Faceoff specialist Madden Murphy leads Ward Melville to win

Winning faceoffs in lacrosse is crucial. It’s an opportunity to funnel frustration into adrenaline after conceding a goal, seeking that equalizer with extra moxie and vigor.

However, if you’re facing Ward Melville, that means you’re facing Madden Murphy. Within a few seconds, you’re probably on your back foot all over again.

Ward Melville put on a defensive class against Sachem North on Saturday morning, an 8-2 home win in Suffolk Division I boys lacrosse. Murphy won 86% of his faceoffs (12 of 14). 

“I try to go into every faceoff with a blank mind, not thinking about the last faceoff,” Murphy said. “You don’t want to get too high when you’re winning a lot, and you don’t want to get too low, either.”

“It’s like another defense, when you have a kid like that who works and grinds all game,” coach Jay Negus said.

Six different Patriots scored, with midfielders Brody Morgan and Liam Banks netting a pair each. Senior attack Zach Brittman earned three assists with impressive short and long passes from the X. Still, Ward Melville led just 2-0 at halftime thanks in part to a sensational game by Sachem North senior goalie Michael Howard, who finished with 23 saves.

“We came in wanting to get everything right,” Morgan said. “I think we got there in the second half, but we came out a little slow.”

Defenders Aidan McMinn and Ben Ehlers combined for five caused turnovers and set the tone for a defense that flexed plenty of physicality with poke and slap checks. Goalie Davon DiFede allowed zero goals with five saves in the first half before swapping with Ethan Shulder.

Quinn McKay and Callan McLaughlin were just as defensively imposing in the midfield while providing two-way value with one goal each as well as an assist for McKay.

“I thought the defense did a great job with pressure, picking up ground balls,” Negus said. “I thought our goalie play was excellent, we have two very good goalies.”

That physicality did come at the cost of being on the receiving end of five penalties, with two flags coming on a single possession in the first quarter. Negus said the team had “way too many,” adding that they will address it in film sessions.

Performances like Saturday’s suggest why both Morgan and Murphy believe this team is capable of playing beyond May and into June, with eyes on the state tournament.

“The year to do it is this year,” Murphy said. “I think if we stay on this path it’s definitely something we can achieve.”