Playoff tested Ward Melville seniors look to defend state boys lacrosse title
Ward Melville's Zach Hobbes (4) scores a goal infrontof Lakeland-Panas' Tommy Barnett (21) during the New York State Public High School boys lacrosse Class A semifinal game at the University at Albany in Albany, N.Y., Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Credit: Hans Pennink
The thrill of a sudden, dramatic victory in the biggest game is one of the ultimate achievements in sports.
That certainly describes the Ward Melville boys lacrosse team’s once-in-a-lifetime comeback to win the 2017 Class A state title. The Patriots scored four goals in the final 1:01 before winning it in overtime on a goal by Matt Grillo.
On the other end of the spectrum sits a slow, agonizing defeat that ends your season.
That’s what happened in 2016, a 7-5 loss to Victor in the title game that saw Ward Melville give up six second-half goals and have limited opportunities because of Victor’s dominance on faceoffs.
“After the Victor loss the kids in our grade got together and made sure that we worked as hard as we could so we could execute better if we got back,” senior defender Alex Mazzone said. “As soon as we lost our goal was to get back and win it for the seniors that were coming back.”
This years group is led by four senior captains who have been tried-and-tested in the most pressure packed situations — Grillo, Mazzone, Zach Hobbes, and Liam Davenport.
“Going to the state title game two years in a row with two amazing teams was an experience alone,” Davenport, a midfielder, said. “But going from the two opposite ends of the spectrum was really crazy.”
Davenport, a four-year varsity player, is joined in the midfield by Hobbes. The duo will play a key role in everything the Patriots do this season.
“When I was younger I was more of an offensive player but last year they needed me to step up and help the defense because I understood the game and was athletic enough.” Davenport said. “Having captains like Zach and myself in the midfield is very important. We know how everything should work and we have all the moving parts memorized like the back of our hands.”
Hobbes, who is committed to Harvard, said the defensive side of the game comes more natural to him but still scored 26 goals last season.
“They’re throwback guys that do it all,” Ward Melville coach Jay Negus said. “They play unbelievable defense and on offense they have great pace. They are the guys who really solidify this team.”
“We really play well together and complement each other,” Hobbes said. “It’s really important for us as a team. We need two guys that can play both ways. We understand the importance of it because we’ve been playing so many years together.”
Davenport said that he and Hobbes were granted an opportunity to come practice with the varsity team as freshman — albeit with minimal game action — or stay and be key contributors with the JV.
Both credit the decision to go learn from the upperclassmen as a key to their development.
“We barely played our freshman year but it was great to get that experience,” Hobbes said. “I think that really helped us learn how to be leaders.”
Though nothing could have prepared them for the trials and tribulations of the last two state title games.
The Patriots will face stiff competition like usual in Suffolk I. Smithtown West, which fell in a Class A semifinal to rival Smithtown East last season, is led offensively by Kyle Zawadzki and will never be out of a game with faceoff ace Conor Calderone at the X.
Smithtown East lost some offensive firepower and will rely on defenders Calvin Trebing and Brian Cosgrove. Matt Russo and Christian Villani will both step into key offensive roles.
Hills East will look to two-way midfielder Drew Martin and shutdown defender Mike Gomez to lead them past last year’s semifinal finish. Connetquot is always dangerous with returning 58-goal scorer George Wichelns on attack.
Hills West will be a contender again in Class B with Christian Mule (41 goals) and Dillan McManus (46 goals) leading the way. Last year’s top seed East Islip will also be in the mix.
In Class C there could be a county final rematch between Islip and Shoreham-Wading River. Islip will lean on senior midfielders Mike Bienkowski and Ethan Rall. Shoreham’s Xavier Arline is a three-year starter, three-sport athlete and one of the most explosive offensive players in the county.
Defending Class D champion Babylon will rely heavily on four-year starting goaltender Brendan Watt to lead a young team.
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.
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