Akapnitis, Losco come up big for Hauppauge

The big story in Hauppauge's important 9-8 boys lacrosse victory over host Shoreham-Wading River last night in the damp and chilly air was the hot hand flashed by goalie Rich Akapnitis, all 6-2 and 270 pounds of him.

"I've been a goalie since the second grade. You know how it is. Someone doesn't show up so they stick the biggest kid in goal," Akapnitis said after making 12 saves, several of the spectacular and acrobatic variety for the Eagles, who improved to 11-1 in Suffolk Division II while SWR dropped to 9-3.

Acrobatic isn't the most frequently used adjective to describe Akapnitisis, who is also a football lineman and wrestler "I think playing football and wrestling helped my agility," he said.

The Wildcats would agree. Twice they thought they had cut their second-half deficit to 7-6 and twice Akapnitis was Mr. Big. With 4:55 left in the third period, he stopped Mike Malave (three goals) on a fast break, but Dan Stern (two goals) pounced on the rebound and fired. Akapnitis, while falling backward, reached up with his stick and snared it.

"The first shot was low and I got it, but the ball popped out. The second shot was high and I managed to grab it while I was tumbling," Akapnitis said.

It was still 7-5 with 7:35 left in the fourth quarter when Stern made a neat feed to Tim Rotanz at the right post. Akapnitis slid quickly across the crease, reached up with his stick and blocked the shot.

"He's the biggest goaltender I've ever had, but he's very athletic," Hauppauge coach Jerry Goodfellow said. "He has good reflexes. He moves his hands and his feet. He bends and twists. You'd think he weighs 160 pounds."

SEE PHOTOSHauppauge 9, Shoreham 8

That's about the weight of Hauppauge star and Penn-bound midfielder Zack Losco (four goals, two assists). He scored the Eagles' first and last goals and also broke a 4-4 halftime tie with his own display of athleticism and agility, a solo dodge from behind the net.

With Hauppauge clinging to an 8-7 lead in the waning moments, the 5-8 Losco was large and in charge. He snatched a cross-field pass out of the air to stifle a potential scoring opportunity. Then he simply ran around, dashing between stick-whacking defenders.

"Wasting time," Losco said. But there was no wasted effort when SWR goalie Gerald Logan, also outstanding with 12 saves, moved out of the cage in a desperate double-team maneuver.

"I found an opening and the net was wide open," Losco said of the clinching goal that came with 1:32 left.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- May

Not every big play came from the giant goalie.