Placid Summit Lax Update; Team Long Island Dominates 10-7 in Opening Game

Lake Placid, NY--Bolstered by the solid play of goal tenders Keith Huber (SJU '89) and Frank Picola, Team Long Island pounded CVLC in the first round of the Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Classic . Never at risk of  losing they were up 7-3 at the half, with Huber making 6 saves.  John Wilkens (JHU '89) found the back of the cage twice for Team LI.  Gregg "Blanket" Giampaolo's Checkmate won big 15-0 over Team Tavern.  Blanket had 3 goals and 1 assist in the win. 
More updates to come.....

Lacrosse Juggernaut Extends Streak Over Flanigans With 8-7 OT Win

Holtsville, NY--Picking up right where they left off, Checkmate Black defeated Lily Flanigans Lacrosse Club in Masters Division play in the Nor'Easter summer lacrosse league last night at the PAL Athletic Complex in Holtsville, New York. The newly minted Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Tournament Champions continued their dominant play over Flanigans, erasing a 4-2 deficit at the half to rally back in the final minutes of play to send the game into overtime. The game tying goal was by team captain Gregg "Blanket" Giampaolo who scored on an assisted goal by Doug "Doug.E.Fresh" DeRosa with 1:30 left to play. It was Giampaolo's only goal of the contest, and Fresh's only point of the game.

Checkmate Black improves to 1-1 on the season; while Lily Flanigan's drops to 3-2.
Next up for Checkmate Black is Bruno's on Friday night August 14th. Lily sees action against Grey Dogz on Friday August, 28th at 10pm.

Checkmate Dominates, Captures Lake Placid Crown

The ageless Giampaolo prepares for battle

Lake Placid, NY-- With stellar midfield play and a well executed game plan; a much older Checkmate defeated the much younger Team Long Island-Lax Unlimited 7-6 for the Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Championship. It was a tough fought, hard hitting game with both teams playing to a 4-4 tie at halftime.

Checkmate Goalie Mike Swift (Adelphi '90) and his counterpart Keith Huber (East Islip '85, St. John's '89) both played awesome. Each goalkeeper had strong tournaments. "Swiftie" as his teammates and friends refer to him as, went on to garner tournament MVP honors; while Huber allowed only 9 goals in 8 quarters of play.

Checkmate relied on a defensive strategy that involved locking off Team LI's middies forcing their attack to handle the ball during set offense series. That freed up their close-D to tee-off on LI's attackmen. Team LI's heralded attack unit featured Bruce Bruno (Cornell), Dan Boltja (Cornell), and John Wilkens (Johns Hopkins). The usually productive unit, who were instrumental in helping Team LI reach the finals were held in check by the stingy Checkmate defense which was led by Glenn Mattson (Marist '90). Insult was added to injury when Team LI attackman Dan "Soldier"Boltja went out of the game in the beginning of the 4th quarter with a pulled hamstring. It is also worth noting that Boltja played attack for Checkmate on their Grand Masters team at this same week of play during the Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Tournament. He led that offense with 9 goals and 8 assists in four games. It seems that Boltja might have been overworked pulling double duty.

Checkmate pulled ahead to a 7-4 lead going into the 4th as their game plan unfolded perfectly. Team LI pulled within 1 goal with four minutes left to play but ultimately ran out of gas. Team LI had challenges the entire second half clearing the ball, controlling the ball on offense, sloppy goal tending, and scooping up ground balls.

The most memorable play of the game and one which symbolized Checkmate's heart and toughness came late in the third quarter. Team LI-Lax Unlimited midfielder Chris "Bergie" Bergeson had the ball at the top of the box in his offensive zone. Covering Bergeson was non other than Gregg "Blanket" Giampaolo. "Blanket" lived up to his nickname when Bergeson in an apparent attempt to isolate, pulled him to midfield to begin his dodge. With the stick in his left hand, "Bergie" attempted a left-to-right split-dodge on Giampaolo. Giampaolo 15 years his senior, stepped up right into Bergeson and jacked him up! The blow sent "Bergie" to the turf on his back. Giampaolo then swiped at his opponent's stick dislodging the ball. He scooped up the loose GB and initiated a fast break which led to what was ultimately Checkmate's wining goal.

Some feel these players represent the last era of lacrosse in which Long Island players and teams dominated the game. They cite the talent pools that have been expanded to different parts of the country outside of the usual hotbeds of LI, Upstate NY, and MD. Just take a look at many of the college lacrosse rosters these days. You'll find players from Florida, California, and Minnesota to name a few. The decline of Long Island's dominance is evident in the fact that no true Long Island Team competed at the younger Open Division here in Placid, it was more of a mix of players; again reflective of current college rosters. All in all this was a great showcase of Long Island lacrosse, something to be proud of, no matter what the outcome was.

Land Sharks Red Reel In Checkmate Orange, Tie for 1st Place

"Blanket" ponders what went wrong in loss to Land Sharks

Holtsville, NY--Led by outstanding goalie play by Rob Serratore (Stony Brook '91) and stellar defense by Ed Coleman (St. John's '94), the now 1st place Land Sharks Red defeated Gregg "Blanket" Giampaolo's Checkmate Orange 8-3.

It was a balmy night under the stars last Friday at the PAL Athletic Conference so much that the humidity took the life out of the now 2nd place Checkmate Orange and the curl out of Giampaolo's hair.

Land Sharks Red were firmly in control the entire contest. Teammates largely attributed the win to net-minder Rob Serratore. Although he is on the roster he was not scheduled to play. He received a phone call early that evening that forced him to cancel plans to play in his weekly softball game and don his lax equipment and head to Holtsville.

Often touted as one of the stingiest goalies in LI Masters lacrosse, Serratore stopped numerous Checkmate scoring attempts.

The game's most memorable moment was one of "Blanket" Giampaolo's tomahawk checks against an opposing offensive player minutes into the game. The check dislodged the ball. Teammate Doug DeRosa aka"Doug E. "Fresh" scooped up the loose ball and raced down the field setting up a fast break goal. It was that play which set the tone for the rest of the contest.

Land Sharks Red are now tied with Lily Flanigan's for 1st place. Both teams sit at 3-1.

Liliy Flanigans over LandSharks Blue; record landmark first ever victory

Holtsville, NY--Coming off a crushing loss to Gregg Giampaolo's Checkmate Orange last week, with only 12 guys, Lily Flanigan's Masters ended up victorious after a 7-6 "Braveheart" battle won by "warrior "Steve Maloney. Flanigan's goalie Brian Buckley kept his team in the game with what team captain "Broadway" Brett Jeffares called ,"a 'ridiculous' 2nd half!" Lily Flanigan's Masters improves to 1-1 on the season.

Lily Flanigan's Open team improves to 3-0, locking up 1st place with their win Thursday night over Team Nor'Easter. Team captain "Broadway" Brett Jeffares commented on the victory by saying, " Antonio (Massone) stood on his head giving us an 8-1 victory", referring to the stellar play of his goalie. " Tremendous play by everybody", he added.

Checkmate Orange dumps Lily Flanigans (Again!) 10-3

Holtsville, NY--Thanks to a Gregg Giampaolo hat-trick, Checkmate Orange continued its dominance over a struggling Lily Flanigan's squad. Lily drops to 0-1 on the season, but has struggled over the last five weeks going 1-5 during that stretch and losing their last five games (including the 1st summer session). Checkmate Orange (1-0)hasn't dropped a game since the 2nd week of May when the now defunct Rhinos handed them a 6-4 loss during that same 1st summer session.

Next up for Lily Flanigans is rematch with GreyDogz on 7/16. While Checkmate Orange faces off against Brunos on 7/17.

Checkmates take PAL title in 1st summer session

Holtsville, NY--Checkmate Black destroy Lily Flanigans 11-4; Orange upends Land Sharks Red 5-3 on a balmy Tuesday evening of lax play.
Checkmate will not be playing itself for the PAL Championship Wednesday, July 1st. They will be playing with themselves at the bar instead.
Land Sharks Red will meet Lily Flanigans in the consolation game or "booby prize" Wednesday July 1st @9pm.

The Blog-worthy Performance Award goes to Greg Giampaolo (pictured above holding the football), who was honoring the late Michael Jackson with his Jerry Curls look, led his team to victory in both games last night. His teammates were referring to the afro-ed middie and team captain as the "human clear" for his dominant "in-between-the lines" play. Giampaolo was not only active on clears, but rides, groundballs and face-offs.

Attackman Bryan Davis had a very respectable two goals for Lily Flanigans. His second was on an assist from former Oswego great Scott Ferguson. Brett "Broadway" Jeffares scored on a sweet unassisted goal for Flanigans, when he took it strong to the cage through the heart of the staunch Checkmate defense.

New Name, Same Results; Checkmate Black Dismantles Lily Flanigans' 13-3

Holtsville, NY--On Wednesday night, Checkmate Black continued their dominance over Lily Flanigan's' Lacrosse Club. The Orange extended their undefeated streak against Lily Flanigan to five games dating back to February 2008.

"Indoor or outdoor, it doesn't really make much of a difference", exclaimed Checkmate Black team captain Greg Giampaolo. "we match up excellent against these guys, especially in the transition game. They(Lily Flanigans') might think we're a bunch of tools and has-beens, but we always get the last laugh", he added.

The Remnants were laughing too. The loss drops Lily to 4-3 on the season and puts Remnants in a position to squeak in the playoffs. That and the fact that the Remnants blame them for derogatory and often controversial comments posted about them on the LI Lax Blog.

Notables.....
George Wichlens (St. John's '93) continues to shake the rust off netting a goal in the contest for Lily.
Adam "The Israeli Assassin" Jacobs scored yet another goal. Extending his scoring streak of at least one goal per game to six games.

Rhinos Rout Rival Remnants 9-6 in Historic Final Game

Holtsville, NY--This time there was no bloodshed. No trash talking. No complaining about"The Blog". It was just a head-to-head match-up of one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports...Rhinos v. Remnants.

The Rhinos (4-2), whom were without their fearless leader "Broadway" Brett Jeffares, mounted a second half comeback to overtake their opponents Wednesday night at the P.A.L. Holtsville Athletic Complex. The Rhinos in their final game as the Rhinos will playing under the Lily Flanigans moniker going forward.

The Rhinos drew first blood when Adam "The Israeli Assassin" Jacobs scored on an unassisted rifle-like shot from two steps outside the restraining box that caught the listless Remnant goalie sleeping.

Tom McCandless (Cortland '94) dominated his opponent at the face-off X, winning a whopping 70% of his draws.

The Rhinos, who initially looked sluggish during 6-on-6 sets, gained momentum with aggressive play in the transition game. They out-hustled their opponents on ground balls, got back in the hole on defense, and scored several times off of clears.

Rhino Goalkeeper and former Holy Cross standout, Brian Buckley allowed only two goals in the final 28 minutes of play as the Rhinos defense tightened up during the second half.

The Rhinos are now tied for 2nd place with an upcoming game against Greg Giampaolo's 1st place Checkmate Orange.

Remnants drop to 1-4 on the season. Their next game is versus Land Sharks White who sit at 2-2 for the season.

Checkmate Black make Rhinos look like childs play

Ronkonkoma, NY--Written off the last month, the resurgent Checkmate Black are making a strong playoff push.

Greg Giampaolo had two penalties and one ground ball, Doug Fresh had one goal on a broken play and Checkmate Black beat the struggling Rhinos 21-15 last Thursday night for their third straight victory.

Checkmate Black (6-1) remained a half-game behind Good and Tender Meats in the race for the top playoff spot at CIS. They have to win their last game and need Good and Tender to lose their last game to secure the top spot.

"We put everything together and we're playing some pretty good ball right now", said midfielder Greg Giampaolo, who set a team record by playing in his 181st game with Checkmate. " We are a very, very confident group and we're looking forward to this next game."

The Rhinos (3-4) have lost three of their last four games. At least they finally played better in transition creating opportunities for themselves on both sides of the field. The Rhinos, who couldn't ride or clear the previous three games could be looking for a new coach to replace Kevin "Bagger Vance" Morris after the season.

"Our guys tried but I don't think we have enough ammunition to match up with them," team captain 'Broadway' Brett Jeffares said. " We fought in there defensively. We gave up some easy goals and got some turnovers. We were ineffective finding the back of the net."

Despite scoring first with a quick goal, the Rhinos soon relinquished their lead and trailed the rest of the game. Down 12-7 at halftime they couldn't close the gap down the stretch.

The Rhinos' Nick Marks ('Wogue '99) scored his second hat trick of the season and Brian Davis (Southampton '94) padded his stats by adding four goals and two assists. Adam "The Israeli Assassin" added two more for the Rhinos. Jacobs miss-fired on two more would be goals. " I made two mistakes that cost us pretty good,” the Assassin said. “I can’t put the defense in that spot."

Since his benching two week ago, Giampaolo has played like the guy who won five Jerry's kids awards and led Checkmate Black to four consecutive St. Mary's School for the Blind Lacrosse Championships. He has five ground balls and ten penalties in the last three games. His shot percentage is zero.

"He's playing confident, he's being aggressive with the ball and he's managing the game well," teammate and fellow midfielder Doug Fresh said.

Giampoalo came out firing in the first half, missing all five shots on the opening possession, including a wide open shot a point blank range.

In the second half, Doug "Doug E. Fresh" DeRosa stepped in front of a Steve Maloney pass intended for "Broadway" Brett Jeffares and raced ten yards for a goal to make it 17-12.

It was the first goal this season for Doug Fresh, who just agreed in terms to playing with Checkmate for the next six years. " It was definitely overdue", Doug said. " I dropped a couple of passes. It was time to finally get one. I'm sick of Giampaolo taking all the credit."

Glenn Mattson (Marist '92) defensive standout for Checkmate constantly harassed the Rhino attackmen throughout the evening, holding the Rhinos to less than ten goals per half.

Notes: Checkmate improved to 10-2 in December dating back to 2006..Rhinos' Scott Ferguson scored is 51st goal, setting a single-season team record(two on the night).....Rhinos have lost four or more games in four seasons of play (2 indoor, 2 outdoor)....D Jim Laura(wedding plans), M Scott Fitzgerald(sniffles) and M Rob Martin(bruised ego) sat out for the Rhinos.