After an exciting year, the boys’ varsity lacrosse team ended its season on Friday, May 17 when it lost in the second round of the playoffs. After its win against Plainedge in the first round, Lynbrook could not pull off a win against the 10-6 Locust Valley team. 

Despite their loss, playoffs were an exciting time for the team. As junior Aidan Smithwick explained, “[Playoffs were] great. The season was fun, but the playoffs were extra special because we all had to come together to have a far run.” The team also played its best according to Coach Bill Leighley: “My favorite aspect of the season is how much the team bought into our message and how we were playing our best lacrosse at the end of the season in May. Our energy level was at an all-time high when it mattered most.”

The Owls’ playoffs started on their home turf with a 5-2 victory against eleventh seeded Plainedge. Both junior Dave Becker and senior Jesse Candel scored two goals each, and senior Sean Barrett chipped in with one goal. Senior Kevin Loonie also had a standout performance in goal with 14 saves. Lynbrook started strong with four goals in the first quarter, helping to keep momentum on its side throughout the entire game. The game was dominated by Lynbrook for most of the contest, as Plainedge scored both of its goals in the fourth quarter. The Owls’ strong performance set them up for a matchup with third seed Locust Valley, which took place the following Friday.

Lynbrook had momentum on its side coming into the second playoff game, but ultimately, they could not pull out a win. The team faced Locust Valley in an away game. The score was 3-2 in the Owls’ favor going into the second half, but their opponent went on a scoring run that ended their season. The game ended in a 12-5 loss for the Owls.  Goals were contributed by senior Jack Fagen (2), Barrett (2), and sophomore Dante Quilca (1). Loonie also had 10 saves in his impressive final performance in the net.

The year was an exciting one for the Owls squad, including many unforgettable moments. As a custom, many varsity boys cut each other’s hair into mohawks and mullets, which were also bleached to create a very distinct look. This bonding experience helped to solidify the players’ sense of companionship and produced the positive attitude that was found within the locker room, which was later made evident on the field. Freshman Collin Lung explained that the team’s connection grew strongest as playoffs progressed: “The offseason started strongly, but we had a few connection issues at the start of the season. As we started to progress into May, we grew and bonded, and we connected strongest during the playoffs.” Leighley also explained how the team handled adversity: “[We handled adversity] by focusing on the idea that ‘tough times don’t last, tough people do.’ It was really tough to be in the league that we were in; there were no easy games, and we challenged ourselves with a really difficult no-league schedule. Yet, no one player wavered in his effort and attitude.”

Many starters and main contributors will be graduating this year, which may prove to be costly to the team in future seasons. That being said, players like freshman Tyler Ippolito are excited for what the future holds: “There’ll be lots of new players coming in, and it’ll be a different team, but we’ll be able to get things done. Everything will be done with the same intensity as this year.” Leighley is confident that the experiences learned from this season will also create for better play in the future: “This season helped re-teach the idea that every single player is important and plays an equally significant role in our success. Sometimes, it’s a struggle for individuals to find out what that role is, but I think this year’s group got it exactly right.” The team may not have ended as county champions, but it played with a positive energy that will likely set a precedent for future years.