Carey Seahawks

CAREY

Seahawks fresh off finals trip

By GARRETT D. URIBE

The Seahawks’ 2021 season will be a hard act to follow. Having gone a combined 10-23 its two previous seasons in Nassau Conference B1 boys’ lacrosse, Carey – which fi nished 8-5 in B1, 9-6 overall – mounted a late-season 6-1 push to reach the Class B title game last spring, the dark-horse Seahawks fi nally falling 11-8 to eventual Long Island Class B champion Garden City. With league scoring leader Jimmy O’Connell now wielding his crosse at Boston University, fellow All-County attackman Dean Meztger – 10th in Nassau with 21 assists – steps to the fore of Carey’s offense as the Seahawks attempt an encore in B1. Fellow senior Kyle Lewis, an Honorable Mention All-County selection, joins Metzger in heading Carey’s attack – which, powered chiefl y by O’Connell and Metzger, produced B1’s second-highest goal total. “Those two guys (Metzger and Lewis) will get lots of attention from defenders,” said coach Tom Aiello, now in his 22nd season at Carey. “Dean’s one of the top guys in the county. Kyle’s athleticism is off the charts. But they’ll have to be able to work together to get opportunities,” Senior midfi elder Ray Bedeian is tapped to facilitate said opportunities as Carey’s faceoff specialist. Bedeian – sidelined by injury last season – returns from a two-year absence to the Seahawks’ s starting lineup, having started as a freshman in 2019 before COVID forced spring sports cancellation in 2020, while senior Jaden McLeod, a proven close defender, makes his starting debut for Carey. In the cage Carey’s immediate, and not inconsiderable, task is to replace its graduated goalkeeping tandem of Anthony Lucsczynski (.700 save percentage) and Matt Mantone (.680). Dean’s freshman brother Rich Metzger and junior Gianluca Magliaro – both fi rst-year varsity members – will platoon in goal for Carey at the outset. “We’re a little inexperienced,” Aiello said. “But, like always, we’ll have to play tough and get better as the year goes on.”

joins Metzger in heading Carey’s attack – which, powered chiefl y by O’Connell and Metzger, produced B1’s second-highest goal total. “Those two guys (Metzger and Lewis) will get lots of attention from defenders,” said coach Tom Aiello, now in his 22nd season at Carey. “Dean’s one of the top guys in the county. Kyle’s athleticism is off the charts. But they’ll have to be able to work together to get Senior midfi elder Ray Bedeian is tapped to facilitate said opportunities as Carey’s faceoff specialist. Bedeian – sidelined by injury last season – returns from a two-year absence to the Seahawks’ s starting lineup, having started as a freshman in 2019 before COVID forced spring sports cancellation in

Carey returns to ideal conference

Discontinuity doomed the Seahawks in Conference 3 girls’ lacrosse last spring, when Carey (1-11) narrowly avoided a season shutout by outlasting Oyster Bay 11-10 in its fi nale. In capturing 2019’s Conference 4 crown, Carey earned an automatic league promotion for 2020 – which, due to the pandemic-caused spring sports hiatus, took effect only last season, when All-County 2019 junior standouts like Kelly-Ann McGrath (No. 2 in Nassau with 114 points) and Vanessa Tortorella (second in Nassau with a .560 save percentage) had long since left the Seahawks and matriculated into college. Goalkeeper Grace Carrizo was valiant posting 103 saves last season in earning All-Conference honors. The senior goalie returns as Carey regroups and attempts to capitalize on its fresh reassignment to more amenable Conference 4. “We’ve dropped a conference and hope now to be competitive,” said coach Steve Savino. “Last year we were basically seeded wrongly, based on two years prior. We’d had some excellent players and were in a lower conference. This year we’re going back fundamentals.” A defensive starter last season, Natalia Dominguez switches to Carey’s fi rst-string attack, joining fellow second year-starting senior Victoria Dallas (12 goals, two assists). “Natalia’s got good stick skills,” Savino said. “She handles the ball well, both right and left. Victoria’s very strong, with a very good move to the crease. She shoots very, very hard.” Junior Faith Anderson is a second-year starter at midfi eld for Carey, while Seahawks senior Ava Pelzer starts her fi rst season at middie. “Faith is a great transition player,”

Savino said. “She’s very good on the draw for us, too. Ava sees the fi eld well and can dish the ball and feed other players.” Added Savino: “The girls have 2020 – which, due to the pandem- worked very hard. We’re really emphasizing skills, and just looking to improve every day.”

Dean Metzger

ic-caused spring sports hiatus, took effect only last season, when All-County 2019 junior standouts like Kelly-Ann McGrath (No. 2 in Nassau with 114 points) and Vanessa Tortorella (second in Nassau with a .560 save percentage) had long since left the Seahawks and matriculated into college. Goalkeeper Grace Carrizo was valiant posting 103 saves last season in earning All-Conference honors. The senior goalie returns as Carey regroups and attempts to capitalize on its fresh reassignment to more amenable Conference 4. “We’ve dropped a conference and hope now to be competitive,” said coach Steve Savino. “Last year a lower conference. This year we’re going back fundamentals.” A defensive starter last season, Natalia Dominguez switches to Carey’s fi rst-string attack, joining fellow second year-starting

senior Victoria Dallas (12 goals, two assists). “Natalia’s got good stick skills,” Savino said. “She handles the ball well, both right and left. Victoria’s very strong, with a very good move to the crease. She shoots very, very hard.” Junior Faith Anderson is a second-year starter at midfi eld for Carey, while

Seahawks senior Ava Pelzer starts her fi rst season at middie. “Faith is a great transition player,”

Faith Anderson

Savino said. “She’s very good on the draw for us, too. Ava sees the fi eld well and can dish the ball and

Conference Schedules

April BOYS

7 Roslyn 4:45 p.m. 13 @ Baldwin 4:45 p.m. 23 Herricks 11:00 a.m. 27 Glen Cove 5:00 p.m.

May

3 Garden City 4:45 p.m. 6 @ Calhoun 4:45 p.m. 11 @ Long Beach 4:45 p.m. 14 @ MacArthur 12:00 p.m. 17 Mepham 5:00 p.m.

March GIRLS

31 @ New Hyde Park 4:45 p.m.

April

4 Baldwin 5:00 p.m. 9 @ Hicksville 10:00 a.m. 11 Roslyn 4:45 p.m. 20 @ Island Trees 10:00 a.m. 25 @ Herricks 4:45 p.m. 28 Kennedy 4:45 p.m.

May

2 @ Wheatley 6:30 p.m. 5 Clarke 4:45 p.m. 7 Jericho 11:00 a.m.

1169771