The West Islip Lions would have been just perfect last season had it not been for an 8-7 regular-season loss to Ward Melville.
Today, the two teams meet for the first time a year to the day since that May 5, 2009 meeting.
It’s one of several Suffolk showdowns on tap for today.
The game between West Islip (11-1) and Ward Melville (10-1) is set for 4:30 p.m. at West Islip.
Also at 4:30 p.m., Walt Whitman, the team that dealt Ward Melville its only loss, plays at East Islip, Copiague visits Commack and Half Hollow Hills East hosts Riverhead.
Connetquot, which is 9-2 with the losses against West Islip and Ward Melville, plays at Smithtown West (7-4) and Middle Country visits Patchogue-Medford at 6 p.m. Sachem East hosts Linderhurst at 5 p.m.
There’s a major showdown in Nassau County today as well as Wantagh, which is 11-1 (with the loss vs. Farmingdale), hosts unbeaten Division of Levittown (11-0) at 4:45 p.m.
In 4:30 p.m. games, Roslyn visits Great Neck North, Sewanhaka hosts Malverne, West Hempstead plays at Lawrence, Hewlett visits Lynbrook, Hempstead is at Uniondale and Farmingdale hosts Freeport. At 7 p.m., South Side faces Plainedge at Hempstead Lake State Park.
In Connecticut action, Weston hopes to bounce back from its Monday loss to Staples when it hosts Pomperaug at 6:45 p.m. Brien McMahon plays at Trumbull at McDougall Stadium’s turf field at 4 p.m. In other 4 p.m. games, Joel Barlow hosts Stratford, Bethel bisits Imaaculate and New Fairfield plays at Notre Dame-Fairfield. At 6 p.m., New Milford host Masuk and Olym Lyme visits Newtown. At 7 p.m., Bunnell hosts Brookfield on its turf field.
In a prep school battle, Brunswick hosts Avon at 3:30 p.m.
Bronxville (8-3), which has won four of its last five, hosts Edgemont at 4:30 p.m. in the Hudson Valley. In other 4:30 p.m. games, Pelham plays at Ardsley, Saunders hosts New Rochelle and Irvington visits Hastings.
Be sure to post your thoughts and predictions on these matchups, and while you’re at your game or games today, be sure to check in here with info on the scores and game details early and often.
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Posted In: Scoreboard Central
I like:
West Islip 8, Ward Melville 5
Wantagh 11, Levittown 9
any word on the score of WI vs WM?
Cuse I agree WI by 3
W.I. 9 W.M 6
In a mild upset I like Levitown
Levittown 10 Wantagh 9
Any scores yet?
Hey Joe,
What are your thoughts on Town Darien on Friday. After Towns win the other day they should be in good spirits. Cuse what do you think?.
WI was up 11-2 at the half
Wow, Who saw that comming?
OK well, you forgot Mamaroneck(11-2) Vs Eastchester (Now 9-3) Absolute blowout. Mamaroneck up 9-2 at half, pulled all their starters once up 12, and won 14-5. They look very very good
Levittown 15 Wantagh 14 final
Lax4Fun – I’ll have a look at Yorktown-Darien on Friday’s gameday preview. Stay tuned.
Hv Lax — hey yeah i know this is a blog and in blogs you voice opinions, but it seems to me a little over the top the way you word your stuff almost insulting the competitor “Absolute blowout” pull starters. It you look above your post you can see LI Guy that post a similar score but in a different way . Sorry your not the only one that has posted like that and not looking to blow you up just make a point that we can post outcomes and give some props to our kids without talking hits at others. Good luck on the rest of your season
Hey does anyone know the final of the W.I W.M game?
Dee-Up, I disagree
WI won big. Didn’t hear the final…
Division 16, Wantagh 14
Farmingdale 14, Freeport 3
Smithtown E 8, Sach N 6
Floyd 12, Bay Shore 8
Smithtown West 10, Connetquot 7
Garden City 10, Long Beach 6
HHH East 9, Riverhead 2
Lynbrook 11, Hewlett 6
Northport 14, W Babylon 13
E Islip 19, Whitman 6
Sewanhaka 7, Malverne 6, OT
BEAR!!!!!
…hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the second half of 2010…
Let’s talk Mamaroneck since their score was first in today for Sec One.
Mamaroneck is an interesting team and another one that adds to the parity throughout the section. They’re succeeding very well against a pretty weak schedule, but that’s what you have to do to get that coveted home playoff game in the first round. Their laxpower in region is a hefty 90.92 which lands them at #11, knocking on the door for a spot in the top 10. But does that mean they’re a power to contend with? Maybe.
A look deeper into the numbers and their schedule shows a pretty mild group, including more than half their wins (6) against teams that have losing records, including Sleepy, Edgemont, Ardsley and Hastings. That’s softer than a fresh pretzel in mid- July.
Their RPI is a respectable #9 in section, which means they are beating teams that have winning records. However, it loses its luster when you combine it with their Strength of Schedule that is barely in the top 20, a middle of the road #18. But RPI ebbs and flows and a lot of theirs is built on weak teams beating weak teams. Still their opponents are 59-52 combined and their opponent’s opponents have a winning tally (575-541) hence the RPI of #9 in section.
Add in the fact that their two losses came against Hen Hud opening day and Bronxville (94.5 rating) and you can throw out the opening day stumble and look at Bronxville as simply being too good. But mid-90’s laxpower ratings are the teams that win playoff games and if you can’t beat them, sorry Charlie.
That be told, it’s pretty easy to see them as a team that’s good enough to beat up weak teams, but not good enough for prime time, right?
Well, maybe, but not so fast.
They don’t have a signature win in section, but they do have a quasi-signature win against Fairfield-Ludlowe, who are up and down and tough to figure out, but the Falcons do have a 94 laxpower and that does mean something. Add in Mamaroneck also beat Pelham early on and even though Pelham did not yet have their lofty 91, and even though their SOS is at the bottom of the heap, both of those wins gives food for thought.
I said a while back about Brewster that they are one of those teams that ‘everybody thinks they can beat, but nobody wants to play’ and the same may be true for the Tigers. They finish up against a tough White Plains, but weaker NewRo and Roosevelt. That should qualify them for 8 more points, plus 1 bonus point and perhaps an extra 4 if they can beat their namesakes from WP.
That being the case, they should qualify for a first round home game against a weaker opponent, and if they get into the second round the fact that they give up an average of only five goals per game, while scoring almost ten is enough to give any coaching staff headaches no matter who Mamo has played to get there.
Avon Old Farms 17, Brunswick School 13
Chase Collegiate 20, Watkinson 4 … Chase is unbeaten and plays at unbeaten Harvey on Saturday…
Salisbury School 9, Taft School 8
Trumbull 11, Brien McMahon 6
Final – WI 16, WM 5
Predict-I agree with a lot of what you say about Mamaroneck. Their D is for real. They will shut down almost any team in the section. But i don’t just see them as a team that only beats up bad teams. Eastchester is one of those teams, and Mamaroneck dominated them. Mamaroneck is for real.
LI Guy,
Wow. A kill.
How large a factor was WM missing some kids due to their disciplinary issue?
The last time Mamaroneck played in a sectional final was in 1988. For a program with good athletes and a great feeder program this has been a long wait.
They could be a semi-round headache for sure.
Will wait and see how they do against WP.
There is a lot of talk of parity throughout the section, and I just don’t see it. From top to bottom there is still as much seperation as ever. Maybe instead of their being 2 top teams in the section, there are now 4. Out of 46 teams, 4 is not parity.
I think there are different ‘Tiers’ in section 1, and within those ‘tiers’ parity exists, meaning on given day, any team within each tier can beat one another.
Could a team from the tier immediately below beat a team from the tier directly above it on a good day, sure, it can happen (and has this year according to my tier system), but maybe 1/10 times. Once you move two tiers below, the odds drop significantly. True parity is still a long way off.
Here are the tiers:
Tier 1
JJ
L/P
TOWN
Somers
Tier 2
Rye
Mahopac
Putnam Valley
Bronxville
Fox Lane
Suffern
Byram
Tier 3
Arlington
Greeley
Brewster
Hen Hud
White Plains
Mamaroneck
Ossining
Pleasantville
Tier 4
Pelham
Nanuet
Scarsdale
Eastchester
Tappan Zee
Briarcliff
Clarkstown South
Tier 5
North Rockland
JJ Wapingers
Irvington
Hastings
Ardsley
Pearl River
Nyack
North Salem
Sleepy Hollow
Tier 6
Kennedy
Croton
Edgemont
Westlake
New Rochelle
Yonkers
C. North
Magnus
Peekskill
Haldane
Traditionally teams like North Rockland, Clarkstown South and Hen Hud would be in higher tiers, but they are all down this year.
Remember, having a ‘chance’ to beat a team in a tier above you does not mean a team belongs in that tier. On any given day, that teams would have to have a chance to beat, not give a game to, any team in the tier.
Hv Lax — who Mamo they play come playoffs?? Let them play someone and win before you spout!!
I asked before and I’ll ask again. Is Mamo a final 4 team? Final 2? Sectional Championship team?
Mamo has a state championship baseball team (claas A no less) the last two yrs – what other school can claim that in a major sport from Sec 1 – hard to get ‘best’ athletes when your are comprting within your own school for athletes
Feeder program gives to RCDS, IC, FP not only the public HS.
P&G It depends on the draw. For Example if they are seeded fourth and play say the winner of a TZ vs Nyack they will advance, if they then play Eashchester they can advance again. Just don’t see them beating JJ, Somers, FL and I think they would be a close game with Hen Hud and Brewster. If they draw any of those teams early they are probably done.
I think Mamaroneck plays some of the toughest defense I’ve seen this season, their poles are aggressive, quick, and have good stick skills. That fact alone should have them competitive in most games. Add in a very good attackman in # 26, and they could make some noise. They also have a good coaching staff obviously and were very classsy yesterday in their defeat of Eastchester. I know I can keep saying that the lack of depth and youth hurts EHS, and the fact that they have lost their top middie for the season, but sooner or later they need to step up and be more competitive against one of these tougher teams. The Eagles will be a good team, they may get favorable draw in the playoffs, but they are a year or so away from the big name teams.
slacrosse –
Most of the players are now back in action. WI is just that good right now.
South of 287,
Don’t make excuses. Lakeland has to share it’s athletes with a very successful baseball program as well. AND, they only have 2 kids on the team from Panas, which means they’re playing an A schedule but pulling athletes out of a B school.
Mamaroneck will be a tough out in the Sectionals. There “D” and Goalie is very good. With that combination, they will be in most games. They may not beat JJ or Somers but they can beat anyone else including Foxlane.
Lax,
Let’s try to differentiate between ‘successful baseball program’ at Lakeland and back to back AA state champs sending 8 kids to play at next level last year including 2 D1 full rides. Not an excuse, just the facts. My point is Southern Westchester does not have same devotion and commitment to Lax as Northern country towns.
Lakeland should stand on its own and not pair up with Panas – that is a concept which doesn’t make sense on many levels. Lakeland would play in Class C (I guess) for states and dominate if they are drawing players primarily from Lakeland.
I think it’s great the Mamaroneck supporters and players are voiceing praise for their team, but at some point they need to be realistic.
If these are players writing in, guys, don’t be happy with where you are or think that where you are is the level you need to be in order to compete, because it’s not. Work to get better and stop talking about how good you are.
If it’s parents, guys, your team has a lot of work to do to be able to compete with the better teams in the section, try to help them get there. Everyone is blowing smoke right now about this team, and unfortunately they are not even close. Encourage the boys to work on their sticks and not to settle for where they currently are.
Thanks for all of the excellent input regarding Mamaroneck. Nice thread, great observations and done without a poisonous tone.
This is great sports talk. Well done and thank you again. I’m sure that Joe is proud! lol!
To say they ONLY draw 2 kids from Panas, when one of them is arguably your best player (Honovich) is a bit disingenuous.
South of — Why not just enjoy what you have , and leave the excuses behind . It’s H.S. ball enjoy the years . Your team is what it is . Every School has something So forget the only if’s could of’s etc . The years go fast enjoy what the sport gives you as you watch. I realize that your post my make sense to you but some others that read it and see it as you making excuses why your not where you want the team to be .
Enjoy the reat of the season and good luck to your team
LI Guy,
Wow. Thanx.
WI is has awakened (ouch look out Ithica) Now I’m not a long Island guy but shouldn’t a school from Levittown be called Sub-Division not Division? Who are these guys? just knocked off a solid Wantagh team. Their schedule did not look that strong but boy that is a good win and now looks like at least a 3 horse race in B in section 8 does anybody have any info on their strenghts etc?
SWLAX,
Generally agree with your list and points.
I do think your win/loss ratio is correct and would strongly favor Tier 1 but not nearly as extreme (1/10) for several of the Tier 2 teams vs. Tier 1.
As of today I’d also switch Arlington and Scarsdale with each other. Feeling could definitely change depending on how AHS plays vs Pac, LP and JJ .
LI Guy,
Yes, upsets in playoffs can happen but seems to me you have WI in A, Sett in C.
But B seems way up in the air.
Your thoughts?
Old Rugger Levittown Division has had excellent lax teams since the 70’s…some great players have come from their ranks. They always play Manhasset tough.
Dee-up
Very much enjoying what is there this year and years to come. Team still has a long way to go and schedule is making the team’s record better than in year’s past.
North/South alignment with two divisions in each Conference
North Conf – Div 1
JJ, L/P, TOWN, Somers, Mahopac, Putnam Valley, Fox Lane, Arlington
Greeley, Brewster,
North Conf – Div 2
Hen Hud, Pleasantville, Ossining, JJ Wapingers, North Salem, Kennedy,
Croton, Peekskill, Westlake, Haldane
South Conf, Div 1. (w/ Rockland)
Rye, Bronxville, Byram, Suffern, White Plains, Mamaroneck, Pelham, Scarsdale, Eastchester, Briarcliff, North Rockland, Clarkstown South
South Conf, Div 2.
Nanuet, Tappan Zee, Irvington, Hastings, Ardsley, Pearl River, Nyack, Sleepy Hollow, Edgemont, New Rochelle, Yonkers, C. North, Magnus
I’m sure Mamaroneck is improved, but until they beat a John Jay or Somers all this talk is just that, talk.
i personally resent mamaroneck in all sports, being that i am a scarsdale father. but i cannot and will not deny the talent that they have. i think that we have a damn good lacrosse team, but i fear playing mamaroneck early in the playoffs. there is no doubt they are not at the same level as JJ, but they are a silent killer
Wow, now we have Mamo Dads, impersonating Scarsdale Dads…Scarsdale lost to Mamo by one and we think Scarsdale fears them as a silent killer? Ok then…
south of 287:
I dunno, maybe I need a geography lesson, how is P’ville in “North Conf Div 2” (along with Westlake) and you put B’cliff in “South Conf Div 1″…all three schools within a couple of miles of each other
To all hating on Mamaroneck- I don’t know what team you root for, but i know they’ll have a hell of a hard time trying to score on them. Combine that with a couple really good scorers, and they’re a legit team. You can’t compare past Mamaroneck teams with this team.
No hating from me….Just trying to keep it in perspective. Historically I root for John Jay. And if Bronxville scored 13 on you….
P&G–How the hell do you historically root for a team? You dont root for them when their not winning as much as they usually do? I bet your a big fan this year though. Your an awful sports fan.
I’ve been watching HV lax for a lot of years. Mamk is a solid team, and in some ways a better watch winning 8-6 then when they were winning 18-17 in previous years. Not a lot of people remember that this team was only down 1 going to the 4th Qtr in the playoffs against Lakeland last year. They won’t win sections, maybe not even make the semi’s, but I don’t think you can walk on to the field against them and think this game is a walk-over. Just my 2 cents.
For what it is worth, Bronxville was just one of those games. It was the one game that Mamk’s D didn’t play well. Playing D a little too far out, late to slide, and the goalie, only a soph, had a rough day. Remember this is the same team that held scarsdale to 4 goals, 2 days before they scored 15 on white Plains. They must be doing something right.
SWLAX, wow I guess I hit a nerve finally…
Historically: “throughout history”. Not that tough of a word for a John Jay grad, not so sure about Mamo grads.
Been a JJ fan for 12 years, I don’t hide it. Not last year when Jay had a down year (losing in the sectional finals). I’m glad Mamaroneck is having a good year. But there schedule is pathetic, so you might want to mix in some humility when beating your chest (as well as Edgemont, Ardsley, and Hastings).
Pville 17, Westlake 1
Syracuse has been awfully quiet since Arlington went down big lol.
Some scores not posted here yet:
SWR 6, Mt Sinai 2
Rocky Point 14, Babylon 8
East Hampton 11, Glenn/Elwood 5
HHH West 6, Bayport-BP 5, OT
Chaminade 8, SJTB 2
Last post by SWLAX is not the SWLAX that has been a part of this thread, or this site…pick a new name please, particularly if you are going to be an idiot.
Just got the final …
New Canaan 10, Wilton 9
Wasn’t there so don’t have any info. Does anyone have details? Sounds like a great game. Joe nailed it in the preview saying this game was a tossup.
this is way too out of hand. people need to stop blogging about us. i think we are a very good team, but i agree that people need to stop hyping us up. we might surpise people come playoff time, but until then, mamaroneck fans/players should stop this trash talking
P&G
You pissed off some Mamaroneck kid and he took my name and called you out…nice.
Bronxville game was ‘one of those games?’ Instead of making excuses and calling people names on blogs, your time would be better spent hitting the wall and elevating your game.
RyeLax, slacrosse, who’s #6 for Rye?
SWLAX – no problem, didn’t sound like you…
Classy gesture by Rye, slacrosse.
I have to say – I’m surprised you haven’t “tweaked” Syracuse over Arlington’s loss today?
Kevin Cousin had 6 … count em 6 … goals for Somers today vs Byrum. Brett Emanuel had 4. Cousin is a soph. Emanuel a jr. Good to see these guys step up. They have very promising futures. Cousin, with great size at 6-2, will be a major D-1 player.
PV Lax
#6 for Rye is Briggs Barton, attack (Junior).
Observer,
Ah just letting him lick his wounds quietly.
Regarding ‘Cuse…
Last couple years he and I have butted heads, Perhaps it was his Yorktown bias vs. my John Jay bias. But I always respected his opinions. Disagreed with some of it – but IMHO he was the most intelligent poster on this blog. He dissapeared for a stretch, and the blog was worse of because of it.
So I’m guessing there is a personal friendship involved with this Arlington thing. And you know what, I don’t care…He’s not saying they are winning the section, just promoting a game we all love. It’s not coming across as others have done in a boastful manner.
I have said Arlington will not be in the Section 1 elite level in the next 3 years (as some have said) – but what about 10 years from now? And if ‘cuse is helping that along – more power to him.
This was his post on Mamo earlier today:
Im sure Mamaroneck is improved, but until they beat a John Jay or Somers all this talk is just that, talk.
I assume he would say the same goes for Arlington – but if he’s talking then I’m listening.
P&G and others:
I do appreciate what you wrote. Of course I’d like to see Arlington do well because a friend of mine coaches the team, but also because I like seeing something built more or less from scratch and then sustaining its newfound reputation.
That said though, I hardly drink the Admirals’ Kool-Aid short of thinking they are a program on the rise. As for someone saying I’m “licking my wounds” after I guessed Mahopac would win 12-8 or Arlington could win if ‘Pac’s defense didn’t show up, all I can say is predictions are what they are: by and large a huge crapshoot when you pick an underdog.
Arlington took a beating from a better team, period. That doesn’t mean I’m going to jump off their bandwagon. Coach Connolly told me after the game his team didn’t play well and Mahopac played the best game of its season (according to a ref who actually worked the game).
I don’t sense anyone is “talking big” about Arlington on this site. Guys are just excited about an improving program. If you throw names and players to watch out there, that’s a good thing, because as I’ve said the more we all talk about teams others than the elite ones on this site the better it is for this site.
Getting back to predictions, I was pretty much on the mark about Jay-Somers and Town-Ridgefield and didn’t say a word about it afterwards because, frankly, who cares? I sure don’t.
If you say someone is going to win a game by a certain score, you need to be careful how you say it. If you talk trash and come off as a know-it-all and then you’re wrong, you deserve a beat down. That’s not my style. I try to support my thoughts with facts and analysis. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. Life will go on. The Yankees will still rule. LT will still be in shackles. The Jets will still try to sign LeBron.
All that said, I like Darien tonight 11-8, though I believe if the Yorktown of the first 36 minutes against Chaminade and Ridgefield decides to show up, the Huskers could win this game.
Marr, hopefully, will stick to his new way of thinking — play everyone.