Freeport eyes postseason berth

Longtime Freeport boys’ lacrosse head coach Harry Mohrman sees potential for the program’s first playoff berth in nearly a decade.

The Red Devils headed into Conference A-I play on a strong note with an 11-6 non-league win at Elmont Monday to even their early season mark at 2-2. Mohrman hopes his young Freeport squad can make strides in the next month of its league schedule to earn one of the eight available playoff spots in Conference I.

“Our goal is to get to the playoffs,” Mohrman said. “We have to work hard to get there.”

Co-captains Rony Lopez and Gerard Smikle lead Freeport’s charge to the postseason with strong leadership on the field and in the classroom. Mohrman said the duo sets a strong example for the younger players by working hard at practice while also excelling academically.

“They have been very good at leading on and off the field,” said Mohrman of his co-captains.

Lopez, a senior, anchors a Freeport defense that also features juniors Jakiem Pratt and Chris Richardson. Goalie Christian McCain has keyed the defense with some big early season saves, including 11 stops in a 5-4 overtime win against Island Trees on April 6.

Smikle has been the Red Devils’ top offensive threat early on in the season. The junior midfielder scored three goals in the non-league victory over Island Trees including the game-winner with a minute left in overtime. He also registered a hat-trick in Monday’s win against Elmont in which the Red Devils jumped out to a 10-3 lead after three quarters.

“He’s a very good athlete,” said Mohrman of Smikle, who helped guide the Freeport football team to the Nassau Conference I title game last fall as a starting linebacker. “He is stepping up.”

Mohrman is also excited about the athletic ability of freshman midfielder Javian Allen, who also was part of the Freeport football team’s run to the county title game and tallied four points in the Elmont win. Tajay Tavares has also shined early with a goal in each of Freeport’s first three games.

Freeport is at a disadvantage compared to many other communities in Nassau County who have strong youth lacrosse programs to prepare players for the high school level. Mohrman said many of his players never picked up a stick until high school and are still learning technical aspects of the sport. 

“We have some very athletic kids that just need to translate their skills to a stick,” Mohrman said. “They are very nice kids and very coach-able.”

Freeport hits the road for Conference I road games at Great Neck South this Saturday at 11 a.m. and at Hempstead next Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The Red Devils then return home for fought straight games versus Port Washington on April 21 at 1 p.m., Bellmore-JFK on April 25 at 4:30 p.m., Baldwin on April 28 at 10 a.m. and East Meadow on May 1 at 4:45 p.m.

“They are working hard,” Morman said.  “We’re going to get better.”