Manhasset defeats Cold Spring Harbor, 7-2, in matchup of unbeatens

The chorus of the song the Manhasset boys lacrosse team warms up to before games is, "This must be just like living in paradise, and I don't want to go home," from "Paradise," by Skyscrapers, a techno remix of a 1980s song of a similar name.

After last night's 7-2 defeat of previously unbeaten Nassau Class C rival Cold Spring Harbor, Manhasset's Ricky Buhr believed he and the Indians had indeed found pure bliss.

"It's senior night. We beat an undefeated team, and we're undefeated," said Buhr, who won 10 of 13 faceoffs and scooped five ground balls for Manhasset, which improved to 13-0 overall and into sole possession of first place in Conference IV at 8-0. "It feels pretty good. It feels like paradise."

Manhasset found the feeling with a balanced effort in front of an estimated crowd of 1,500 in the nightcap of the Day of Champions at Manhasset, which also included a men's game between Maryland and Colgate and a Manhasset girls game earlier in the day.

Goaltender Frank Morelli made 14 saves, several in spectacular fashion, five different Manhasset players scored and the Indians defense held Cold Spring Harbor (13-1, 7-1) without a goal in the first and third quarters.

It was 6-1 at halftime behind two first-half goals each from midfielder Pat Moroney and attack Matt Tompkins. Tompkins scored the game's first goal and Moroney scored two straight during a 4-1 second quarter.

Morelli, a junior, had nine first-half stops in his third start since replacing former starter Chris Boukas, who is out for the rest of the season with a foot injury suffered April 24 against Darien, Conn.

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"It was a big win," the Syracuse-bound Buhr said. "We were both undefeated and felt that we were good teams. We came out with full force, and we were the better team today."

Today. That's an important note given these two teams fully expect to meet again in June for the county Class C championship. They have met in the final every year since 2004, with each winning three times. Manhasset beat Cold Spring Harbor, 7-5, in the final last season, but before that, CSH had won three straight.

"We may see them again and we have to be ready," Manhasset coach Bill Cherry said. "I was happy with the way we played defense. In the first half, I was happy with the offense. But in the second half, we didn't do a whole lot. We have to play two halves against these guys."

Manhasset's lone second-half goal came unassisted by sophomore Ryan Matthews with 5:43 left.

Nevertheless, when it was over, the Indians felt they morphed their turf field into a paradise island.