Mary Bergmann Has Something To Smile About With Second Suffolk County Crown

Mary Bergmann walked into school on May 17 and was immediately moved as she gazed at the members of her Westhampton Beach girls lacrosse team.

Her Hurricanes had all dyed their hair purple and wrapped their ponytails and braids in blue ribbons — her mother’s favorite colors.

The day before their Suffolk County Class B semifinal game against West Babylon, Bergmann’s mother had a massive stroke. The head coach’s father also had been ill.

Fast-forward a week: Although both remained in the hospital — and Bergmann’s mother was still in critical condition — the head coach’s Hurricanes had given her something to smile about. With a 6-5 double-overtime with No. 1-seeded Comsewogue, Westhampton Beach earned its first county crown in school history. It was Bergmann’s second Suffolk County title.

“I think, emotionally, I’m kind of tapped out, but this is great, because they really care, about my mom and my family,” Bergmann said last Wednesday after the intense battle, which included a four-goal tear to erase a 5-1 deficit.

“And this really is a family. They play for me, and they play for each other — they write each other’s numbers on their wrists and ankles — and we proved we could move through any situation, and as a team. It was their goal to be all-in.”

Her student-athletes were thrilled to be able to not only change the program narrative but bring it home for Bergmann.

“We know Coach B is strong, but she’s handling a lot right now,” said senior attack Lily Berchin, who scored the game-winning goal with 10 seconds left in the second overtime period. “We knew that dyeing our hair and supporting her would make her happy — and she thought it was so cute and cool. Every time my team and I are about to play a game or go to practice, we say, ‘Let’s really focus up and play hard, because we know Coach B is going through a lot right now.’”

Sophomore defender Chloe Mosher said she was determined to brighten her coach’s day. She came up with crucial turnovers and ground ball scoops, the last of which led to the game-winner.

“It felt good that we did something for her, because usually she’s the one doing things for us,” Mosher said. “We really are a family, so once someone has something difficult going on, we are all there to support them.”

Bergmann began her career as a head coach in the Shoreham-Wading River School District. She was the Wildcats’ assistant coach before taking over the helm for Bob Vlahakis, who had steered the program to four straight state championship seasons. As a head coach there for three years, she compiled a 41-16 (.719) record, leading Shoreham to the Class B championship game each season, the first and last losses in the title game sandwiching a state championship-winning season in 2012.

In 2014, she left to take a teaching position in Westhampton Beach, earning the head lacrosse coach job the same year.

“Coach B is a very smart woman,” Berchin said. “She knows a lot about the game and the statistics behind it all. I’ve learned a lot from her — about working hard and keeping my head up, that confidence is key. I know she pushed every one of her players because she really cares for them and wants to see them succeed.

“I think this team really showed her that we can do anything we put our minds to. We have a young team, but we proved that means nothing. We just want to make her proud.”

The Hurricanes have.

“This is probably one of the best teams I’ve ever coached,” Bergmann said. “We busted our butts.”

She said she was more thrilled to see her Hurricanes experience the same success she has previously. That was something Bergmann expressed when she took over the team eight years ago — that the best part of coaching is seeing her team members’ reactions when winning big games. Westhampton Beach had knocked on the door of that elusive title, like she had with the Wildcats several times before, and finally grabbed the gold.

“I’ve been here, so I know what it’s like, but it’s so exciting to see it from their eyes,” Bergmann said. “Kenzie Schindler was looking around and was, like, ‘This is crazy!’ And people were screaming ‘Westhampton Beach! Go Westhampton Beach!’ when it wasn’t even our game yet. And they walked into the locker room and were, like, ‘What is this?’ I’m just excited for them to get the recognition they deserve.”

But the girls feel the same for their coach.

“Coach B has molded a team where every girl on the field is a threat,” Mosher said. “She pushes each of us to be our best. She pushes us beyond our limits so we are prepared for bigger challenges. It was a little intimidating at first, but now I can see how it pays off.

“Being part of this team is being in it for something bigger than yourself.”