Gait

When the defending Major League Lacrosse champion Bayhawks launch their 2006 season at Long Island on Preakness night, they will be sporting a new look in everything from ownership to coaching to playing personnel. Even the league in which they compete will feature a makeover, with the creation of a Western Conference that includes teams in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. "It's the end of an era for the MLL and a very exciting time," said Bayhawks co-president and owner Scott Hiller, who will also serve as the interim head coach.

BOSTON - Even at the age of 38, silver-haired Gary Gait will tell you that winning championships never gets old. He should know. He is the reigning authority on the subject. Playing with the vigor of a rookie, Gait, the elder statesman of lacrosse, had six goals yesterday to lift the Bayhawks to their second Major League Lacrosse championship, with a convincing 15-9 win over the Long Island Lizards, before 6,829 at Boston University's Nickerson Field. Gait becomes the first player to play on three MLL title winners, taking the first one as a midfielder with the Lizards in 2001, and again the next season as a player-coach with the Bayhawks.

IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. - What they wanted was a tuneup. What they got was a wakeup call. A loud one. But for the Bayhawks, last night's 21-19 loss to the Rochester Rattlers may be just what they needed to get ready for this week's Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend. "It's a good lesson," said Bayhawks player-coach Gary Gait, "that we have to be prepared and focused for a full 60 minutes." The Bayhawks (10-2), seeded second, will meet the No. 3 Rattlers (6-6) again Friday, in a semifinal at Nickerson Field in Boston.

BOSTON - The Bayhawks seemed to be in trouble early in last night's Major League Lacrosse game against the Boston Cannons. They lost the league's best faceoff man, midfielder Paul Cantabene, after he suffered a seven-stitch gash above his left eye barely four minutes into the game. Shortly thereafter, they lost midfielder Josh Sims to a hamstring injury. But Ben Defelice filled in admirably for Cantabene, winning 19 of 33 faceoffs, and Jeff Sonke stepped in for Sims and contributed five points, including one two-point goal.

The Bayhawks' triple threat - Tom Marechek, Gary Gait and Mikey Powell - ran circles around Long Island Lizards defensemen, scoring 11 goals in a 19-8 victory yesterday. During a 21-minute span in the second and third quarters, the host Bayhawks (7-0) used a 10-1 run to put the game out of reach. "If you're passing the ball and everyone's moving, you're going to be hard to defend," Bayhawks midfielder Mark Frye said. The Lizards' only answer came in the form of physical force. Along with Lizards midfielder Ryan Moran, defensemen Nicky Polanco and John Gagliardi accumulated 4:30 in penalty minutes in attempts to halt the Bayhawks' high-powered offense.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Even without Mikey Powell, the Bayhawks were up to the challenge last night. The Long Island Lizards may have threatened for a half, but the undermanned Bayhawks scored the first four goals of the third quarter and went on to a 21-15 victory at Mitchel Athletic Complex, improving to 6-0. Powell, the Bayhawks' star attackman, didn't make the trip because of a slight concussion suffered in Sunday's win over Rochester. But Matt Alrich, playing just his third game of the season, moved into the starting lineup and recorded a pair of goals.

Despite a no-goal outing from Mikey Powell, the Bayhawks' balanced offense used a fourth-quarter spurt to beat the Rochester Rattlers, 22-13, at Johnny Unitas Stadium yesterday. After an assist on the first goal, Powell was held scoreless. Rattlers defender Michael Howley marked Powell, frustrating the crafty attacker into committing five turnovers and sending five shots wide. But with Howley focused on Powell, the Rattlers' zone was compromised, creating wide-open opportunities for the Bayhawks' midfielders.

Gary and Paul Gait are among 10 new inductees to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The Gait twins, from Syracuse, are members of the hall's 48th class announced yesterday by US Lacrosse, along with Mildred Barnes, Jack Emmer, Norm Engelke, Susie Ganzenmuller, Tom Haus, Dottie Hayden, Mandy (Moore) O'Leary and Gillian Rattray. The honorees will be enshrined on Nov. 12 at the Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley. Their plaques will be in the Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame at US Lacrosse headquarters at Johns Hopkins University.

IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. - They had to shrug off the effects of a nine-hour bus ride, a six-point halftime deficit and, perhaps, a certain amount of complacency. But once they did, the Bayhawks made it look easy, outscoring the Rochester Rattlers 14-1 during the final 22 minutes and walking off with an 18-11 Major League Lacrosse victory last night before 4,214 at Bishop Kearney High School. Player-coach Gary Gait, Mikey Powell and Tom Marechek each scored three goals, with Gait adding three assists, to keep the Bayhawks (4-0)

It was easy for Bayhawks player/coach Gary Gait to relax this week. Having attackman Mike Powell around can make any coach feel at ease. Gait even dropped some decent one-liners about his age (38) as he talked about his new-look team and tonight's midnight Major League Lacrosse season opener against the New Jersey Pride at Qwest Field in Seattle. "I'm going to be around 100 more years," Gait said about his playing future, before adding, with trepidation, "I may not last that long." He also joked about his playing status this season.