Bayport-Blue Point wins, heads to final

WHITE PLAINS -- Phantom phanatics were everywhere. From Mike DeBlasio's father, Jack, who drove from Ohio where he was on a business trip on Wednesday morning and drove back after the game. To hundreds of students from Bayport-Blue Point High School who drove an hour and a half and provided an enthusiastic soundtrack of bleacher-rattling stomps, chants and cheers for the school's first-ever appearance in the state boys lacrosse tournament.

"It sure was worth the trip!" Jack DeBlasio said.

Josh Shaw scored on a pass from Brian White with 3:44 left and the Phantoms scored all four goals in the fourth quarter to rally for a 9-8 victory over Bronxville in the state Class C semifinals Wednesday night at White Plains High School.

DeBlasio gave his father plenty to cheer about with five assists and White scored three goals in addition to his game-winning assist. "We have "family" on our T-shirts because we always pull together," DeBlasio said. "I was a little worried going into the fourth, but we looked at each other and we told ourselves we don't want this to be our last game."

It won't be. Bayport-Blue Point (13-5) will face Cazenovia in the state Class C championship game on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Cicero High School in North Syracuse. Bronxville finished 21-2.

The Phantoms trailed 8-5 entering the final period. Goals by White and defenseman Steven Russell 21 seconds apart made it 8-7 with 9:23 left. "That's when I started to believe," Bayport- Blue Point coach Mike Luce said. "Look at Conor Smith over there, getting ice on his back. He's dehydrated. He wasn't feeling good at halftime. Then he goes out and wins two faceoffs that lead to goals. He inspired me and he inspired us."

Then with a man advantage, Adam Berlin scored in the slot on a DeBlasio feed to tie the game and set the stage for Shaw's dramatics that keeps the magical 2011 season alive. "We call him goal-a-game Josh," Luce said. "I use him sparingly but he's got scoring prowess. That's what he does."

Last week, the Phantom won their first Suffolk and Long Island title. Now they go for their version of the Triple Crown. "I've got one more game left. I might as well make it a great one," DeBlasio said.