Cougars Lax Heads to Showdown With Garden City After Thumping of New Hyde Park

"We're definitely a playoff team," said Kennedy boys lacrosse coach Craig Papach, "provided we do the right things."

There was very little the Cougars did wrong in their 16-5 shellacking of New Hyde Park on Saturday morning at Kennedy High School.

At 9-4, Kennedy has a 10-win season well within its reach and an eye on the postseason. But none of that comes before a 4:30 p.m. match up today at perennial Long Island powerhouse Garden City.

"We're not going in there thinking 'they're better than us' at all," assured junior attack Zac Shuldiner, who led the Cougars offense against a struggling 4-7 New Hyde Park team that was clearly overmatched. "That's not our mentality. We think we can beat anyone."

Shuldiner's confidence is the mirror that reflects Kennedy's overall identity as a loose, aggressive, close knit group playing at the top of its game on both ends of the field.

Shuldiner's five goals were only a fraction of the Cougars onslaught. Senior attack Chris Wright had three goals, senior middie Joe Stagliano had two goals and two assists, and senior Jared Lerman had two goals.

"It's just really important that we're getting each other involved," said Lerman, who was covered in ice packs once the game was put out of reach. "It's coming out of practice."

"We're just really working on our passing in practice," echoed Stagliano, whose two goals answered New Hyde Park scores within seconds, effectively killing any momentum that might threaten the Cougars in the decisive third quarter. "Long stuff, short stuff. We're working really hard on it and it's paying off."

On defense, Kennedy is also playing with purpose. Seniors Ross Gerlack and Andrew Kruter did an excellent job on ground balls, clogging passing lanes, stick checking and opening up the Cougars fast break, which was more Johns Hopkins than Kennedy on Saturday.

But it's Papach who ultimately sets the standard of success for Kennedy.

"Wins are good. Big wins are even better. But at times we played to the competition, which can be a bad thing," Papach said. "If we play to the competition at Garden City on Monday, that'll be a good thing."

Nowhere was Papach's positive approach to player management and his zero tolerance policy on selfishness more evident than in the case of senior attack/middie Mike Casson.

After hitting the pipe three times, Casson left the field at the end of the first half clearly frustrated, storming off and throwing his gear. Papach was right on top of him, refusing to let the tall, lanky, intense lefthander's emotions get the better of him - or to affect the team concept.

Casson responded with a quick goal early in the second half, a hand full of key ground balls and a gorgeous fast break assist on Shuldiner's last goal.

Also packed in ice once the game was winding down, all Casson would say is, "I'm trying."

And that's all Papach can ask.