In final game, Brendan Curry passes his father on SU’s all-time scorers list

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Donning the No. 16 jersey which his father wore at Syracuse 35 years ago, Brendan Curry bursted from the X in the fourth quarter. He swung the ball over his shoulder, and when it hit the back of the net, he pumped both arms in celebration.

The goal wasn’t significant in the context of SU’s 18-11 season finale loss to No. 6 Notre Dame. But for Curry, playing the final game of his SU career, the goal tied his father on Syracuse’s all-time scorers list (93 goals).

Two minutes later, Curry used a split dodge to paint the top right corner of the net. From the same field where Todd Curry established himself as a three-time All-American and eventual Hall of Famer, three-time All-American Curry pointed to his father in the stands.

“Probably one of the coolest moments of my life, being able to look up at him,” Curry said. “He’s the reason I’m here at Syracuse, he’s the reason why I’m wearing this number and he’s taught me everything I know about the game.”

“So to be able to look up at him and share that moment in my last game ever was extremely cool and something that I’ll remember about this game for the rest of my life.”

Curry said he started crying with seven minutes remaining in the game because of that moment. In what was the final goal of Syracuse’s season, the score marked a culmination of Curry’s five-year career. He now sits seventh all-time among Syracuse midfielders with 94 career goals, behind his former teammate Jamie Trimboli (95).

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Curry is the second three-time captain in Syracuse’s program history. He was previously a part of Syracuse’s All-American midfield trio that featured Trimboli and Tucker Dordevic. This year, he led the offense alongside Dordevic with the second-most points (53) and goals (34).

Curry said he and his father shared a moment in private when they left the Dome for the last time, but that he didn’t see Todd after the game because “it would be too much, emotionally.”

Curry said he spoke to his father on Tuesday about his last game and what he remembered about handling the emotions of it all. Todd taught him to “live in the moment,” Curry said, which he admitted on Thursday was still challenging.

Curry’s dreams of following his father’s footsteps started when he met Roy Simmons III, a former teammate of Todd’s, when Curry was 5 years old. From there, he learned to play lacrosse from his father, relying on a powerful shot and speed — similar to Todd’s playing style.

Curry made his name at Syracuse by relying on his speed dodge. He starts from 20, 30 or 40 yards away from the goal then accelerates instantly, outpacing his man before ripping a shot once he’s left his defender behind.

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That speed, along with his stick skills, will likely earn him a spot in the Premier Lacrosse League. Curry is projected to go No. 11 in the upcoming draft, according to analyst Paul Carcaterra. The PLL draft is scheduled for May 10.

Now, over five years after Curry scored his first collegiate goal, Curry knows he’ll remember Sunday’s moment for the rest of his life.

“I couldn’t have asked for a cooler way to end my career,” Curry said. “As much as we wanted different results, I’m grateful for every single guy that I’ve met through this program, and that wouldn’t have been so if it wasn’t for the effort that my dad put in.”

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