Bayport-Blue Point boys varsity lacrosse needed one more win to reach the nirvana. The season has been indelible, full of blissful memories amongst this proficient group poised for nothing but success.

The Phantoms played the Jamesville-DeWitt Red Rams at James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University on a picturesque summer evening for all the marbles, the winner to be esteemed the New York State Class C Champion.

In the first quarter, midfielder Traigh Tomassone picked up where he left off. After winning the MVP of the LIC the week prior, Tomassone christened the scoring of the title game, scoring a goal with 4:25 to go in the opening period. He then notched another through the mesh 55 seconds later and his team had a 2-0 lead.

With over a minute left in the first, Graham Kesselring cut the lead in half, scoring JD’s first goal. Then Lucas Patchen tied the bout shortly after. With a little under a minute to go in the opening frame, attacker Ryan Hannaford scored to make it 3-2. Early in the second quarter, Kesselring knotted the score again, but Phantoms’ attacker Ben Morris heaved one to the net with 9:43 left in the half and it was 4-3 BBP.

Six minutes later, midfielder Maclin Keyser casted one in the netting for BBP’s fifth goal. The Phantoms led 6-4 at halftime. Andrew Laubenstein scored for JD with under 2 minutes into the third frame and shortly after, Ben Morris notched the seventh Phantoms goal the first of 7 unanswered points.

With 4:23 remaining in the third quarter, Hannaford looked like Bobby Orr as he fell down but propelled the ball into the mesh. After a missed shot off the post, Connor Curran caromed the rebound into the netting with just under 3 minutes left in the third. Then Curran notched his second goal of the evening with 7.4 seconds remaining in the third period. After 36 minutes of play, the scoreboard read Bayport-Blue Point 10, Jamesville-Dewitt 5. 

Goaltender Brady Smith seared two clutch saves in the opening minute of the fourth to preserve the five-goal lead. Later in the quarter, Keyser scored an unassisted goal, then Morris scored 9 seconds later to tally the lead to 7. Ryan Hannaford notched another goal, assisted by Michael Luce with 6:50 remaining.

The final score was Bayport-Blue Point 13, Jamesville-DeWitt 6. Brady Smith made 12 saves.

The Phantoms defeated the Red Rams to reach the pinnacle and win the New York State Class C Championship! The 2024 spring season was one for the ages as Bayport-Blue Point seized their first Varsity Boys Lacrosse State Championship in school history!

“This team has earned the title of state champions. They were battle tested and came out on top. This group is so deserving. I love every kid on the roster. They play for one another. And now they will be remembered forever,” said head coach Doug Meeha.