On June 21, Maiden Field in Glen Cove played host to the inaugural Dan Daly Cup High School All-Star Lacrosse game, honoring the legacy of U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Dan Daly, a two-time Medal of Honor recipient.
Sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps, in partnership with the Nassau County Lacrosse Coaches Association, the New York Lizards professional lacrosse team, the City of Glen Cove and the Glen Cove School
District, the game featured 50 of Nassau and Suffolk’s elite high school lacrosse players.
Dean Peluso and Gerard Del Grosso from MacArthur and Frank Kirk from Division Avenue represented the Levittown High Schools at the event which pit Nassau County’s Team Virtue up against the Suffolk squad’s Team Valor. Despite an admirable comeback by Team Virtue players, Team Valor would prevail to win the game 14-8.
Leading up to the game, players from both squads participated in intense, military-style physical fitness warm-up drills led by local Marines, who also conducted seminars that instilled pride, emphasized teamwork and addressed community responsibility. Lizards coaches also shared their professional lacrosse expertise with members of both teams.
Earlier in the day, the Marines gathered with Glen Cove officials to rededicate the plaque bearing Sgt. Maj. Daly’s name at Glen Cove’s Monument Park. Additionally, the Marines presented a special framed lacrosse jersey to the Pedone family, honoring the late Nicholas Pedone, a Glen Cove youngster who lost his battle with a rare form of cancer.
Descendants of Sgt. Maj. Daly, including his grand niece, were on hand for the rededication and the game. Sgt. Maj. Daly was a two-time Medal of Honor recipient during the early 1900s and is one of the
Marine Corps’ most admired heroes. Marines of all occupational specialties respect his legend and fighting spirit to this day.
