Defending State-Champ Cold Spring Harbor Claims Nassau Lax Title

By Janee Law

jlaw@longislandergroup.com

Cold Spring Harbor senior captains Mason Marion (#21), Riley Cox (#23), Eddie Fox (#4), and Devin Burdo (#32) are all smiles after the Seahawks claimed the Nassau Class C championship on Tuesday. Photo by Michael Bongino

While they’re nicknamed the Seahawks, it was more than just Cold Spring Harbor’s mascot that flew high Tuesday night.

“Emotionally we were flying all over the field,” said Dennis Bonn, head coach of the Seahawks boys lacrosse team, which won the Nassau Class C championship with a 17-9 win over Locust Valley.

He added, “Our energy level was really high, but we [also] followed the game plan to a T,” noting that the Seahawks wanted to take care of the ball offensively, and move the ball more quickly.

“It was a beautiful thing to see.”

Second-seeded Cold Spring Harbor lost to top-seeded Locust Valley earlier this year during the regular season, 10-9. It’s the only loss of the season for Cold Spring Harbor, which is the defending state champion.

“It’s always a good feeling to have an opportunity to play someone that beat you early in the year,” Bonn said. “Our kids were excited to have that opportunity to win the county championship, and also to redeem themselves.”

Starting with an aggressive mindset, the Seahawks were up 10-5 at halftime.

Junior middie Matt Licciardi scored three goals and dished out two assists, while also winning 22 of 25 faceoffs. Those extra possessions, not only allowed the Seahawks to score some goals, but it also limited the Falcons’ opportunities, which Bonn said is “the name of the game.”

He added, “It’s not just about scoring goals, it’s also about defending the cage. And when they don’t have the ball, we don’t have to worry about defending the cage.”

Other players who put the Seahawks one step closer to defending their state championship were sophomore attacker Kevin Winkoff, who scored four goals; junior middie Taylor Strough, and senior middie Riley Cox, who produced three goals each; junior long-stick middie Matt DeGennaro, with two goals; junior attacker Ian Laviano, with one goal and three assists; and junior attacker Will Reed, who added a goal and two assists to the scoreboard.

Bonn also praised defensemen Michael Visconti, a senior, Dylan Guarneri, a junior; Hunter Guarneri, a sophomore; DeGennaro; and senior goalkeeper Devin Burdo for their efforts to limit the Falcons’ offense. He also commended senior captain Eddie Fox, short-stick-middie, for bringing “so much energy to the field.”

“The team feeds off it,” Bonn added.

The Seahawks will now move to face Suffolk’s Class C, which will be either Babylon or Greenport/Southold/Mattituck. The Long Island championship game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra University.

Looking toward the championship game, Bonn said, “We’re feeling good about ourselves right now. Everybody’s goal is the same: Just win the next one.”