If there were a mercy rule in high school lacrosse, it would have been called early in Tuesday afternoon’s boys varsity game in West Islip, where the Riverhead Blue Waves struggled mightily, finishing the regular season on a sour note with an 18-5 loss.
Riverhead’s final rehearsal before playoffs needed some serious improv as the game didn’t follow the script drawn up by head coach Vic Guadagnino.
“We were intimidated,” Guadagnino. “Flat out intimidated.”
The scoreboard at West Islip’s turf field became more lopsided by the minute, at one point flashing: 13-0.
West Islip (10-3 Division I, 11-4 overall) is coached by lacrosse legend Jon Reese, a Yale University graduate who Guadagnino calls “the greatest lacrosse player to ever play the game.”
Reese, a member of the National and Long Island Lacrosse Hall of Fame, still holds the NCAA record he set in 1990 for most goals scored in a season: 82 — in only 18 games.
Behind Reese’s coaching, the defending state champion Lions competently exposed major flaws in Riverhead defense as it became quickly clear that the Blue Waves desperately miss the nerve-wracking presence of junior Jaron Greenidge, who is out for the season.
No Riverhead goaltender recorded a save in the first half.
The Blue Waves finally got on the board with two minutes left in the second quarter as junior Dan Czelatka scored after battling double and triple teams from midfield all the way to the crease.
“We didn’t come out ready,” said Guadagnino. “It’s a little frustrating when you play those good teams and you’re not ready. We just didn’t play like us.”
Out of the 13 potential playoff teams in Division I, the Blue Waves have faced five as of Tuesday, according to Section XI, compiling a record of 1-4.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Guadagnino. “I don’t want to see that happen but it did. We just gotta recoup and get ready for the playoffs — hopefully.”
Guadagnino hopes the season resumé they have gathered will prove strong enough for the tournament committee to grant them their first playoff bid in history.
It would take a major upset for Riverhead not to make the playoffs but Guadagnino sticks with “nothing is official.” Last season, the Blue Waves missed out by just percentage points.
Junior Ryan Hubbard scored three goals to add to his team-leading 43. Hubbard also ended the season as the highest point-getter with 61. Ryan Bitzer finished second in points with 54.
Guadagnino and Reese were teammates at West Babylon way back when and reconnected after the game.
“I was a freshman and he was a senior,” said Guadagnino. “That was kinda the guy I was looking up to. And he’s like ‘take my phone number again, it’s been a lot of years. There’s a couple kids on your team I’d love to talk to because of the way they play’.”
“I mean he’s in the Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and he wants to talk to our guys,” he said.
Riverhead lacrosse has truly come a long way.
Playoffs begin May 16th.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by George Faella
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