Gavin Locascio, Jameson Smith jump-start comeback for Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse

Whenever Jameson Smith and Gavin Locascio step on a lacrosse field together, you’re bound to see something special.

Or if you’re tasked with trying to defend them, you might not.

Locascio scored five goals and Smith had a goal and three assists to lead Bayport-Blue Point to an 8-7 comeback win over host West Islip in a Suffolk II boys lacrosse game Saturday.

"Those two have an almost uncomfortable connection," Bayport-Blue Point coach Doug Meehan said. "They are best of friends and have been playing together since forever. They understand each other so well and sometimes see things that I don’t even see. It’s been great to watch them grow together."

West Islip (5-3) took a 5-1 lead midway through the second quarter after Tommy Corcoran finished a beautiful transition passing play right at the doorstep with 7:02 remaining in the half.

But from that point, the game swung, thanks in large part to three Smith-to-Locascio goals during a 7-1 Phantoms run.

"It really shows the fight we have in our team being down four goals and coming back," Locascio said. "We never gave up."

The run started with a goal from JJ Aiello late in the first half and was followed by Smith threading a cross-field pass to Locascio just in front of the goalmouth that pulled Bayport-Blue Point (7-1) within two.

"Once we started gaining that momentum, we never looked back," Smith said. "We just kept putting them in the back of the net."

Goalie Eric Grahn entered to start the second half, part of a normal rotation the Phantoms use, and played a big part in the comeback, making six saves.

"Grahn coming in in the second half and playing outstanding was huge," Meehan said. "We really had relentless effort from everywhere on the field."

With the Phantoms trailing 6-5 late in the third quarter, Smith found Locascio inside the defense with a slick pass to tie the score. Early in the fourth, the two connected again on another highlight reel pass from behind the net and Locascio scored his fifth later in the quarter.

"We’ve been playing since second grade together," Smith said. "Most of my passes, I’m able to look him off, so when I can give him the look and then look off, he just knows it’s coming. It works every time."

"West Islip is a very good team and a very good program," Meehan said. "This was a really great win."

By Gene Morris

gene.morris@newsday.comGeneMorris

Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.