South Fork Lacrosse was knocked out of the playoffs in round one, losing to William Floyd, 13-7, on May 19 — a heartbreaking game, especially for the team’s seniors, who had hoped to extend their high school careers a little longer. Matt Babb, the head coach, thought it was a game his team could have won.
“I did think we would get past Floyd or any of the possible first-round opponents,” he said. “We made too many mistakes to overcome and reverted back to committing penalties, which had been our Achilles’ heel early in the season. Some of those mistakes included ill-advised shots and not getting to the proper spots during rides and clears. At times, we played with too much urgency instead of slowing the game down and playing fundamentally sound lacrosse.”
This year, South Fork graduates 13 players — seven from East Hampton and six from Southampton.
“We wouldn’t have had the season we had, had it not been for our seniors,” Babb said.
James Corwin, a senior captain and attackman, achieved 136 career points, with 94 goals and 42 assists. Corwin also received an All-County honorable mention. He’ll play lacrosse at Vassar College next fall.
Nate Barbour, a senior captain and defenseman, recorded 122 career ground balls and 94 caused turnovers. Barbour received All-County honors and plans to play lacrosse at St. John Fisher University.
“Nate was consistently tasked with covering the opposition’s top offensive players. We moved him all over the field, and he never flinched. He did an excellent job disrupting opposing offenses. James solidified our left-handed attack position and served as the leader of our offense. He put together strong junior and senior seasons and played a major role in the success our junior class experienced.”
Oliver Edson, a senior and the team’s goalie, reached 300 career saves this season. Babb called it his best season in goal. “Ollie set team records for saves in both a season and a career. He was outstanding throughout the year.”
Edson received All-Division honors, along with two fellow seniors, Theo Ball and Tyler Rodgers, both critical players on the team.
“Theo was the glue that held our defense together. We struggled defensively in the games he missed due to injury. His communication on the field is exceptional and difficult to replace,” Babb said. “Tyler was nearly not part of the team this season, and we are extremely glad he decided to play. He was tremendous for us and really helped drive the offense. He excelled at taking concepts from practice and applying them in games.”
Brayden Talmage and Owen Haynes, both juniors from Hampton Bays, received All-Division recognition.
Zane Karoussos, a midfielder and longstick midfielder, and Michael Single, a midfielder and face-off specialist, received All-County honors. Karoussos reached 100 career points and 100 ground balls this season. Single also reached 100 career points and 200 ground balls.
Both boys are juniors but have already committed to play lacrosse in college. Karoussos will head to Cornell University in the fall of 2027. Single plans to play at Pennsylvania College of Technology.
While the team was disappointed with the way the season ended, Babb recognized how hard they worked, traveling farther than most teams just to get to their practice fields.
“I’m proud of the boys for what they accomplished this season. No other team has the obstacles that we have just to make daily practice. Making the playoffs is a testament to their perseverance.”
