LAX Preview: West Islip, Ward Melville Renew Rivalry

One of Suffolk’s top high school lacrosse rivalries will be renewed on Monday as Ward Melville travels to West Islip to take on the defending state champion Lions.

The matchup once dominated by the Patriots has in recent years leaned West Islip’s way as the Lions have appeared in the state championship game six of the past nine years, winning the Class A title five times.

Their most recent matchup was May 30 of last year, a West Islip 9-6 win that gave the Lions their ninth consecutive Suffolk County Class A title.

However, this year could be different.

Ward Melville (9-0, 11-0) comes into Monday’s contest as the only undefeated team in Suffolk County’s Division 1, led by its stingy defense and solid goaltending from Dan Nemirov. In fact, through its first 11 games the Patriots have allowed only 45 goals and have on its season’s resume eye-catching wins over Nassau powerhouse Garden City (7-3 on April 20) and Suffolk powerhouse Smithtown West (13-4 on April 15).

For West Islip (7-2, 8-3), the season has been solid but the team’s play at times has been below the high bar set by head coach Scott Craig. Among the Lions victories this season are wins over Ridgewood (N.J.) and Sachem North, but one of the team’s losses was to Smithtown East 13-6, that school’s first victory ever against West Islip.

It’s important to note that West Islip’s three losses this season equal the loss total the team had from 2010-2012 when the Lions went 61-3 and won two state titles during those years.

While the result this year is anybody’s guess, one thing easy to predict will be the raucous crowd that will gather Monday at West Islip High School. In the past, these games have drawn big crowds and this year should be no different.