Big Red fights to finish

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The Glen Cove Big Red boys’ lacrosse team finished its 2018 campaign 7-8 (4-4 Conference B) and showed some tremendous late-season skill and heart, despite some trials and tribulations throughout the year.

After losing four straight non-league games to begin the year and having it’s number one playmaker sidelined with an injury, the Big Red trudged on into league play to face Herricks in the Nassau B league-opener. After narrowly losing a razor-thin 8-7 game, they tallied an impressive win over Great Neck South.

“We lost that game early to Herricks by a goal and we had guys just coming back from injury to start the league portion of the season,” Glen Cove head coach Steve Tripp said.

Midfielder Davey Moore had been forced out of action with an injury, but had returned in time for league play, and his presence had made a real difference. “He came back and our offense picked up a lot, and quickly,” Tripp said.

In the next win against Great Neck South, he and Eric Brown combined for 13 points in a 16-9 victory.

“Brown took up the ball handling duties for Moore when he was out, but when Davey came back, Brown was able to score in bunches,” Tripp said.

Moore finished the season passing the 100-point milestone for his career, even with missing a part of the early season. 

Unfortunately, the Big Red dropped their next two games to Jericho and Roosevelt, pushing them out of the playoff hunt. With three weeks of the season still left to play, the Big Red did not lay down or ride out the season easily.

“We had a tough matchup with an undefeated New Hyde Park on the road,” Tripp said. The Big Red stomped into the Gladiators territory and pulled out a signature 9-8 victory after Mayan Letellier scored with just over four minutes left to pull the game out of reach. “I was thinking back on how the seniors and I last year were discussing how their senior season would be remembered, and for this year’s class, this New Hyde Park game, where they fought back and played a great game after being bounced out of the playoffs, is definitely that moment,” Tripp said.

Glen Cove would go on to win four straight before losing the season finale against first-place Roslyn.

Tripp exclaimed that he is always proud of his senior class, but this class of nine seniors moving on really embodied what it was to be lacrosse players. “This group caught lacrosse fever,” Tripp said. “They had a love for the game, and they had the constant will to compete.”

Looking forward to next season, Glen Cove has a string of talent moving up including Jack Kaffl’s younger brother Tyler in the midfield, along with Peter Rodriguez and a slew of junior talent that will comprise the upperclassmen in 2019 including Sal Guastella and Mayan Letellier. Jessie Mayreis will also return as a three-year goalie.

As for returning to play in 2019 and what expectations are, Tripp quipped: “I tell them at the start of every year that I want to go undefeated, win New York State, and retire... Whenever we get our first loss, I smile and say ‘Guess I’m coming back; there’s always next year.’”