NASSAU COUNTY BOYS LACROSSE PRIOR TO 1961

Courtesy of Jack White

Although high school lacrosse was played in New York City as early as the first decade of the twentieth century when there was a P.S.A.L. league, the game did not come to Long Island until the 1930’s.  Jason Stranahan, a young physical education teacher who had played the game at Union College, introduced the game to his Manhasset High School students in 1932.  Needing a local rival, he approached Garden City’s Jim Steen, who had played at Springfield College.  The two were teammates on a club team and had taken graduate courses together.  Steen began to teach the game to an eager group of athletes in 1934 and by 1935 Garden City fielded its first varsity team.  Thus, a rivalry was born and the seeds to an exciting future were sown.

Friends Academy began playing the game in the mid 1930’s and Howard Nordahl organized a team at Sewanhaka in 1938.  With the lack of sufficient rivals available locally, the Nassau schools filled out their schedules with schools such as Poly Prep, Manual Training, Alexander Hamilton, Boys High, Erasmus, New York Military Academy, and Stamford from Connecticut.  Rules then did not bar competition with college and prep teams and so Union College Frosh, West Point Plebes, and Rutgers Prep also appeared on schedules.

Manhasset, Garden City, and Sewanhaka all joined the Metropolitan-Long Island Lacrosse League which remained the governing body of local lacrosse until 1960 when, in its final season, the two divisions were named in honor of their pioneers, Stranahan and Steen. The novice division was named Nordahl after the founder of lacrosse at Sewanhaka.  World War II effectively eliminated lacrosse from the New York City public schools and slowed its growth on Long Island.

Freeport, coached by Bill Ashley, and Mineola, under the guidance of Pete Kuchinsky, introduced the sport in 1949 and 1951, respectively.  Huntington, in 1956 became the first Suffolk County team to play the sport.  Over the next few years with the help of Hofstra coach Howdy Meyers and Sewanhaka’s Bill Ritch, the game spread throughout the county and inspired Section Eight to begin overseeing the sport in 1961. 

PSAL/METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND LACROSSE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, 1934-1960

                      1934                          Erasmus                                                                                            1948                          Garden City

                  1935                          Poly Prep                                                                                           1949                          Sewanhaka

                  1936                          Poly Prep                                                                                           1950                          Sewanhaka

                  1937                          Alexander Hamilton                                                                           1951                          Sewanhaka

                  1938                          Alexander Hamilton                                                                           1952                          Sewanhaka

                  1939                          Alexander Hamilton                                                                           1953                          Sewanhaka defeated Garden City 13-5, in playoff

                  1940                          Manhasset                                                                                         1954                          Sewanahaka     

                  1941                          Poly Prep                                                                                           1955                          Sewanhaka

                  1942                          Poly Prep                                                                                           1956                          Sewanhaka

                  1943                          Manhasset                                                                                         1957                          Sewanhaka and Freeport tied for first place

                  1944                          Sewanhaka                                                                                        1958                          Sewanhaka

                  1945                          Garden City                                                                                        1959                         Sewanhaka                     

                  1946                        Garden City defeated Manhasset 6-1, in playoff                                1960                         Uniondale defeated Garden City, 5-2 in playoff

                  1947                          Sewanhaka                                                                                                                                    

METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND LACROSSE LEAGUE RECORDS

1960 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND BOYS LACROSSE

1960 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND LACROSSE LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

1960 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND LACROSSE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

June 4, 1960
Adelphi University

HIGHLIGHTS:
Led by a stifling defense, Uniondale won its first lacrosse championship in school history. The Knights scored three extra-man goals and were led offensively by sophomore attackman Jimmy Lewis, who scored twice. 
SCORING:
Uniondale: Jimmy Lewis 2-0-2; Carl Schmeigel 1-0-1; Ken Ashworth 1-0-1; Tom Hamilton 1-0-1; assists unavailable. TOTAL: 5-0-5
Garden City: Bill Griffith 1-0-1; Jim Klimm 1-0-1; Metz 0-1-1. TOTAL: 2-1-3
SAVES:
Uniondale: Mike Mullick N/A
Garden City: Brian Young N/A

1959 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND BOYS LACROSSE

STANDINGS
VARSITY DIVISION

NOVICE DIVISION

Independents: Sachem (1-6-0); Plainview (2-1-0); Brentwood (1-2-0)

1958 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND BOYS LACROSSE

STANDINGS
VARSITY DIVISION

NOVICE DIVISION

LI METRO VARSITY DIVISION ALL-STARS
First Team                                                               Second Team

LI METRO NOVICE DIVISION ALL-STARS
First Team                                                                 Second Team

1957 METROPOLITAN-LONG ISLAND BOYS LACROSSE

STANDINGS

NOVICE LEAGUE TEAMS
Uniondale   7-3
Hempstead  5-1
Half Hallow Hills
South Huntington
Massapequa
Lynbrook  0-1
Sachem