LI boys basketball loses to Western

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BUFFALO - What started as an easy ride on a smooth road for the Long Island scholastic boys basketball team quickly turned into a bumpy experience on treacherous terrain.

Leading by 10 with a little more than 12 minutes left in the first half, starting point guard Jonathan Ward-Adams exited the game after injuring his left ankle and didn't return.

Ward-Adams' absence was too much to overcome as Western overcame a double-digit deficit for a 67-55 win at Canisius College.

The early loss doesn't put Long Island out of medal contention, but the team will need to find cohesion on the offense if Ward-Adams isn't available today for the game against New York City.

The former Center Moriches standout was scheduled to have his ankle X-rayed yesterday. He'll be a game-time decision.

Although the team struggled to adjust "on the fly," coach Rich Wrase is confident there is enough depth in the backcourt to keep the team afloat. "We have Robby Goldstein and Darren Chew to run the point," Wrase said.

Amityville's Darien Croft kept Long Island close with a game-high 22 points.

"I had to play a bigger part with one of our main scorers gone," Croft said. "We just have to play together and play defense."

Seven goals for Rix

Mikaela Rix, a Newsday first-team All-Long Island choice from Garden City, totaled seven goals to lead Long Island to a pair of victories in women's scholastic lacrosse. Rix scored four goals in a 14-5 victory over Western in the opener. In that game, Shannon Gilroy of Northport and Caitlin Gargan of Rocky Point added two goals apiece. In the second game, Rix scored three goals as L.I. squeezed past Hudson Valley, 5-2.

Two wins in softball

In women's open softball - there is no scholastic division - Long Island defeated Western and Adirondack. Against the latter, L.I. triumphed, 9-6, erasing a 6-3 deficit in the top of the seventh. Courtney Prendergast of Babylon and Laura Valentino of Smithtown had two RBIs each.