Sophomore Ryan Reynolds leads young Cold Spring Harbor girls lacrosse team past Seaford

The Cold Spring Harbor girls lacrosse team features 13 sophomores and only two seniors on its 22-player roster. Match this with being a Class D school playing in the top conference on Long Island and there’s good reason to think the Seahawks may be using this spring to just build toward future success.

Think again.

Ryan Reynolds scored five goals as host Cold Spring Harbor defeated Seaford, 12-9, in Nassau Conference I girls lacrosse play on Friday to improve to 10-4, including 6-2 in the conference. The Seahawks are tied for third in the top conference in Nassau, only trailing North Shore and Garden City.

“I know everyone comments about the number of sophomores we have on the field and I get that,” coach Danielle Castellane said. “But I believe it’s just an age and we’ve shown we can compete so I don’t think it matters how young they are.”

“I’m so excited for the future of this team, but we also have some great talent this year,” said Hannah Van Son, a senior who scored three goals. “We’ve had such a great season and no matter our age, that’s really not a factor for what brings us the win. It’s just our skill and that’s undeniable.”

Seaford scored the game’s first four goals but Cold Spring Harbor answered to tie the score at 4. Reynolds, a sophomore, scored her first to start the Seahawks' scoring run. 

“I recognized when my team needed help when we were down 4-0 and I just did the best I could to help my team,” Reynolds said. “In the second half especially, everything just came together.”

Kelly Callaghan added a goal and two assists and Amelia Bentley had two goals in the win.

Seaford (6-7, 1-7) led 5-4 at halftime and scored the first goal of the second half. But Cold Spring Harbor scored five straight goals to take a 9-6 lead with 16:19 left in the second half. Seaford, led by Amanda Williamson's two goals and two assists and Amanda Ettinger's two goals and one assist, continued to fight and cut Cold Spring Harbor’s lead to one goal on two more occasions. Each time, Reynolds answered to extend the Seahawks' lead.

“As a sophomore, she may have started the season a little quieter but as the season’s gone on, she’s become a more emerging leader,” Castellane said. “We needed her today and will going forward.”

Cold Spring Harbor won the Long Island Class D championship last year before losing in the state semifinals. The Seahawks want to return to that stage.

“Getting on the bus and winning in Cortland is definitely on the top of our minds,” Van Son said. “Once we finish the regular season, that’s definitely a collective goal we’re all working toward.”

The difficult schedule has helped Cold Spring Harbor prepare for the state tournament. They’ll be facing smaller schools, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the competition will get any easier.

“(Class) A,B,C, or D, we are looking to play the best all season long and being in this conference just gives us that type of playoff atmosphere we’re looking for," Castellane said. "So I think it really prepares this team for the long haul.”