Two of the top players from the Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region, former Manhasset star Connor English (left) and former Ridgefield standout Matt White (below right), both made successful and memorable collegiate debuts today as freshmen at the University of Virginia. Both White and English scored goals as Virginia rallied for an 11-8 win at Drexel, giving Cavaliers coach Dom Starsia his 200th career win.

Steele Stanwick led UVa with three goals and two assists. Former John Jay standout Chris Bocklet had two goals and two assists.

Virginia, which fell behind 4-1 after the first quarter, outscored the Dragons 5-1 in the final period.

The game also marked the collegiate debut of former Iona Prep star Nick Trizano, a freshman attackman at Drexel, and the debut of new Drexel coach Brian Voelker, the former head coach at Penn. Voelker replaces Chris Bates, who left Drexel to take over the Princeton program after former Princeton coach Bill Tierney departed for Denver.

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Ridgefield’s Matt White, Somers’ JoJo Marasco and Manhasset’s Connor English were ranked among the Top 10 incoming college freshmen in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in its annual recruiting issue.

Inside Lacrosse also ranked the Top 50 rising seniors and Top 50 rising juniors at the high school level.

• Joe’s MaxPreps.com column: Rye’s McCormack commits to Cornell

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We saved the best for last, gang.

Kind of like the grand finale of a fireworks display, we’ve now reached the part of our LaxLessons.com all-region selections we’ve all been waiting for.

Namely, the selection of player of the year.

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Well, here we are.

Almost.

This week, we are conducting our balloting for LaxLessons.com regional coach of the year.

That voting lasts till midnight on Saturday.

Then, we will open voting for our regional player of the year, which will conclude July 19.

Now though, here is the 2009 LaxLessons.com all-region team. Be sure to check out the honorable mention selections as well.

LaxLessons.com hot topic threads:

• Final LaxLessons.com Top 25 regional rankings

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West Islip’s Nicky Galasso, shown in action at left last night
against Hicksville, scored five goals to match his jersey number.

Yorktown and West Islip both suffered crushing losses to Syosset in last year’s playoffs. Now, they’re each within a game of playing for a state title.

Connor English of Manhasset has enjoyed one of the most storied careers of any high school player this decade. Can he end it with a state title?

And how about Class B, where two teams — Niskayuna and Sayville — who were relative unknowns at the outset of this decade are now on the brink of a state championship.

There are plenty of interesting story lines, indeed.

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Terence Pfeifer, right, and Hicksville will face West Islip
in Tuesday’s Class A Long Island championship game.

Simply put, any of the three Long Island championship games are almost as big as a state final. This year will be no exception as six schools have emerged from the regular season and sectional wars to get to Stony Brook University for Tuesday’s state quarterfinal tripleheader. The winners advance to Thursday’s downstate semifinals at Middletown High School.

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Port Washington’s Jeff Froccaro was named
Nassau County’s midfielder of the year.

Hey gang -

Congrats to Connor English of Manhasset, who was selected by coaches as the Nassau County player of the year.

You can check out the complete list of honorees here.

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In the next few weeks public school state champions in both New York and Connecticut will be crowned. Along the way we’ll also learn who received all-America recognition and respective state, sectional and conference accolades.

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Anybody laughing now?

Reading the comments in this week’s LaxLessons Top 25 regional rankings thread, it became fairly clear that a lot of people weren’t too sure about our selection of Manhasset as the area’s No. 1 team. Nor did it feel like, despite its big win over Putnam Valley on Saturday, many of you were completely sold on White Plains.

After today, seriously, do you need any more proof?

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Top photo: Manhasset senior captain John Duvnjak celebrates the Indians’ 8-2 win over Garden City in the Woodstick Classic. Above photo: Matt Rubertone of Manhasset chases after Garden City’s Will Fuller. (Photo by newsphoto.com. For a gallery of photos from the game, click here.)

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Sophomore attackman Brian Coleman and the Garden City Trojans have dominated recent meetings in the Woodstick Classic. (Photo by Jim Stout/MaxPreps.com)

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Instant classic.

Titanic struggle.

Flat-out war.

Choose your overused cliché because each would be an appropriate summation of today’s “Battle of the Sound” opener between Manhasset and host Darien.

When it was over, the Indians celebrated like they had just won a state championship. The Blue Wave, on the other hand, had the look of a boxer who had just gone the distance in a title bout but couldn’t believe the final scorecards.

• For a rundown of Saturday’s scores, click here.

NEW FEATURE:

• Debuts Monday — LaxLessons.com player profiles •
Be sure to get yours up, too!

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Hey guys, Syracuse here.

Without question, the marquee matchup this weekend in our region is Game 1 of the “Battle of the Sound” doubleheader at Darien, pitting the host Blue Wave against Manhasset at 12 p.m. If you survive that epic, you’re in for more good lacrosse in the second game as two of the country’s most regarded programs get together when Garden City takes on New Canaan at 2:30 p.m.

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Just a few weeks ago, we brought you folks our Nassau/Suffolk players to watch list.

We talked to two of the top players who made that list on Saturday night after Manhasset pulled away to defeat John Jay 11-5.

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