48.0°,
Light Rain East Meadow tops Baldwin in OT
Baldwin and East Meadow have played some memorable football games in recent years, and with the weather feeling more like Nov. 3 than May 3, the Bruins and Jets hooked up in a gridiron-like Conference I boys’ lacrosse matchup that had it all.
Trailing by two goals with less than two minutes remaining, host East Meadow forced overtime on senior Tom Provenzano’s fourth goal of the game off a frantic scramble with 12.7 seconds left in regulation, then won it, 15-14, on senior Brandon Carlin’s goal 2:04 into the extra session.
After the Jets killed off their 11th penalty of the afternoon, senior Tom DeNicola scooped up a groundball in the defensive zone and carried it past midfield, where he found Carlin in stride. Carlin maneuvered around a couple of defenders on the way to beating Baldwin sophomore goalie Jared Tiong-Smith (15 saves) with the winning shot, setting off a dogpile celebration.
“It was a wild game, but I’ve been coaching since 1980 and I’ve seen everything,” coach Steve D’Argenio said after the Jets improved to 1-4 in conference games and 5-7 overall. “We play brilliant at times, but we have too many lapses. Baldwin’s hustle and athleticism gave us problems.
“Hopefully this one gives us the push we need to get into the playoffs,” he added. “We had to have it.”
Baldwin (2-3 in conference play, 5-7 overall) had a chance to seal the outcome in the final minute of regulation but was unable to make a crucial clear. Provenzano collected a loose ball about 15 yards from a vacated cage and raced untouched for a virtual layup that tied the game for the fourth time in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Dylan Ferguson had five goals and one assist, senior Dan Polizzano and sophomore David Garcia had hat tricks, while junior Dan Pulis added two goals and three assists for the Bruins, who dropped their fourth in a row. Senior Robert Burtt had four goals and one assist, junior James Howell had a hat trick and one assist, and junior goaltender John Whitenack made 17 saves for the Jets, who trailed 7-5 at halftime.
