Where Are They Now? Corey Harned

In the late 1990s there may not have been a more explosive high school lacrosse player than Corey Harned.

In four varsity seasons from 1996-2000 he scored an impressive 161 goals and 230 points, which still stand as the records at Sachem North. Pat Perritt scored 174 goals and had 276 points, but split time between North and Sachem East as he was playing in the mid-split days.

"I still brag to people about playing for Sachem," said Harned, who now works in the intelligence division of the NYPD, serving on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's security detail. "The guys that came before me set the bar pretty high."

Sachem's teams from 1993-1995 were a rare gem, able to crack the whip and breeze through Long Island on the way to two state tournament appearances in three years, winning one title in 1993.

One of the players who came before Harned was his brother Chris, who is an assistant lacrosse coach at Syosset High School. And like he did at Sachem, Corey followed him to Johns Hopkins.

"I always wanted to beat him, be better than him," said Harned, who also spent six years playing Major League Lacrosse as part of the Long Island Lizards and New Jersey Pride after college. "He helped push me just as much. He was my No. 1 fan and No. 1 supporter through my whole lacrosse career and that gave me the drive to prove to him that I was a good lacrosse player."

Good was an understatement.

Originally tabbed to be an attackman at Hopkins, Harned eventually made the switch to defensive midfield under the guidance of Blue Jays head coach Dave Pietramala. That eventually led to him play long stick defense.

"He turned out to be one of the best in the country at that time," said former Sachem lacrosse coach Rick Mercurio. "He was exciting to watch. Good things happen to those who are willing to work hard and do what is needed of them to make the team more successful. He was willing to put his needs aside to help accomplish team goals and was willing to do anything needed to get a chance to play."

His unselfish play helped rank Hopkins' defense as one of the top in the country in 2003, the same year the Blue Jays lost to Virginia in the National Championship. It held 14 of 16 opponents to less than 10 goals and allowed just 25 goals in four NCAA Tournament games.

While Harned said playing in the title game was the highlight of his lacrosse career, he's still fond of the massive rivalry games between Sachem and Ward Melville.

"The crowds," recalled Harned, who was an All-American at Sachem and two-time participant in the Empire State Games. "The whole school getting behind you. The whole week of good build up to it. It was the game you wanted to be a part of."

Without Harned, those games may not have meant as much.