Seaford honors former lacrosse player Ryan Bailey, tops Wheatley/Carle Place

The Seaford boys lacrosse team played with a different purpose on Saturday.

The Vikings hosted Wheatley/Carle Place in a Nassau C/D matchup as part of the program’s annual Ryan Bailey Memorial Lacrosse Day, which celebrates the life and memory of Ryan Bailey, a former Seaford lacrosse player who died in a hit-and-run accident in 2012.

Seaford scored 15 goals, the same number Bailey wore as a standout on Seaford’s lacrosse team as an All-County player in 2009, in a 15-2 win.

“We knew what we were playing for,” Seaford attack Tim Navin said. “We just tried to come out and make Seaford proud.”

Navin had four goals in the first half to lead the Vikings (8-6), who scored the first eight of the contest. Seaford had 11 shots in the first quarter and built a 5-0 lead before the second quarter began.

Jake Anzelone won eight of Seaford's first nine faceoffs and eight different players scored for the Vikings.

“Going against my teammates in practice, they always make me better and push me hard,” Anzelone said about his faceoff success. “We had a little more energy coming out today, and our players really stepped up for the occasion.”

The Vikings prevented Wheatley/Carle Place (8-5) from clearing its defensive zone four times in the first half. Wheatley/Carle Place didn’t register a shot on goal until late in the second quarter.

Nicholas Pascarella put Wheatley/Carle Place on the board 22 seconds into the second half. But Dan Barone regained an eight-goal lead for the Vikings minutes later.

Barone netted three goals in the third quarter, and ninth-grader Brian Falk added one of his two goals to put Seaford ahead 13-1 before the fourth quarter.

“It shows we’re not a one-player team. A lot of guys can score,” Navin said. “It’s a fun group of guys. I love playing with them.”

The Ryan Bailey Memorial Lacrosse Day raises money for the Ryan Bailey Memorial Scholarship, given annually to four student-athletes on Seaford’s boys and girls lacrosse and soccer teams. The scholarship and day of remembrance started a year after his death.

“The whole week we were preaching the story about Ryan and to just treat every moment like it’s your last,” Seaford coach Brian Horner said. “They really embraced that today. And I think that was the difference. It wasn’t anything technical on the field. It was just attitude and appreciation to be out here and play.”