Losco, Llinares lead Hauppauge lacrosse win

Lacrosse is a spring game meant to be played in the comfort of the May sunshine. From time to time, Mother Nature refuses to cooperate.

Tuesday, under howling winds and torrential rain, Hauppauge had to slip and slide its way behind Zach Losco and Sam Llinares to a come-from-behind, 11-10 victory against Suffolk Division II boys lacrosse rival Rocky Point (9-5).

"It was like playing lacrosse on ice skates," Hauppauge coach Jerry Goodfellow said.

It was yet another narrow win for the experienced Hauppauge (13-1), which has 17 seniors on its 31-man roster. They are 5-0 this season in one-goal games. Goodfellow said his seniors, who struggled through losing campaigns as younger players, would not allow the weather to spoil their regular-season finale.

"They were cold and shaking in their shoes and had every reason not to come out and give it their best," Goodfellow said. "They were inspired by each other."

Senior goaltender Richie Akapnitis stopped nine shots in the winning effort, once again providing stability to the defensive unit.

"We are playing complete games and finding a way to come out on top," Goodfellow said.

SEE PHOTOSHauppauge 11, Rocky Point 10

After tying the score at 8 late in the third quarter, Rocky Point called a timeout. In the Hauppauge huddle, senior midfielder Jesse Marro channeled his inner Tony Robbins.

"We got these guys," Marro told his teammates. "We got them now."

Rocky Point made one last charge, tying the score at 10 with 3:27 left in the fourth. With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Losco (four goals, one assist) emerged from a scrum at midfield, chugged down the center of the field and found Llinares streaking toward the net. Llinares fired home his third goal, the game-winner with 37 seconds left.

"We're not the underdog anymore," Goodfellow said. "We can compete against anybody."