Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse's group of sophomores lead victory over Smithtown West
Players rush to congratulate an airborne Bayport-Blue Point goalie Billy Eisfeld after a victory in a Suffolk Division II boys lacrosse game against Smithtown West on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Bayport. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
There were kids playing all over a field out behind Bayport-Blue Point High.
The Class D Phantoms started seven sophomores against Class B Smithtown West Tuesday in their Suffolk II boys lacrosse clash.
“So as young as we are, a bunch of them played as freshmen,” coach Doug Meehan said. “So it’s not that they’re inexperienced. They’re high-lacrosse-IQ kids. They’re coachable kids. They’re fearless. They work extremely hard.
“So as much as people want to talk about the future being bright, we’re confident in this team and those kids playing in this moment.”
Their ability showed in a game that Bayport-Blue Point knew was important for power points and seeding in the three-team D tournament. The Phantoms claimed a 7-5 win.
Sophomores Jamison Hawkins and Jack Shanahan each delivered two goals and one assist. Sophomore Sean Richman also contributed two goals. Sophomore Billy Eisfeld did his part, too, making eight saves.
And so belief was running on high after the Phantoms rose to 8-5 overall and 6-5 in the division with three games left in the regular season.
“I think we’re going to go all the way,” Shanahan said. “I like our guys, and we want it.”
Pat Ahern also provided a lift. The junior sacrificed some time on defense to keep fresh for some faceoff duty. He won eight of 11.
“I take a lot of pride,” Ahern said of his impact. “… Giving my offense possession every faceoff is a big thing for me.”
Shanahan, working behind the cage, fed Hawkins for a goal, 6-3 BBP in the third. The shot beat Travis Kowalski, who excelled with 13 saves.
The lead shrank to two after Joe Fitzsimmons scored. But Hawkins fed Shanahan in front for an easy man-up goal 24 seconds into the fourth.
“We’ve been playing together for a while,” Hawkins said, referencing his chemistry with Shanahan. "We know what we’re doing. We always find each other.”
Shanahan called it “a little connection.”
Colin Murphy scored his second, cutting it to 7-5 with 6:15 left.
But that was it for the Bulls (6-8, 5-7), who trailed 4-3 at halftime. They have two games remaining to push for a playoff berth.
“This is the theme of our year … very limited offensively,” coach Matt Schultz said. “That’s been a struggle with us all year. I feel like we do a great job defensively. … We have to play a more complete game as a team.”
