Sachem North boys lacrosse beat Hills East, 6-5, in the Suffolk County Class A quarterfinals Wednesday evening at home.
The second-seeded Flaming Arrows (14-3) advance to the Suffolk semifinals on Friday at home against No. 3 Smithtown East.
Sean O’Brien led Sachem with three goals and one assist, while Tom Haun added a goal and an assist in the win over Hills East.
Sachem coach Jay Mauro earned career win No. 100 with this playoff victory. His record is 100-73.
Sachem has lost in the quarterfinals four of the last five seasons. This is the second time the Flaming Arrows have advanced to the semifinals during Mauro’s 10-season tenure at the helm of the program (2012 loss to West Islip).
The 14 wins Sachem has this season tie a single-season high under Mauro’s guidance as head coach as well. The Flaming Arrows also won 14 games in 2009.
Sachem has won 11 straight games and has not lost since April 11 to top-seeded Smithtown West.
Hills East had previously beaten Sachem earlier in the year, 5-3, on April 9. The Flaming Arrows also previously beat Smithtown East, their next playoff opponent, 12-8, on April 22.
Sachem last won a Suffolk County boys lacrosse championship in 1995. The program has won three county titles since its first season of lacrosse in 1955 (1979, 1993, 1995). It most recently made appearances in county finals in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2001.
The last time the boys lacrosse team won a county title, was previously the last time the football team won a county title. It just so happens that Sachem football won a county title this past fall as well.
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro