Local Stars in First MLL Championship

This past Labor Day weekend, three Manhasset lacrosse players make history by winning the inaugural Major League Lacrosse championship. John Gagliardi, Tim Goettelmann and Matt O'Kelly, all from Manhasset, were three starters for the Long Island Lizards. The Lizards beat the Baltimore Bayhawks in the first season of the new professional Major League Lacrosse (MLL) that began this past June.

John Gagliardi, Tim Goettelmann and Matt O'Kelly contributed to the Lizards victory.

It wasn't an easy road to the finals for the Lizards. On Saturday, Sept. 1, in the semifinals, the Lizards were almost eliminated by the Rochester Rattlers. Trailing 12-9 with less than four minutes left in the game, the Lizards tied the score with 30 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into sudden death overtime. The Lizards won 13-12 in overtime with a spectacular goal by Paul Gait. Winning the game earned the Lizards the right to play Baltimore, which had defeated the Lizards twice in the regular season, in the finals. The Baltimore Bayhawks were led all year by another Manhasset great, Dan Denihan, who finished fourth in the league in total points.

Long Island, led by Paul Gait, came out strong in the finals. Gait finished the game with seven goals on seven shots, leading the Lizards to a 15-11 victory.

It was a fantastic first season for Major League Lacrosse, and as the sport of lacrosse continues to grow rapidly in the US and around the world, it should make future years even more exciting.

John Gagliardi, Blake Miller, Tim Goettelmann, Peter Jacobs, Dan Denihan and Matt O'Kelly were six players who played in the MLL this past season. This number of players ties Yorktown for most players in the professional league from the same town. This is a tribute to all the coaches from youth to high school who helped groom these great players. Let's keep the tradition going.

Eugene Feeney/Contributing MLL sportswriter