Marines serve as gracious hosts

Long Beach and Foothill high schools are approximately 2,500 miles apart, but they were separated by the slimmest of margins Monday afternoon on the lacrosse field.

In their first of three games against Long Island schools, the Knights, out of Santa Ana, Calif., won a back-and-forth thriller over the Marines, 11-10, on Brad Bochesa’s unassisted goal with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation.

“It was a pretty even game with a lot of momentum swings,” Long Beach coach Jim Kaspar said. “We didn’t play well in the first 10 minutes of each half. That’s what cost us.”

Each team squandered a three-goal lead in a game that featured five lead changes. With overtime looming Bochesa snapped a desperation shot from 15 feet out that found the narrowest of openings provided by Long Beach junior goalie Michael Rourke, who made 11 saves.

“Lacrosse is becoming huge in Southern California, and everyone was curious how we’d match up against some of the better high school programs in the country,” Foothill coach Jon Fox said.

“It’s a great way to start our trip,” he added. “Long Beach is a talented team. Coach Kaspar is a great guy and was very accommodating.”

The Knights (12-2), who got six goals from Erik Adamson and three goals and three assists from Cooper Pickell, also faced Farmingdale and Holy Trinity during their four-day trip. Assistant coach Ray Ralph, a Long Island native who played for Kaspar nearly 40 years ago at Nassau Community College, orchestrated the spring break journey to the East Coast.

“We’ve been talking about a trip to Long Island for quite some time,” Fox said. “It’s great experience for our kids.”

Foothill built a 4-1 lead before the Marines (6-2) responded with three goals in the final 72 seconds of the opening quarter to tie it. Junior attack Joe Radin, who scored at least three times for the eighth consecutive game, tallied at 10:48 and 11:06, and sophomore James Forkin got the equalizer with two seconds left.