Lacrosse rivalry between Long Islands Chaminade and St. Anthonys goes back decades

It’s Long Island’s one-of-a-kind holy war. Every year, students, parents and devout alumni mark their calendars and pack stands for the fateful spring days that the Friars of St.Anthony’s do battle with the Chaminade Flyers on the lacrosse field. “This is our Army-Navy game,” Chaminade head coach Jack Moran, who has won more than 600 games with the team since starting in 1979, told The Post. The prestigious Catholic schools, regarded as among the nation’s best that regularly produce top collegiate talent, have a storied history of crusading back and forth for Catholic league title wins since the 1980s. As Moran put it, “It’s an up-and-down thing where we’ll win four in a row, they’ll win two in a row.” Nevertheless, for the past five seasons, it’s been all Friars.Since 2019, St.

Anthony’s has claimed each winner-take-all championship match, where accompanying pride feels more rewarding than a trophy. “I remember my first championship, and I was shaking.I was so nervous,” said St.

Anthony’s midfielder Ethan Bramoff, a junior who committed to play at the University of Virginia. “When it’s Chaminade, you always want to play your best.” On the other side of the field, Johns Hopkins-bound Chaminade senior attacker Connor Kuttin said, “All we think about is beating them.” Like years in the past, the Friars aren’t taking the initial regular season April 24 match against their red-and-yellow archrival for granted in search of a six-peat. “They were young last year … I think they’re starting to fill their roles.I think it’ll be a really good game this year,” said St.

Anthony’s senior midfielder Gary Merrill, who will play football and lacrosse for the University of North Carolina. The epic rivalry put lacrosse great Pat Kavanagh, now playing pro with the Denver Outlaws of the Premier Lacrosse League, on the trajectory to success well before he attended Chaminade. Kavanagh, who won back-to-back national ch...