Connor Duddy and Matt Scalara jump from the undefeated regular season Warriors as seniors to the Stony Brook Seawolves with big plans.
Once and future teammates Connor Duddy and Matt Scalara still have unfinished business to attend to. Duddy and Scalara both graduated Comsewogue High School last June and both are headed down the road to Stony Brook University, where they are expected to make significant contributions to the Seawolves lacrosse scheme next spring
The one-time Warriors begin their collegiate careers unsatisfied with how their senior high school season ended – an upset loss to Huntington in the Suffolk County Class B semifinals after going undefeated through the regular season. Now to pursue their goal of winning a championship, Duddy and Scalara will have to do it on a national level at the NCAA title game.
Duddy, who scored 31 goals and notched another 40 assists for the Warriors last year as a midfielder, and Scalara, who added five goals and six assists as a long pole midfielder, start with a clean slate at Stony Brook. Both earned All-American status while at Comsewogue and both want to lay claim to a championship.
"It’s unfulfilling to go undefeated and not win," said Scalara. "I think that it makes you want it more."
"There is a sense of unfulfillment at Comsewogue," echoed Duddy. "I think it gives me more drive to move on and to get better at the next level."
Duddy was recruited by NTIT and the University of Jacksonville, while Scalara considered offers from Georgetown, Hofstra and the University of Massachusetts but both accepted offers from nearby Stony Brook.
"They have a good coach there and the whole program is going up," said Scalara. "I just thought it was the right place for me."
"I liked the field and the coaches," said Duddy, who decided to attend Stony Brook last summer. "Besides it’s close to home."
Also new to the Seawolves is former Ward Melville standout, head coach Jim Nagle, who previously coached at Colgate where he amassed an 86-64 record over 10 seasons.
Meanwhile, Duddy and Scalara each have their own high expectations for their collegiate career.
"I’d like to be an All-American at Stony Brook in one of my years there," said Duddy who plans to major in psychology. "I’m very excited to play at a whole new level. I’ve met the coach and he seems like he knows what he’s doing. I’ll just feel my way along into their system and see how it goes."
"I want to get better overall and hopefully get into a starting position," said Scalara. "I’m excited to play here. I used to go to their games when I was younger and I always wanted to do what they did. I’d also like to get better overall and maybe be an All-American."
Those wanting to catch the continuing story of how Matt Scalera and Connor Duddy perform at Stony Brook will have to wait until late next winter when the Seawolves begin their regular season campaign. Last year the Seawolves finished with an overall record of 10-4 and lost in the America East championship game to Hartford 11-10.
Duddy, who scored 31 goals and notched another 40 assists for the Warriors last year as a midfielder, and Scalara, who added five goals and six assists as a long pole midfielder, start with a clean slate at Stony Brook. Both earned All-American status while at Comsewogue and both want to lay claim to a championship.
"It’s unfulfilling to go undefeated and not win," said Scalara. "I think that it makes you want it more."
"There is a sense of unfulfillment at Comsewogue," echoed Duddy. "I think it gives me more drive to move on and to get better at the next level."
Duddy was recruited by NTIT and the University of Jacksonville, while Scalara considered offers from Georgetown, Hofstra and the University of Massachusetts but both accepted offers from nearby Stony Brook.
"They have a good coach there and the whole program is going up," said Scalara. "I just thought it was the right place for me."
"I liked the field and the coaches," said Duddy, who decided to attend Stony Brook last summer. "Besides it’s close to home."
Also new to the Seawolves is former Ward Melville standout, head coach Jim Nagle, who previously coached at Colgate where he amassed an 86-64 record over 10 seasons.
Meanwhile, Duddy and Scalara each have their own high expectations for their collegiate career.
"I’d like to be an All-American at Stony Brook in one of my years there," said Duddy who plans to major in psychology. "I’m very excited to play at a whole new level. I’ve met the coach and he seems like he knows what he’s doing. I’ll just feel my way along into their system and see how it goes."
"I want to get better overall and hopefully get into a starting position," said Scalara. "I’m excited to play here. I used to go to their games when I was younger and I always wanted to do what they did. I’d also like to get better overall and maybe be an All-American."
Those wanting to catch the continuing story of how Matt Scalera and Connor Duddy perform at Stony Brook will have to wait until late next winter when the Seawolves begin their regular season campaign. Last year the Seawolves finished with an overall record of 10-4 and lost in the America East championship game to Hartford 11-10.
