Boys Lacrosse: Blue Waves see both halves of a half-full cup

THUNDERBIRDS 13, BLUE WAVES 6

For a little more than half the game, the Riverhead High School boys lacrosse team learned how far it has come this season.

For the rest of the game, the Blue Waves were reminded how far they have to go to beat some of Suffolk County’s best sides.

After pulling within a goal at 6-5 early in the third quarter, Riverhead could not stop Half Hollow Hills East, which scored the final seven goals to close out the game en route to a 13-6 Suffolk County League II victory in Dix Hills on Monday.

Joe Wulforst led the way with four goals and two assists, Joe Tesoriero added four goals and Sean Lulley collected two goals and three assists for the Thunderbirds (11-1, 7-1).

Austin Fitzpatrick led the Blue Waves (6-5, 4-4) with a hat trick and one assist while Christopher Flood added a goal and an assist and Andre Juarez had a goal.

Fitzpatrick had brought the visitors within 6-5 with 2 minutes 25 seconds gone in the third period before Lulley and took center stage as the Thunderbirds pulled away.

Lulley tallied after picking up a loose to give the hosts a two-goal cushion at 4:33. Tesoriero set up Lulley from close range to score a man-up goal at 6:40 before Tesoriero recorded an unassisted goal at 11:41 for a 9-5 cushion. Hills East never looked back.

Tesoriero scored the opening two goals of the fourth quarter before Zach Kleinbaum closed out the scoring.

Riverhead goaltender John Roca made 11 saves while his Hills East counterpart Jordan Eichholz made 15.

The Blue Waves have two move vital games this week, hosting Walt Whitman on Wednesday before traveling to Smithtown West for a game on Friday.