Paar Magnificent for
Stony Brook Lax
Charlie Paar could be quite a character during his years at Huntington High School. A fun-loving type of guy, he was also one of the most hard-nosed competitors ever to don a Blue Devil uniform in any sport.
Paar’s “take-no-prisoners” philosophy has transformed him into one of the top lacrosse goalies in NCAA Division I over the past two years. The 23-year old has played a key role in Stony Brook University’s most successful season ever.
The Seawolves advanced to the national quarter-finals this past Sunday where they dropped a thrilling 10-9 decision to No. 1 Virginia before a standing room only crowd of 10,024 at LaValle Stadium on the Stony Brook campus.
Paar, a history major, was once again splendid, recording 10 saves, including three from point-blank range in the opening minutes, against what is perhaps the nation’s best collegiate lacrosse offense.
A 2005 Huntington High School graduate, Paar was a remarkable athlete for the Blue Devils, earned four varsity lacrosse letters. As a senior he was All-Long Island and All-American. He helped lead the team to the 2005 state title. Paar also captured All-County honors twice in football and three times in wrestling.
Stony Brook (13-4) entered last Sunday’s post-season battle riding a nine-game winning streak, the university’s longest in 20 years. During that span, Paar surrendered an average of just 8.43 goals per game and a .599 save percentage in nearly 400 minutes of game action.
“He is a leader and takes great command over our defense,” Stony Brook head coach Rick Sowell said about the 5’8, 200 lb. senior.
Paar was named the Most Outstanding Player in the America East Conference championship, recording an astounding 34 saves in the two-game tournament, including some that simply defied belief during an 11-7 victory over Albany for the conference title.
“As a goalie, it’s always about making the next play,” Paar said. “Our defense has been great the last few games and I was able to do my part.”
After graduating from Huntington in June 2005, Paar initially attended Towson State University before transferring to Nassau Community College, where he earned first team junior college All-American recognition. Paar stopped 20 shots in the 2008 national championship game, earning the Defensive MVP Award as Nassau went on to win the national title.
One of Paar’s most amazing performances in a season filled with them came against Albany in a regular season contest. The senior held the Great Danes scoreless for the first 49:06 before being lifted in the fourth quarter. The 15-0 final score marked Stony Brook’s first shutout since 1990. “Charlie took some extra reps in practice and was key to lead our defense to a shutout,” Sowell said.
At Stony Brook, Paar started all 29 games in which he appeared over the past two seasons. In 1,699 minutes he made 335 saves and compiled a 20-9 record as the team’s goalkeeper.
Paar is planning to attend graduate school in the fall.
All graphics, photographs, and text appearing on the Huntington Public Schools home page and subsequent official web pages are protected by copyright. Redistribution or commercial use is prohibited without express written permission. Comments or Questions? email the Public Information Office