks."

With four games to play, Sachem is still set up well for the playoffs, but a tough road lies ahead. After Middle Country, the Arrows play three teams who entered Wednesday ranked in the top eight – at Smithtown West, at William Floyd and then back home for the final regular season home game on May 17, a showdown with Ward Melville under the lights.

"It wasn't our day," Mauro said. "We did it to ourselves; they didn't do anything we didn't go over. As the head coach, that's my fault. [Smithtown East] played a great game. My hat goes off to them."