Photo by Ray Nelson/MaxPreps.com

The Ward Melville Patriots renew their rivalry with West Islip in a clash of unbeatens today at 6:30 p.m. at Ward Melville. The teams have met in the Suffolk Class A title game six straight years.

Saturday’s Woodstick Classic game between Garden City and Manhasset may wind up being Round 1, since two-time defending Class C state champ Manhasset has moved up to Class B this season and a postseason rematch seems inevitable.

The same can be said about today’s Suffolk showdown between defending Section 11 Class A champ West Islip, which has won four state titles the last five years, and resurgent — and tradition — rich Ward Melville.

Still, today’s game has the makings of an instant classic even before the opening faceoff. We’ll see if it lives up to its potential.

It should. After all, the teams have met in the Suffolk Class A title game an astonishing six straight years.

We previewed the WI-WM game last night on MSG Varsity’s “High School SportsDesk.” You can check it out, including our weekly “Under the Radar” segment, by clicking here.

Smithtown West and Sachem North are two other teams that easily could advance to the Suffolk Class A finals. They meet today at Sachem North.

The Patriots fell to WI 16-9 in the Suffolk title game after falling to the Lions 16-5 in the regular season. A year earlier, in 2009, WM beat WI 8-7 in OT in the regular season, only to fall 9-5 in the conference championship game.

Six-time Connecticut Class M state champ Darien looks to bounce back from Monday’s 10-7 loss at Manhasset by getting what would be a monumental win as the Blue Wave visit two-time defending New York CHSAA champ St. Anthony’s in a battle of national powers. Like the Manhasset game, it will be at 7 p.m.

Also today, Hackley looks for its eighth straight win against Poly Prep in a showdown of arguable the Ivy League’s top two teams. (Hackley has lost only to Colorado power Regis Jesuit. Poly Prep is 6-0.)

In Section 1, there are some interesting games, including first-year varsity program Dobbs Ferry, which is off to a quick start coach Greg Lewis, taking on red-hot New Rochelle in a key league showdown. Also of note, White Plains visits Scarsdale, and there are three big intra-county games in Rockland, including Suffern and Nyack.

Finally, Brunswick (7-3), which has a win over defending Western New England champ Salisbury, hosts New Jersey power Lawrenceville (8-1).

Before we get to today’s schedule rundown, a couple of quick programming notes.

You can watch the entire Darien-Manhasset and Darien-Yorktown games on msgvarsity.com by clicking here.

And if you’re a follower of the Connecticut lax scene, you can check out a replay of the live chat I had yesterday with Dan Nowak of the New Haven Register by clicking here.

Now, without further ado, here’s today’s Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut slate:

Sachem East at West Babylon, 4 p.m.
Longwood at North Babylon, 4 p.m.
Fairfield Warde at Stamford, 4 p.m.
Notre Dame-Fairfield at Joel Barlow, 4 p.m.
North Haven at St. Joseph, 4 p.m.
Middle Country at Riverhead at Pulaski Complex, 4 p.m.
Nanuet at North Rockland, 4:15 p.m.
Suffern at Nyack, 4:15 p.m.
Tappan Zee at Clarkstown North, 4:15 p.m.
Eastchester at Pelham at Glover Field, 4:30 p.m.
Poly Prep at Hackley, 4:30 p.m.
Lawrenceville (N.J.) at Brunswick, 4:30 p.m.
Garden City at Carey, 4:30 p.m.
Wantagh at Levittown Division, 4:30 p.m.
South Side at Kennedy Bellmore, 4:30 p.m.
Roslyn at Great Neck South, 4:30 p.m.
Hewlett at Lynbrook at South Middle School, 4:30 p.m.
Brentwood at Copiague, 4:30 p.m.
West Hempstead at Wheatley at Carle Place, 4:30 p.m.
Glen Cove at Great Neck North at Football Field, 4:30 p.m.
Smithtown East at William Floyd, 4:30 p.m.
White Plains at Scarsdale, 4:30 p.m.
Ardsley at Irvington, 4:30 p.m.
New Rochelle at Dobbs Ferry, 4:30 p.m.
Hastings at Pearl River, 4:30 p.m.
Saunders at Edgemont, 4:30 p.m.
Connetquot at Northport, 4:45 p.m.
Malverne at Lawrence, 4:45 p.m.
Jericho at New Hyde Park, 5 p.m.
Bethpage at Sewanhaka, 5 p.m.
Bronxville at Scarsdale, 5:15 p.m.
Albertus Magnus at Clarkstown North, 5:15 p.m.
Half Hollow Hists East at Lindenhurt at Lindenhurst Middle School, 6 p.m.
Smithtown West at Sachem North, 6:15 p.m.
West Islip at Ward Melville, 6:30 p.m.
Darien at St. Anthony’s, 7 p.m.
New Canaan at Fairfield Ludlowe at Taft Field, 7 p.m.

You can reach us by email at info@laxlessons.com.

Weather Forecast
Click here for today’s weather and a look at the three days ahead.

College schedule/Games on TV
For a rundown of this week’s D-I slate, and televised games, click here.

Put those cell phones to good use
Be sure, as always, to weigh in with info/thoughts/scores on games you attend. And don’t forget to put those mobile phones to good use in providing in-game updates, gang. If it’s easier, you may also send your updates to info@laxlessons.com.

LAXLESSONS Links

MSG Varsity lacrosse coverage

Lombardi on Lacrosse, 4/26 segment: Woodstick, West Islip-Ward Melville, Poly Prep-Hackley previews; Rise of Section 9; Tristate “Under the Radar” player

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Posted In: Fairfield lacrosse, fciac, Gameday, Section 1, Section 11, Section 8, Section 9, SWC lacrosse

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92 Responses to “Gameday Wednesday, 4/27: Ward Melville hopes to break through vs. West Islip; Darien, St. Anthony's square off”

  1. LI Lax says:

    Picks for big Suffolk games

    WM 8, WI 6

    Sachem North 11, Smithtown West 10

    Connetquot 8, Northport 7

  2. Old Rugger says:

    WM 9 WI 8 in a great game
    SW 13 SN 12 in another great game
    CQ 9 Nport 7
    St A’s 9 Darien 7
    Bville 14 Sdale 6

    • laxfan says:

      I hope you’re right with your picks but the Bronxville game could be a lot closer than anyone expects because they are playing at Scarsdale and the Raiders always get up for games against Bronxville.

      • F&MviaTP says:

        They started out that way…playing well…great goalkeeping…then the wheels fell off…combination of great transition game by broncos & bad D by the raiders. Got so bad I had to lv..oh well

      • lax says:

        Old Rugger must have a crystal ball because it was Bronxville over Scarsdale 15-6. It was 11-2 at half and the first string did not play the 2nd half.

  3. Joe Lombardi says:

    Hey folks – we covered a lot of ground on our weekly tristate lax segment on MSG Varsity’s “High School SportsDesk” last night. Among the topics: Woodstick, West Islip-Ward Melville, Poly Prep-Hackley previews; the rise of Section 9; and our Tristate “Under the Radar” player.

    All that in just over five minutes. You can watch it by clicking here.

  4. Li LAXER says:

    SW 7 Sachem N 12

  5. sec1 says:

    Brunswick 1 Lawrenceville 2 2:10 left in 1st

  6. sec1 says:

    3-3 Brunswick 9:56 2nd

  7. sec1 says:

    4-3 Lawrence 9:27

  8. sec1 says:

    6-3 Lawrenceville 1:00 left in 2nd

  9. sec1 says:

    7-3 Lawrenceville Half

  10. sec1 says:

    7-4 Lawrenceville 9:34 3rd

  11. F&MviaTP says:

    1-1 sean’s goalie’s on fire raiders playing good

  12. sec1 says:

    7-5 Lawrenceville 7:05

  13. F&MviaTP says:

    2-2 on a mcormac laser

  14. sec1 says:

    7-6 Larenceville 2:40

  15. F&MviaTP says:

    Wolf keepin it close bville outplaying raiders last 5mins 1st 2-2 after 1

  16. sec1 says:

    8-6 Lawrenceville 0:56

  17. F&MviaTP says:

    D breaksdown3-2 bville 5-2 now wow! Sean calls TO needs to get close D in order smart TO I hope

  18. sec1 says:

    8-7 Lawrenceville 9:58 in 4th

  19. F&MviaTP says:

    This is over 7-2 bvlle…raiders control ball get 1 shot then bvll scores again 8-2 Scarsdale gettin killled in transition game

    • lax says:

      Agreed, Scarsdale was not getting anything on offense, most of the time it was 1 shot if that and then Bronxville was clearing the ball amazingly quickly. Their clear was as efficient as I have ever seen and they were off to the races and right into transition where they scored something like 6 goals in a 5 minute span to slam the door. Bronxville faceoff man must have won over 80% of the draws which did not help them either. 11-2 at half and it was turn off the lights time.

  20. sec1 says:

    8-8 Brunswick 5:33

  21. LI Lax says:

    Northport 4, Connetquot 4 at half.

  22. sec1 says:

    9-8 Lawrenceville 1:37

  23. F&MviaTP says:

    Feel bad for this goalie…9-2 5mins left..10-2 3 mins just heard a raider parent call it a clinic…11-2 bye bye non releasable by raiders for last 2 mins of the half best thing to happen for Scarsdale…bvlle didn’t score during it!!

    • slacrosse says:

      Updates please on both WI and Darien games–thx

    • lax says:

      The Bronxville poles were throwing these 40 and 50 yard passes right on their teammates stick and those receiving middies or other poles were then coming in like a house on fire in unsettled situations and it turned in to a real turkeyshoot. Those long accurate passes though were the killer and they were being thrown by all of them not just one guy so they had no idea who, where or what guy to cover. Amazing display of stick handling skills by the Bronxville poles so kudos to them.

    • F&MviaTP says:

      Should of taken the ride to setauket to see two legendary programs go into OT & have it decided by one heck of a play by the goalie! Live & learn. I was on the wrong side of the sound. Had to see if friend was able to pull a rabbit out of his hat…being so close to Easter & all

  24. sec1 says:

    9-8 Lawrenceville Final

  25. Lax Dad says:

    Any WI-WM score yet?

  26. Lax Dad says:

    WI- WM score anybody?

  27. Lax Dad says:

    WM 3 WI 1 end of 1Q

  28. Cloverdale says:

    West Islip 4, Ward Melville 4 in 2Q

  29. slacrosse says:

    Thx-keep em coming! Darien as well

  30. Cloverdale says:

    5-4 WI now, I’m in Baltimore but getting great updates…

  31. tsunami says:

    Darien updates please!

  32. Cloverdale says:

    St. A’s up 5-3 on Darien, was 5-2 after one

    WI up 5-4 on WM at half

  33. tsunami says:

    Appreciate it! Keep ’em coming

  34. Joe Lombardi says:

    There is quite a bit of fog at St. Anthony’s.

    Still 5-3 St. A’s, now with 2:35 left in the second quarter.

    St. A’s jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Eric Parnon scored off a clear for Darien. Case Matheis then made it 3-2, but St. A’s answered and led 5-2 after one, as per Lax Novice.

  35. Joe Lombardi says:

    Final: Connetquot 10, Northport 9

  36. tsunami says:

    Hearing 5 – 3 St. A’s at the half Parnon 1g Matheis 1g 1a Watch out, Darien has dug out from MUCH deeper holes!

  37. LI Lax says:

    Final: Smithtown West 15, Sachem North 8

  38. LI Lax says:

    Ward Melville has tied it at 5, middle of the third

  39. Joe Lombardi says:

    More on St. A’s 5, Darien 3 at halftime – St. A’s faceoff specialist Charlie Raffa, a Maryland commit, left the game late in the second quarter after taking a hit from Eric Parnon and did not return. Parnon is also bound for Maryland.

  40. LI Lax says:

    Ward Melville turns it over, WI gets it and calls timeout in OT

  41. Joe Lombardi says:

    Darien 7, St. Anthony’s 7 – Gregory scores from Matheis to tie it at 7-7 with 2:24 left in the fourth quarter. Darien has the ball back after St. A’s turned it over after winning the faceoff after Gregory’s goal.

  42. Cloverdale says:

    Hah, you got me Joe!

  43. Joe Lombardi says:

    You sure couldn’t ask for much more today – two OT thrillers in the marquee games on Long Island, including a goalie scoring the winning goal in overtime, and a well-played 9-8 Lawrenceville win over Brunswick.

  44. F&MviaTP says:

    Sounds like the two best games ever played on the same night north of 495!!!

    • Joe Lombardi says:

      If WM and WI have a rematch and meet once again for the Suffolk Class A title, it would have to be required viewing for lax fans for sure.

  45. slacrosse says:

    Great games and play by all 4 teams!!

    Particular congrats to Darien and WI on these wins.

  46. Joe Lombardi says:

    Darien 1-2-2-3-1 = 9

    St. Anthony’s 3-2-1-2-0 = 8

    Tim Murphy assisted by Case Matheis – game winner 30 seconds into the first OT

    Darien scoring:

    Case Matheis 2-5

    Richard Gregory 2-0

    Tim Murphy 2-0

    Ben Preston 1-1

    Graham Maybell 1-0

    Eric Parnon 1-0

    St. Anthony’s scoring:

    Sean McDonough 2-2

    Joe LoCascio 2-1

    Matt Chanenchuk 2-0

    Brian Sherlock 1-0

    Adam Pomper 1-0

    Darien goalie saves:

    Dylan Torey 15

    St. Anthony’s goalie saves:

    Kieran Burke 15

    Records: Both teams 7-2

    • laxr says:

      I think St. Anthony’s scored all 5 first half goals in the first quarter.

      • Lax Novice says:

        Yes they did, including the first two in the first minute of the game, then were shut out until LoCascio’s EMO goal with about 4:30 left in the 4th quarter. That was the point at which this game got really interesting.

  47. the boy who cried wolf says:

    Suffern continues to roll through Rockland after a double digit win over Nyack and is sitting on an 8-1 record with the only loss a 1 goal loss to LP. Watch out for them to continue to improve!

    • NYmike says:

      Suffern (and Pleasantville) have weak-schedule-itis – they play nobody. Of course they are rolling through their schedule – good for them, though.

      • F&MviaTP says:

        Same w/ Bville…biggest test will be Fordham Prep. Pville & Bville might meet up in C sectional. C is light w/o Rye. Bet Bville would like to play Rye to see how they stack-up after having season ended by Garnets last year. Best lax team Bville has had. Feel bad that those top recruits don’t get to gauge themselves b/4 playoffs.

      • slacrosse says:

        Agree with you bout Suff’s sched.

        But have seen them play. McNally , Hammerschlag, some tough hockey to lax players making a good transition–just saying they have enough players to have decent potential to cause an upset in the play-offs.

    • BigBadBear says:

      sick sick goal…great intensity..WM middie had a chance to slow him down, but chose to go with a silly wrap check…goalie is the brother of the Duke middie?

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