The Blue Devil girls’ lacrosse team is on a playoff drive, needing to win their final three regular season games this week and then hoping for the best.
Huntington eighth grader Laurel Bonn is one of the team's top young players. (Darin Reed photo.)
Huntington hosts North Babylon on Monday at 4 p.m. before taking to the road for the team’s final two games. The Blue Devils play at Copiague on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. and then travel to Sachem East for a Friday night game set for 5:45 p.m.
All-County junior Abby Maichin will lead Huntington into battle this week. The teenager has tallied 35 goals and 16 assists so far this spring. She has 12 goals and 10 assists in the Blue Devils’ last four games.
“We look good,” Maichin said. “Our offense seems to be coming together at the perfect time and our defense is continuing to be a secure unit like they have been throughout the whole season. We are keeping our heads up high and are continuing to prepare for Friday night against Sachem East.”
Huntington is hoping to play its best lacrosse of the season this week. It needs to if it wants to reach post-season play.
“I think we’re in a good place right now and if we keep working hard all the way to the last game, we definitely have the potential to make playoffs,” Jordan Forte said. “We just need to take it one game at a time.”
Huntington has claimed victories over Half Hollow Hills (9-3), Walt Whitman (17-7), Longwood (11-4), William Floyd (11-2) and Brentwood (15-3).
“The team looks good,” said Megan Agrillo, one of Huntington’s defensive stalwarts. “I feel like we are finally clicking as a team. It took a long time, but now we are finally playing together as a unit.”
After losing the first six games of the season, Huntington is 5-2 over the past eight contests. The Blue Devils have fallen to Cold Spring Harbor (12-5), Smithtown West (10-4), Farmingdale (8-7), Riverhead (11-6), Sachem North (7-6), Northport (9-3), Smithtown East (16-5) and Middle Country (10-6).
“We have definitely gotten better with field chemistry and this will help us for the rest of the season,” Alyssa Sorensen said.
Huntington on the playoff bubble entering the week, but the Blue Devils are hoping that three wins will put them over the top.
“We are looking strong; we are fighting through every game,” said Maya Santa-Maria, Huntington’s spectacular goalie. “We have a lot of great talent on our team. We have only a few games left, but I know we will pull through and beat the odds and make it to playoffs.”
At this point of the season there is little room for error. “We have probably our biggest game of the season coming up this Friday,” said Holly Wright, one of the team’s top defensive players. “We’re going to play Sachem East. Whoever wins this game is going to playoffs. Every practice leading up to next Friday is getting us ready! Everyone’s really excited and can’t wait. We’re trying to get a lot of people to come because it’s such a big game and it’s under the lights.”
The Blue Devils feel good about how the team has shaped up. “It looks great,” Paige Lennon said. “After an intense and competitive game against Middle Country, we are ready for anything. We held our own and put up a great fight against a high ranked team. We are working together and using each other’s strengths to the best of our ability. I cannot wait for what the rest of the season has in store.”
