Family affair for Andersons at Empire State Games

FAMILY AFFAIR

When Erik Anderson of Shoreham-Wading River earned a bronze medal in the high jump for the Long Island scholastic track team, he became the fifth - and final - member of his family to earn a medal at the Empire State Games.

Erik's sisters Kristen (2006) and Stephanie (2008) won gold medals in scholastic women's lacrosse. The children's parents, Paul and Phoebe Anderson, were multiple medal winners in track and field while competing from 1978-90, Paul told Newsday via e-mail.

"My wife ran the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters and I competed in decathlon and pole vault," Paul Anderson said. "The Empire State Games holds a special place in our hearts because I met my wife in Syracuse. Everyone in our family competed and medaled in the Games."

GOLD FOR HIS B-DAY

After the Long Island men's scholastic lacrosse team won a dramatic 7-6 victory over Central New York Sunday and collected their gold medals, there was one more thing to celebrate. The players all gathered on the field and shouted, "Luke, Luke, Luke!"

They summoned Luke Miller, a midfielder from Floyd, surrounded him in a giant circle of red-shirted bodies and sang a full-throated version of "Happy Birthday."

The voices were off key, but at least Miller didn't get doused. The players already had given coach Jay Mauro of Sachem North an ice-water bath after the victory.

Defenseman Jordan Stevens of Smithtown West cracked, "Darn, I wanted a drink."