Sewanhaka makes lacrosse playoffs

Posted

When the 2015 boys’ lacrosse season got under way, there was a tremendous amount of uncertainty at Sewanhaka. A slew of players had graduated, the defensive unit had to be rebuilt, and a new net minder had to be broken in.

With minimal expectations, and a schedule that the put the team in position to be competitive, the Indians had a bit of an uprising of the lacrosse field.

After dropping its opening game to intra-district rival Floral Park, Sewanhaka went on to win eight games in a row, and nine of 10. With an overall record of 12-4, the Indians qualified for the playoffs.

Sewanhaka coach Peter Burgess is very satisfied with the team’s performance. “We lost a great bunch of kids, and we knew that replacing them would be a challenge,” Burgess said. “We didn’t know what to expect, this year, but we pushed the boys to be competitive. That was the mantra all season long; go hard in practice, go hard in games. Just compete. We had a favorable schedule, and the boys went out and reached their potential.”

Not having to face the elite teams in Nassau Conference B1 was a plus for the Indians, but it didn’t mean Sewanhaka wouldn’t face some difficult opponents. The Indians knocked off some quality teams, and played very competitively against some of the tougher programs on their schedule.

Much of Sewanhaka’s success can be attributed to a few of its experienced, talented performers. None contributed more than junior middie Trevor Regnier, a three-year varsity player.

Despite dealing with top defenders trying to shut him down, Regnier, who is third in the county in scoring, has found the back of the net 38 times and has 50 assists. In a 14-12 home victory over a pesky Oyster Bay team, Regnier had a career-high 10 points. Regnier earned All-County recognition.

Senior crease attackman Peter Militano, a five-year varsity player, has scored a team-high 39 goals. Militano, an All-Conference recipient, had a pair of five-goal efforts in wins over Oyster Bay and West Hempstead. He scored four goals and added two assists in an 11-10 win over New Hyde Park. Militano’s fourth goal tied the score with 20 seconds to play.

Senior Brenton Mighty is the heart and soul of the program. Mighty, an All-County selection, has 30 goals and 14 assists on the season. He scored the game-winning goal with just over a minute to play in overtime against New Hyde Park. Mighty will be a member of the inaugural lacrosse team at St. Thomas Aquinas College.

Defense was a big concern entering the season, but fleet-footed junior Elijah Tracey was up for the challenge. The long pole middie was asked to stop the opponent’s best middie, and he did a terrific job. The play of Sophomore Stephane Eugene drew accolades from Burgess as well.