Kaylie Mackiewicz scores off an assist from Shannon Smith as Northport advanced to the state semifinals Credit: Newsday/Owen O'Brien

Kaylie Mackiewicz is one of the top girls lacrosse players in the country. The Northport senior will play at Duke next season. But on Sunday, she didn't want her high school career to end just yet. 

“I knew I didn’t want to lose today,” Mackiewicz said. “This could have been my last game until college and I didn’t want [that for my team], so I pushed myself as hard as I could so we could get the win.”

Mackiewicz scored the winning goal off an assist from Shannon Smith with 1:23 remaining in the second overtime period as Northport defeated Massapequa, 11-10, in the Long Island Class A championship/Southeast Regional Final at Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium. The second of her three goals tied it at 10 with 2:01 left in regulation. 

Northport charged Mackiewicz after her winning goal, which resulted in Northport’s third straight Long Island Class A title. The Tigers (19-1) advance to play Suffern in the state Class A semifinals at SUNY Cortland Friday at 9 a.m.

“I love these games,” said Mackiewicz, who also had an assist. “I honestly think I play better in competitive games because it’s exciting and I want to win for my team.”

“I know it’s cliche but great players step up in big games,” Northport coach Carol Rainson-Rose said. “And we called a play for her in the end there and we’re just really excited it went in.”

Massapequa (12-5) opened strong, taking a 4-1 lead with 10:12 left in the first half. But Northport closed the first half on a 3-0 run, tying the score at 4 at halftime.

The second half featured six ties and two lead changes. Isabella Germani scored three of her four goals in the second half, including a goal with 16:22 left to give Northport an 8-6 lead. But Massapequa scored the game’s next three goals to take a 9-8 lead with 10:32 left and four of five goals for a 10-9 lead with 9:05 left. Ashley Melillo scored all three of her goals during this stretch, including ones that broke ties at 8 and 9 for Massapequa.

Megan Morris had 11 saves, including two pivotal stops in overtime, for Northport. Massapequa won 15 of 24 draw controls, including both in overtime, so Morris understood the importance of making those stops.

“It’s pretty tough on me in overtime because it’s sudden death,” Morris said. “But you just have to think the game comes down to you and you got to do it for your teammates.”

Northport won the 2019 state Class A title – the most recent season of the spring state championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tigers have viewed themselves as the defending state champions all season with goals of returning to Cortland to defend their title.

“It’s really a journey and it’s part of our Northport legacy to say we are defending state champions and we are going back up there,” Morris said. “We are doing what we do best.”

“Our kids wanted to go back and defend the championship," Rainson-Rose said. "And now they get the opportunity.”

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