By TONY BELLISSIMO
The Marines have scored 40 goals thus far, while allowing 33. They beat two teams (Mepham and Malverne) seeded below them and lost to two teams (Lynbrook and Baldwin) seeded above them. So according to the rankings, they're right where they should be at this point.
"I'm pleased with where we stand," coach Joe Hoffman said. "We haven't had a full team at practice until this week, and I think we're going to keep improving from here. We've played well in all but one game so far."
Defending Nassau Class B champion Lynbrook got the best of Long Beach recently, with Alex DeLuca scoring four goals in the second quarter to help the Owls build a nine-goal lead on the way to a 13-3 decision. Andrew Maini and Adam Mahfouda added three goals apiece. Junior Garrett Blomquist scored all three of the Marinesâ goals.
"As a team, we didn't play well up and down the field," Hoffman said. "It was a cold and nasty day, and we just didn't come to play. Lynbrook's a great team and they jumped on us. They play a zone defense, something we don't see very often."
Long Beach took advantage of a weak Malverne defense in its previous contest and had 10 different players score in an 18-1 rout. Seniors Owen O'Shea (two goals, five assists), Chris Griffin (four goals, two assists) and Wilbur Thorsen (four goals, one assist) paced the offense. Additional scorers were Blomquist, juniors Robert Blackburn and Connor Mullin, and sophomores Kevin Medrano (two), Austin Johnson, Boris Safaniev and Shawn Gallivan.
"We're running in a bunch of young guys and they're all learning and contributing at the same time," Hoffman said. "Our seniors are doing a fine job leading us."
Perhaps the one that got away so far came against Baldwin. The Bruins put the Marines in an 8-2 hole at the half. Long Beach battled back but eventually came up on the short end of a 14-10 decision. For Baldwin, Eric Wolf had five goals and two assists, and Jarred Wilson added three goals and three assists.
"The deficit was too much to overcome," Hoffman said. "We didn't do a very good job of controlling the ball on offense and that's what hurt us."
Junior goaltender Greg Kavazanjian played well between the pipes for the Marines, stopping 15 shots.
"He's earned the starting job and we're going with him until further notice," Hoffman said of Kavazanjian, who has a solid backup in senior Rich Aull. "But I won't hesitate to make a change if it becomes necessary."
A late-starting offense was led by Thorsen and Medrano as both scored twice. Blomquist, Griffin, Blackburn, O'Shea (three goals, 12 assists), Mullin and Safaniev also tallied in the setback.
Thanks to spring break, Long Beach will play only four times over the next two weeks. It takes on South Shore conference foes Massapequa and nationally-ranked Farmingdale, as well as Port Washington and Hicksville in non-league action.
"If we go 2-2, I'll be happy," Hoffman said. "If we go 3-1, I'll be thrilled."
