Begley powers East Islip past Whitman

In the vernacular of lacrosse, they are referred to as unsettled situations, those helter-skelter, fast-break opportunities that define East Islip's playing style.

Out of all that offensive chaos, a most settling influence has emerged this season: senior attack Tyler Begley. Get the ball in his hands and good things happen.

Begley scored three goals and had four assists to take over the scoring lead on Long Island with 59 points as East Islip outlasted host Whitman, 16-13, Tuesday in a Suffolk Division I game. The Redmen improved to 6-1. The Wildcats fell to 4-3.

"I like the assist more than the goal," said Begley, who has 29 feeds and 30 finishes. "That's the best feeling, when everyone is scoring and everyone is celebrating. Not just one guy."

There was plenty of celebrating on both sides of this shootout. Tyler Rigo had four second-half goals for East Islip, Kevin Wendel scored three goals and Kevin Hutchinson had two plus numerous ground balls. Whitman's Matthew Finn scored five goals, Evan Zakow had three and Duke-bound Myles Jones contributed two goals and four assists.

"A lot of teams at this [Class A] level can play well in transition," East Islip coach Joe Ancona said.

East Islip and Whitman certainly can, as they produced nearly a goal a minute in the third quarter with 10 goals in 12 minutes. East Islip moved ahead 9-6 after Rigo took a neat crease feed from Begley. But Finn scored three times, including an extra-man rocket with 18 seconds left that tied it at 11. "I was disappointed that we had to play so much defense," Ancona said.

SEE PHOTOSEast Islip 16, Walt Whitman 13

The Redmen seemed to enjoy the pace just a little more than the Wildcats, as Begley and Rigo scored twice in the fourth quarter to help East Islip pull away late. "We play a high-paced game and we like to push it," Hutchinson said.

Begley said the team does "two or three drills in practice every day where we work on transition and having numbers. We like to score."

Especially Begley, who will play at Hofstra. "Every game, he knows he's going to draw the other team's No. 1 defender," Ancona said. "But that opens it up for everyone else. He's a better feeder than a finisher and he's reaping the benefits of playing with guys around him who are also good in transition."

The Redmen won't settle for anything less.