Starcke, McNaughton spur Northport to convincing lacrosse win over Ward Melville
Northport attacker Jacob Starcke shoots against Ward Melville during a Suffolk boys lacrosse game on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The anticipation built all day Saturday at Northport High Cchool.
It was the 20th annual Louis J. Acompora Memorial Jamboree, honoring the life of the former Northport lacrosse player who tragically passed away on the field during a game after being struck in the chest by a shot in 2000.
Youth teams from all around gathered to play games stretching from the morning into the afternoon on side fields, but the main event of the day was a key Suffolk I matchup between the undefeated Northport boys team and second place Ward Melville.
The Tigers came out strong and never relented, as Jacob Starcke had two goals and an assist, Dylan McNaughton had a goal and two assists and Tyler Kuprianchik went 13-for-16 on faceoffs on the way to an 8-4 Northport (11-1, 10-0) win.
“Acompora day always gives us a little bit of an extra edge,” McNaughton said. “And especially against Ward Melville, they’re our favorite team to play. Today worked out so great for us.”
Starcke scored both of his goals in the first quarter, sandwiched around Jack Deliberti's goal that was assisted by McNaughton, to give the Tigers an early 3-0 lead.
“We’ve been thinking about this game since the first day of practice,” Starcke said. “To come out on a beautiful day like this and to beat a team like Ward Melville, there’s nothing better.”
Ward Melville (8-4, 8-2) entered on a six-game winning streak, its only loss in division coming to Half Hollow Hills, 7-6, earlier this month.
The Patriots struck back later in the first on a goal from Nikolas Barbero but the Tigers had an answer with goals from McNaughton and Deliberti early in the second quarter to reestablish their lead.
Ward Melville scored twice late in the second quarter, once on a goal by Kevin Dolan and the other by Tyler Flynn with three seconds remaining that was set up by a great individual clear by goalie Zach Licavoli.
But with Kuprianchik at the X it’s hard for any team to put together a sustained run.
“Tyler is such a special player to coach,” Northport coach Larry Cerasi said. "He’s successful at getting that clamp but he’s great at communicating with his wing guys, Drew Miller and Quinn Reynolds. They work well as a three-man unit.”
Tim Kirchner and Mike Meyer both added goals for Northport early in the third and it was more than enough for the Tigers to hold on.
“I think we’re ready to keep going strong,” Kuprianchik said, “and we’ll be ready to hopefully see them again in the county championship.”
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
