Mt. Sinai's Joey Spallina sets Suffolk single-game assists record with 13 in victory

It was just uncanny — pass after pass right to stick after stick for goal after goal.

By the time intermission came Tuesday at Hauppauge, Mount Sinai had scored 13 goals, and Joey Spallina had set up all but one.

The country’s top-ranked junior by Inside Lacrosse played just three quarters and didn’t score. But Spallina delivered a stunning 13 assists in a 16-3, Suffolk II win.

According to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association website, nysphsaa.org, the assist total set a Suffolk single-game record and was one behind the Long Island and state record established by Garden City’s Bruce Corbridge — 60 years ago.

Spallina was still passing afterward. The Syracuse-bound attackman passed praise toward the scorers. They included Patrick Deckert, who contributed six goals off of Spallina’s feeds, and Lucas Laforge, who converted five.

"I just have to give credit first to my teammates because obviously without them, that can’t happen," Spallina said. "The way that they were playing off the ball just made it easier for me to find them, and they would score and finish it off. We were playing together today."

Spallina fed Deckert from the behind the goal for the first score by the Mustangs (6-0). Then Spallina was on the left perimeter and fed in to Laforge for another.

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: Mount Sinai vs. Hauppauge boys lacrosse

"He’s a very unselfish player," Laforge said, "and it’s truly been a blessing playing along with him."

The third goal came when Spallina found Deckert for a man-up score. Spallina followed by passing to Laforge out front, and the freshman attackman flipped the ball over his shoulder for a very impressive goal.

"I wasn’t expecting it to go in," Laforge said.

It was 6-0 after one quarter. Spallina assisted on all six. Nick Uzakewicz finally ended a run of 10 straight goals with one for Hauppauge (3-4).

"We actually have a really good team," Eagles coach James Konen said. "We’re just not on that level. … I think my guys were a little starstruck."

The star of the day made it assists on 11 straight goals by feeding Laforge for an 11-1 lead. Spallina added another assist just before halftime, when it was a 13-1 game.

"He played the most selfless lacrosse game I’ve seen him play in his career," Mount Sinai coach Harold Drumm said.

Spallina and the Mustangs fell in OT to Shoreham-Wading River in the C final in 2019. Drumm said, "I really think they do" have the ability to finish the job this time.

"Obviously, last year, because of COVID, we didn’t get the chance to get back to it," Spallina said. "But we are a very driven team this year."