Ward Melville boys lacrosse's Jason Biondi makes 11 saves in Suffolk Class quarterfinal victory
Ward Melville goalie Jason Biondi during a Suffolk Class A quarterfinal against host Sachem East on Friday at Ward Melville High School. Credit: Kathy M Helgeson
Jason Biondi has 100% belief that Ward Melville can claim a Suffolk boys lacrosse crown.
“It just takes all of us being a 100% a 100% of the time,” the junior goalie said. " . . . I think that we’re capable of beating any team on the Island for sure.”
The Patriots weren’t at their 100% best offensively Friday on their home turf. But they were at just about peak proficiency defensively.
Biondi made 11 saves as the last line of defense, and third-seeded Ward Melville defeated No. 6 Sachem East 6-4 in the county Class A quarterfinals.
“The defense played unbelievable,” Patriots coach Jay Negus said.
His team, a 3-1 halftime leader, will play at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at No. 2 Sachem North in the semifinals. Ward Melville edged its next opponent 10-9 on May 6.
Louis Montellese, who delivered two goals and three assists against Sachem East, said the “offense is going to have to be much more efficient.”
Angelo Sorbera went 11-2 on faceoffs, and Ward Melville got enough goal production to rise to 13-4, a large improvement from last year’s 8-10 run that ended in the quarterfinals.
“I think it has to do with the overall team culture and chemistry,” Negus said. “This is a great group of kids that is really buying in to the game planning that we’re doing, but they’re also playing for each other.”
Gavin Lohmann took a pass from Montellese and moved the lead to 5-2 early in the fourth.
Then Sachem East (9-8) rallied. Dominick Marchitto scored his second. And Will Trapani sliced it to 5-4 with 2:25 left.
But Montellese fed Collin Mark and the Chaminade transfer beat Mason Schutter from up top, making it a two-goal game with 1:05 remaining. Schutter excelled overall, stopping 10 shots.
“I think a lot of guys wrote us off on this game,” Sachem East assistant coach Tyler Guiliano said. “I think, despite the outcome, we still proved a lot of people wrong.”
The Patriots will now have more than lacrosse on their minds. The team will get a look at the bigger picture Saturday via its annual Memorial Day weekend trip to Calverton National Cemetery to plant flags at veterans’ graves, a tradition Negus began in 2016.
“My wife’s father is buried there,” Negus said. “It’s a good thing to pass along to these guys. Give back and show our appreciation and say thank you.”
