Droesch, Hegarty, Cleary lead Ward Melville win
Melville's Sean Cleary (33) (4 goals, 4 assists) with the shot on goal in the first half. Ward Melville defeated Smithtown West 13-8. (April 27, 2010) Credit: Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan
A goalie playing his first varsity game, a midfielder making his first varsity start and a middie who hadn't played on the first line before all looked first-rate for Ward Melville.
The host Patriots, playing without several starters among 15 players suspended, defeated Smithtown West, 13-8, Tuesday in Division I boys lacrosse.
Sophomore Brian Droesch made 12 saves against one of the top offenses in Suffolk. Junior middie Tyler Hegarty had three goals and junior middie Sean Cleary had three goals and four assists.
"Depth is one of our strong points, but I didn't think we'd have to go that deep," Ward Melville coach Mike Hoppey said. "To hold that offense to eight goals without six of our top seven defensemen is great. This one makes you proud."
The Patriots (7-1) played an inspired first quarter, grabbing a 3-0 lead before Smithtown West (5-3) scored three straight goals in the second. But sophomore John Edmonds put WM ahead for good off a nice feed from Jack Bruckner. Cleary scored on a rocket off a pass from senior captain Jimmy Ryan (two goals, two assists) and Cleary assisted Kevin Naslonski to make it 6-3.
Goals by Jordan Stevens and Brett Madarasz cut it to 6-5, but Cleary answered with two straight unassisted beauties. "This is the best game I've ever played," Cleary said.
It was Hegarty's best of the season. "I relied on my teammates and they relied on me. We went through a lot of adversity this week," he said. "But I stepped up and so did everyone else."
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
