Chaminade tops Manhasset in 'Lacrosse Day for Heroes' honoring Sgt. James J. Regan

It was Feb. 9, 2007, another day of service for a brave group of U.S. Army Rangers working in northern Iraq. But danger was laying on the road ahead for the Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

The unit’s transport vehicle rode over an explosive device. There was one fatality in the back. Sgt. James J. Regan had given everything for his country.

The 9/11 attacks had affected him deeply, so deeply that he passed on a finance job, put off law school and signed up for a Red, White and Blue cause.

So there was the former Chaminade All-American midfielder in lacrosse from the Class of 1998 and ex-Duke player from Manhasset, serving two tours in Afghanistan and then one and then this fateful second one in Iraq. One of his Chaminade teammates and best friends took the news hard.

“Devastated,” Greg Kay, now the Flyers’ coach, said, standing in the rain on the field at Manhasset Saturday. “I wear his killed in action bracelet on my wrist. There’s probably not a day in my life when I don’t think about him in terms of giving me a little push knowing what he sacrificed and what he did, that I don’t think about him in terms of what I could be doing better.”

A cause resulted from Jimmy Regan’s death — the Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund. And an annual “Lacrosse Day for Heroes” featuring a game between Chaminade and Manhasset came about as one of the fundraisers, a game for the black-quartz “Regs Rock” trophy. Kay’s Flyers beat Manhasset 15-6 in this latest edition, their 12th win out of 17 games in the series.

“It’s huge,” said Jim Regan, Jimmy’s dad, who had the idea for the game and was on hand. “It’s for the legacy of Jimmy. It’s awesome both for Manhasset and Chaminade.”

The Garden City-based fund, which Jim Regan leads as its chairman and CEO, has been around for 19 years and has raised more than $21 million for Rangers and their families.

“We’re an active-duty casualty assistance, recovery and transition organization,” said Regan, now living with his wife, Mary, in Naples, Florida. “So we fill the gaps that the government doesn’t take care of.”

Each year, a Chaminade player who demonstrates Jimmy Regan’s qualities of determination and discipline as a student-athlete gets to wear his No. 19. This year, it’s James Gillis.

The Duke-bound senior attackman could only watch Saturday due to a back injury. But he was in uniform.

“I’m honored to be selected to wear No. 19,” Gillis said. “It’s the highest honor you can receive as a Chaminade varsity athlete.”

Chaminade is already bound for the NSCHSAA Class AAA/state CHSAA AAA title game against St. Anthony’s on May 13. They’re the only two teams in the class.

The Flyers, 11-9 losers to St. Anthony’s on March 25, are 10-3 after winning their sixth straight game. Hayden Sipress, who’s from Manhasset, led them with three goals, one of 12 Flyers to score.

“We have some tough opponents coming up,” Kay said of Iona Prep and Delbarton. “… Hopefully, that gets us ready even more for what we’ll see on May 13.”

Manhasset (8-3) trailed 11-4 at halftime. Tommy Kasselakis and Will Mondiello each scored two of its goals.

This team is missing four key guys due to injuries. All are expected back by the postseason, possibly sooner. Next up is the Woodstick Classic at home against Garden City next Saturday.

“We’ve got to get healthy and make some improvements,” coach Nick Armstrong said, “and hopefully get things on the right track starting on Saturday.”