Ward Melville players suspended for drinking

The suspension of 15 boys lacrosse players at Ward Melville "is a real black eye for our program," Patriots coach Mike Hoppey told Newsday before yesterday's game against Smithtown West. "We pride ourselves on running a class program. When something like this happens, it does affect how we're perceived. I'm disappointed in the behavior of our players."

According to a statement issued by the district's interim superintendent, the suspensions were meted out for an off-campus drinking incident that violated the school's code of conduct, which is signed by every Ward Melville athlete, parent and coach before the season. The code of conduct includes a section entitled Behavior Violations that pertains to this incident:

1. Three Village athletes are to avoid taking, selling, consuming any type of alcohol or drug not prescribed by a physician including cigarettes or tobacco products. Students found in violation of this policy may be suspended from athletic participation up to 5 months.

2. Three Village athletes are not to engage in any behavior inside or outside of school that is illegal or an embarrassment to the team. Students in violation of this clause are subject to the Student Code of Conduct and may be suspended or eliminated from athletic participation.

Nine of the players were suspended only for Tuesday's game, a 13-8 home victory. Six others received an additional two-week suspension, meaning they will miss four more games.

"It was the same infraction but we had documentation for those six," athletic director Erin Blaney said, explaining the difference in punishment.

She would not confirm reports that the documentation included photos posted on Facebook of six players drinking. But Hoppey acknowledged, "Probably without the computer age, we wouldn't have even known about it."

SEE PHOTOSWard Melville 13, Smithtown West 8

Hoppey said he was told that, initially, not all of the players would be suspended but that he insisted on harsh punishment for all involved because it was not only a violation of the school's code of conduct but also a flagrant disregard of the coach's admonitions.

"I had to take some action," he said. "It's something we've talked to the players about, we've talked to the parents about, we've talked to the captains about. It's against team rules and it's something we don't want them to do. And they did it, anyway."

Interim superintendent Donald F. Webster, in the statement, said the violations "took place on the weekend of April 16, off school property at a private residence, which involved the presence of alcohol. Both the Suffolk County Police Department and Three Village School District are investigating this matter, which is ongoing." New York's legal drinking age is 21.

Instead of its usual 36-man roster, Ward Melville had 20 players on the sideline, plus an injured player Tuesday. All 15 suspended players were, after some discussion by school officials, allowed to watch the game from the bleachers.

SEE PHOTOS2010 Ward Melville boys lacrosse photos

"Good kids make bad decisions," Blaney said. "This is a show of character on their part. They're here to show team unity. It's a statement to that cohesiveness."