LI Lacrosse Journal
March 5, 2026
2 min read
No. 17 Ranked Ward Melville Patriots Team Preview
March 5, 2026
2 min read
Ward Melville is coming off a forgettable 2025 season, finishing 8-10 and with a losing record for the first time in recent memory. That’s not the usual lay of the land for the proud Patriots program. It wasn’t long ago the script was flipped the other way. From 2016-2019, the Suffolk Class A division was painted entirely in green and gold. Four consecutive County championships. Two New York State titles. The well-renowned lacrosse program was in the midst of another golden age in their prestigious history, until they hit a road block in 2021. Northport went on to take the Suffolk County crown which they’ve been unable to retrieve since. Can this be the year the Patriots take it back?
Any team built through a strong defensive core has a leg up on the competition, and that’s exactly the identity of this Ward Melville team in 2026. The program returns nearly their entire starting lineup from last year, featuring seniors Liam Cronin (Marist), Brett Hansen and James Speciale. And in case that wasn’t convincing enough, junior goaltender Jason Biondi (LIU) is back in the cage for Ward Melville, rounding out what could be one of the top defenses in Class A. The excitement surrounding the Patriots offense permeates from the arrival of senior midfielder and UMass Amherst commit, Collin Mark. The Chaminade transfer is a polished dodger who can score from all three levels, and should immediately bolster a scoring unit that lost a lot of last season’s production to graduation. Junior attackman Louis Montellese (24 G, 9 A) should also get a bigger slice of the pie this season following a strong sophomore year. Jack Rella (Salve Regina), Bohdan McLaughlin (Merrimack), Zach Dunn, and Hudson Philibrick are expected to be big contributors in their respective roles as well, making all three of them breakout candidates ahead of the year. At the face-off X junior Angelo Sorbera will be the one tasked with getting the rock to the Patriots offense, and had a great sophomore campaign with 194 face-off wins. Head Coach Jay Negus was asked what he viewed as keys to success for his team before the season. “[We have to] play as a team, attention to the details, playing up to expectations and standards, and perfect execution on game plans,” Negus told LILJ. The Patriots have things to prove in 2026, and their opening statement couldn’t be a bigger one. Ward Melville begins the season cross-county against a behemoth Garden City squad on March 21st, followed by their first league game against the rival Huntington Blue Devils on March 26th.
