On May 21, the Boys varsity lacrosse team took the field for the first game of the playoffs against Oceanside. The team had been in preparation for the moment all season, as the excitement mounted and the playoffs approached.

Leading up to the playoffs, the team enjoyed a successful 9-7 season and were ready to take on the Sailors of Oceanside. Port was able to grab a lead and sustain it, winning the matchup 12-9. It was a great day for the Vikings, but they knew tougher competition was on the horizon with a set matchup against #1 seed Massapequa.

Port was not able to defeat Massapequa last season in the same matchup as this year, which was played at Long Island’s Hofstra University. Unfortunately, this year proved no different, as Port dropped the second round game.

It was the end of a successful run for the Vikings and the season did not go under-appreciated. Through hard work and dedication throughout the year, the Port boys were able to put together an excellent 2018 campaign.

Though they ultimately did not reach their goal of defeating Massapequa en route to a county championship, the boys were understandably happy with the way the year went until the final game.

“We worked extremely hard the whole year, and won some really big games. The final outcome was not a true reflection on how hard we worked as a team throughout the whole season,” said second-year varsity sophomore Zander Stapleton.

It was true: although the team was unable to finish against Massapequa, they were still able to put together a great year. Almost all of the members of the team agreed on that statement.

“The year went great. Even though we did not reach our ultimate goal of winning the county championship, just being able to be a part of a great program and playing with some great lacrosse players, I’d say it went great,” said sophomore Josh An.

While the season did not end the way they would have liked, the Vikings also know they will be able to identify where they fell short this season and look for ways to improve for the future.

“As a team, we just need to keep pushing each other each and every day in practice to give us that edge that we need,” said Stapleton.

With the end of the 2018 season, the team’s future is brighter than ever. With a young and successful team this year, they will continue to look for upperclassmen leadership next year.

Incoming upperclassmen include two-year Varsity player Stapleton, in addition to fellow sophomores Mikey Beil, Brian Pohoreckyj, and Brandon Caslow. These four, as well as other current sophomores, will look to assume the roles of leaders along with the upcoming seniors.

While the losses of talented seniors such as James Dalimonte will most definitely be felt, there is no reason to believe that the Vikings will not be top competitors again next year. With the future looking bright, current underclassmen are extremely excited for the next year.

“I’m looking forward to being able to be on the field more with my teammates next year, and I can’t wait to compete for the championship,” said An.

To be able to rejoin their teammates and continue to push each other and grow will be huge for the Vikings, and they should be able to return to peak form and revisit their newfound rivalry with Massapequa at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hofstra.

“I’m already counting down the days until the next opportunity that we as a program will be able to play at Hofstra. There is truly no other experience like it,” said Stapleton.

Being able to play in a stadium that holds 11,000 most definitely is an unforgettable feeling.

The past year was most definitely a major success for the Port Vikings, even though they ultimately did not capture the desired goal of a county championship. While the boys’ effort fell short in the end, it did not go unnoticed.

In addition to a great year, multiple seniors will be taking their lacrosse talents to college in the fall of 2019. Senior Drew Turner will be headed to Ithaca College, George Moshos will attend Dickinson College, Jack Habermann will be playing at Maritime, Daniel Cummings will head to Trinity College, and goals leader James Dalimonte will be playing at Muhlenberg College.

While the season did not end the way the Vikings would have preferred, it is extremely important to note just how great of a season it was for the team. The future is only getting brighter, and the boys will look to avenge this year’s loss against the Massapequa Chiefs next season at Hofstra.

Until then, it will be a hard-working offseason in preparation for the next year, which should not let the Viking’s fans down.