By Steve Siniski
The two battled back-and-forth all game, with Long Beach turning a one-goal halftime deficit into a 5-4 advantage by scoring twice in the third quarter. The struggle for control continued into the final stanza, with the teams combining for seven goals.
The Marines got scores from seven players and 13 saves from junior goalie Tim McCormack in the conference victory.
Junior Brock Weisenberg had a hat trick and the Marines also got goals from seniors Kevin Olson, Matt Merritt and Ed Safaniev. Sophomores Max Weisenberg and James McLoughlin and freshman Brian O'Toole made their most impressive victory under first-year coach Jim Kaspar, who spent 12 years as Baldwin's coach.
"We've played hard every game and we're steadily improving," Kaspar said after Long Beach improved to 3-2 in conference play and 4-4 overall.
"This was a very good and satisfying win. We weren't sharp in the first half but we stayed close and made a lot of big plays in the second half."
Kaspar didn't hype the game in the days leading up to it, but he knew it was going to feature a playoff-like atmosphere. "Everyone stepped up to the challenge, that's for sure," he said.
Baldwin, coached by Rich Garguilo, who could not be reached for comment, also spread out its offensive attack. Six players hit the scoring column led by Dominque Alexander's two goals. Edmund Jules, Kevin Pate, Brendan Murphy, Teddy Murray and Zach Rodgers also tallied once.
The loss to rival Long Beach came on the heels of another tight Conference I defeat, a 9-7 decision to unbeaten Syosset on April 19. The Braves, fast emerging as one of the elite teams in Nassau County, broke a third quarter tie at 6-6 and held on by outscoring the Bruins by two goals in the final quarter. Goaltender Dan McHale stopped 17 shots in the loss.
For Baldwin, the offense was again paced by a diverse attack with five players accounting for the seven scores. Jules and Murray each tallied two.
Baldwin knocked off perennial Nassau power Lynbrook on April 17, 13-8, and hosts a pair of conference opponents beginning with Valley Stream Central this Friday.
Bellmore-Kennedy is in town on May 2, followed by a trip to Port Washington three days later.
While Valley Stream Central and Port Washington combined for just one victory in their first 14 games, Kennedy started off with a 5-2 mark overall on the strength of a team deep in midfielders and several strong performers at attack. The Cougars, who won three of four games entering this week's play, scored at least 10 goals in each of those victories.
Comments about this story? Baldwineditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
