Sachem East boys lacrosse's James Dee is Newsday's Athlete of the Week
James Dee of Sachem East Credit: Photograph by James Dee
When it came time to rise to the occasion, James Dee had what it took.
With one of his teammates sidelined by injury, Dee stepped up for the Sachem East boys lacrosse team. The senior midfielder amassed 14 points in his last two games — nine goals and five assists.
“It was never easy becoming the guy that coach wants to facilitate the offense,” Dee said. “It took a lot of hard work in the offseason and at practice to make sure the coaches are more confident in me, and me more confident in myself. I want to reach the coaches’ expectations, and more.”
Dominic Laviano, Sachem East’s leading scorer last season, played in the first game of the season before suffering a foot injury that has left him out indefinitely. Coach Mike Sofia said Dee filled the gap seamlessly.
In a bigger offensive role, Dee put himself at the top of opponents’ scouting reports.
“He’s a competitor at heart, and not being taken seriously by other teams fuels the flames a little bit for him,” Sofia said. “He’s getting that attention on him now and he just keeps rising to the occasion, and above it. He’s taken over a big spot and, where he may have been outshined in the past, he’s really thriving now.”
Dee is a three-sport athlete, playing football in the fall and running track in the winter. Between the physicality of football and the conditioning of track, Dee is equipped with all the skills needed to be an elite lacrosse player. He has 18 points in four games this season.
“Football prepared me with mental toughness and conditioning,” Dee said. “It taught me how to not let the little things bring me down, and to just keep fighting and not dwell on the past. Between that and running in the winter, it got me in shape so I could have those longer shifts on the lacrosse field.”
As the only dominant lefty on Sachem East’s roster, Dee is a tough opponent to mark. The role of lone southpaw can feel heavy, but Dee said he embraces the challenge.
“Being the only lefty feels like a big responsibility because I’m really the only one dodging, passing and shooting toward that side of the field,” Dee said. “It was a big, tall responsibility, but, after the first scrimmage, I played well, it brought my confidence up and I knew I could do it.”
Dee will play at Molloy next school year, where — inspired by family in law enforcement — he will study criminal justice.
Sofia said Dee will continue to be one of his team’s biggest threats.
“He’s dynamic, he’s hard to cover and it might not look like he’s the flashiest player, but he’s slippery and hard to nail down,” Sofia said. “He’s creative in his own way and a dangerous distributor.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
