Lacrosse Preview 2011

31, March

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2011 E H O F TS E A S O N W EVIE HOOL R P A SC H G HI

2011

S S L O LS’ TEAM O H ’ AND GIR C S OYS B 9 1 OTH B OF

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PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON

March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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Lacrosse Preview A special adv advertising supplement to the HERALD Community Newspapers

MARCH 31, 2011

THE TITLE CHASE IS ON

a Class A title since 1996 — will arden City, Farmingchallenge. As for the Class A dale and Manhasset girls, the biggest hurdles for have dominated the the Lady Dalers appear to be Nassau County boys’ and Massapequa and Calhoun. girls’ lacrosse scene for quite In Class B, the last team not some time and enter 2011 as named Garden City to win a defending Class B, A and C Nassau boys’ title is Hewlett, champions, respectively, in which did so in 2005. The Bullboth cases. dogs are seeded No. 2 this year Manhasset’s move from behind Manhasset in B-II and Class C to B this spring makes things a lot more interesting, TONY BELLISSIMO will be lurking in the weeds come playoff time if two key as the conference preseason contributors return from injurankings suggest. On the boys’ ry. Meanwhile, Wantagh and South Side side, the Indians are ranked atop Conference B-II, while five-time defending county follow the Trojans in B-I. “Everyone has Garden City and Manhasset in the finals champion Garden City sits on the perch of and everyone else fighting for crumbs,” Conference B-I. South Side coach Steve DiPietro said.

The Lady Indians find themselves “Hopefully, come late May, we’ll surprise.” seeded second behind defending state The Lady Cyclones, with four standouts champion Garden City in Conference B-I. bound for Division I colleges, will try to Both Farmingdale teams are ranked first do the same on the girls’ side in Class B. in Conference A-I, while Manhasset’s rise They’re ranked behind the top two dogs as in enrollment opened the Class C door for well as Wantagh. top-ranked Cold Spring Harbor in both Class C features 10 teams on the boys’ instances. side and 11 on the girls. The Cold Spring Farmingdale is a “well-deserved favorHarbor boys will be pushed by Friends ite to repeat as county champs” on the boys’ side, Oceanside coach Bob Moltisanti Academy and Locust Valley, while North Shore and Mineola figure to pose the bigsaid, but the Dalers won’t have an easy gest threats to the Lady Seahawks. road. Syosset, Massapequa, Hicksville and the Sailors — the only other teams to win

Publishers CLIFFORD RICHNER STUART RICHNER Executive Editor JOHN C. O’CONNELL Section Editor TONY BELLISSIMO Editorial Designer JEFFREY A. NEGRIN Production Manager KAREN MENGEL Production Assistant SHEAUWEI PIDD Art Director CRAIG CARDONE Photo Editor CHRISTINA DALY Photo Editing ALYSON GOODMAN Vice President of Sales RHONDA GLICKMAN Sales Administrator JANIE FAHEY-McGEE Page Editors JEFF BESSEN SCOTT BRINTON MIKE CAPUTO ANDREW HACKMACK Account Executives MIMMA BARONE JOAN BATTINO JULIE BEST ROBERT CUMMINGS NANCY FRIEDMAN ELLEN FRISCH JILL KAPLAN VICKI KAPLAN KAREN RESNICK TRICIA SKINNER

High School Sports

INDEX

Baldwin Bruins ............................................3 Calhoun Colts (Bellmore-Merrick) ............... 4 Carey Seahawks (Franklin Square) ............. 5 Clarke Rams (Westbury) ............................ 6 East Meadow Jets ...................................... 7 Elmont Spartans ........................................ 8 Freeport Red Devils .................................... 9 Hewlett Bulldogs ...................................... 10 Kennedy Cougars (Bellmore-Merrick) ................................... 11 Lawrence Golden Tornadoes ..................... 14

Long Beach Marines................................. 15 Lynbrook Owls .......................................... 16 Malverne/East Rockaway ......................... 17 Mepham Pirates (Bellmore-Merrick) ................................... 18 Oceanside Sailors .................................... 19 Sewanhaka Indians (Floral Park)............... 20 South Side Cyclones (Rockville Centre) ..................................... 21 Valley Stream District ............................... 22 West Hempstead Rams ............................ 23

CONTRIBUTING SPORTSWRITERS TONY BELLISSIMO, ANDREW McCLURE, STEVE SINISKI, MIKE CAPUTO Lacrosse Preview is an advertising supplement to the HERALD Community Newspapers. Copyright © 2011 Richner Communications, Inc.

Published by Richner Communications, Inc. 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 569-4000 • www.ilherald.com

JILLIAN PIAZZA Long Beach Photo by Victoria Lodi

TOP 10 BOYS 1. Guiliano Bove ......................... Carey 2. Brett Dadiego ..................... Baldwin 3. Connor Daly ......................Lynbrook 4. Bryan Gerrato .................South Side 5. Chris Hughes .................. Oceanside 6. Steve Marrandino ..............Lynbrook 7. Dom Moriarty .................South Side 8. Mark Rizzo ........................... Hewlett 9. Nick Sherry .................... Oceanside 10. Chris Shevins .................. Mepham GIRLS 1. Courtney Berg..................... Baldwin 2. Jackie Cifarelli ................South Side 3. Emily Considine ..............South Side 4. Vanessa DePasquale .. East Meadow 5. Kelsey Gregerson ............South Side 6. Diandra Hanna ...................Calhoun 7. Erin McLoughlin .............Long Beach 8. Nicole Pataky ....................Lynbrook 9. Tina Pumo ...................... Oceanside 10. Allie Rodgers ................... Baldwin

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

BALDWIN

Schedule March

Goalie, defense to lead Bruins “We might have some bumps early,” said Garguilo, “but I think we can be a force come playoff time.”

By TONY BELLISSIMO

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nexperienced compared to most Nassau Conference A-I boys’ lacrosse teams but just two years removed from an appearance in the Class A championship game, Baldwin will need to overcome the loss of 90 percent of its offense to keep its playoff streak intact.

“We’re without a returning All-County player and graduated more than half of our starters,” coach Rich Garguilo said.

“Replacing the 120 goals we lost will be difficult, but we’re sound defensively.”

The Bruins, who lost in the opening round of last year’s playoffs, feature an Honorable Mention All-County goaltender in junior Brett Dadiego. A three-year starter who helped lead the team to the 2009 finals, Dadiego has all the tools and valuable experience. “Brett really took control of the back last season,” Garguilo said. “He’s a vocal leader with great shotblocking ability and outlet passes.”

Junior Derick Darnulc is likely to get the toughest defensive assignment on a daily basis and has a combination of range, footwork and strength. Senior Mack Ogrodnik is another returning starter with sound technique and tenacity, and senior Bryan Crespo won’t hesitate to throw his body around. “The guys we have on defense are tough and they’re going to make teams work hard to score,” Garguilo said.

Developing a second midfield group behind Tyler Harper, Chris Mertenz and Pat Dillon is a priority. Harper and Mertenz, both seniors, will be no strangers to the attack and difficult to keep off the score sheet. Dillon, a junior, is strong on ground balls and sees the field well.

“I don’t expect them to come off the field much,” Garguilo said.

The offensive quarterback, junior Austin Valenti, missed half of last season due to injury and is eager to make up for lost time. Junior lefty Mike Ainbinder filled the net at the JV level and has impressed in practice along with feisty junior Dylan Cohen.

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

Lady Bruins can build on success

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fter advancing to the Class A semifinals in Nicole Lein’s first year as coach in 2010, the Lady Bruins hope to make some noise against the best competition Nassau girls’ lacrosse has to offer.

“We have a dedicated group up of girls who enjoy each other’s er’s company, and we’re looking forward to playing the top teams,” Lein in said. “It’s definitely a challenge. Makingg the playoffs is an accomplishment and an honor.”

Baldwin is part of a stacked ked Conference A-I, which includes perennial nnial powers Farmingdale and Massapequa,, in addition to Calhoun, Port Washington,, Oceanside, Syosset and Hicksville.

The Lady Bruins’ top midfield field line of senior Courtney Berg and juniors uniors Allie Rodgers and Nicole Gardianos os is loaded with talent and will be counted d on to come up big. “They’re all returning and comfortable in their roles,” Lein said. id. “They’re obvious leaders at both ends and they’re also vocal leaders. They’re solid id on defense and I’m hoping they’ll duplicate te last year’s offensive production.”

There’s no shortage of options tions for the coach when it comes to attack, ck, where a handful of players may rotate te and keep the legs fresh. Senior Victoria a Pelligrino is the top returnee and a strong ong finisher around the cage. Senior playmaker maker Raquel Mitchell is pushing for a starting ng role, as is speedy eighth-grader Kelsey Cohen. Also in line to see minutes are sophomores homores Sam Leavey and Ufuoma Oyiborhoro. ro.

The defense is deep as well. Junior Nicole Markowitz, a captain along with Rodgers, anchors the zone scheme. heme. Sophomore Amanda Clemens and d freshman Jessica Markowitz handle the bulk of the workload in the low crease, and nd reinforcement will be provided by sophomore omore Casey

30th Seaford

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April Barberto and freshman Caitlin Airey. “We have defenders capable of taking control,” Lein said. “We can be better [defensively] than last year.”

Starting in goal is junior Carolyn Winters, who played consistently well last spring. “She’s confident in her ability and does a lot of things g well,” , Lein said.

1st 6th 9th 12th 15th 18th 21st 29th

Hicksville @ Massapequa @ Oceanside @ Herricks Freeport Plainedge South Side @ Syosset

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4:15 p.m.

11:00 a.m.

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May 4th 11th 14th 17th

East Meadow Hempstead Farmingdale @ MacArthur

4:45 p.m.

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10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS March 29th @ Hicksville 31st New Hyde Park

4:15 p.m.

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April 1st 7th 11th 13th 15th 20th 28th

@ Port Washington @ East Meadow @ Massapequa @ Hempstead Calhoun @ Division Farmingdale

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11:00 a.m.

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May 3rd @ Syosset 11th Hicksville

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

CALHOUN

Schedule BOYS April

Colts experience a plus for offense

By STEVE SINISKI

C

alhoun’s offense is stocked with a combined five senior starters returning to the attack and midfield, giving them a leg up going into the 2011 lacrosse season. Charlie Isham, John Roth and Kyle Foy offer a wide variety of skills up front for the Colts when it comes to putting points on the board.

Roth will primarily lineup behind the cage as the feeder, where his good vision and ability to change direction are tailormade for the position. Isham, meanwhile, has little trouble weaving his way through defenders on his way to the goal. "He puts himself in position to score because he's able to catch and shoot so well," first-year coach Jim Femminella said.

Foy and senior J.P. Doucette each provide a solid blend of playmaking and scoring talents at attack.

The midfield has a pair of solid lines to run out at the opposition, keyed by senior Joe McGinley, who returns after earning All County Honorable Mention last season. "He's the leader of the offense and our go-to guy," Femminella said. "He does it all.

He can dodge and get his own shot or draw three and four guys at him [and pass]."

Senior Kurt Abitz and junior Cole Kalibat are expected to team up with McGinley on the first line, while senior Joe Nieto, juniors Steve Hulse and Brandon Furia and sophomore T.J. Marapodi comprise the second midfield unit. "They're going to get as many runs as the first line [in some cases]," Femminella said. "[The depth] is great."

The defense is anchored by senior Vincent Samuels, a vocal leader, who will be helped out by classmate Anthony Calderaro and juniors Wally Coveny and John Strezenec. Senior Nick Pititto and junior Brendan Nestola, are the short stick middies and junior Julian Lee and sophomore Dylan Dell'Oicano, are the Colts long pole midfielders.

The goalie position has come down to a battle between senior Chris Catapano and junior Matt Lemonis, and a timeshare

is not out of the question according to Femminella.

Lady Colts midfield packs punch

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anked No. 3 among "A" classification schools in Nassau County, the bar has been set high for the Lady Colts in 2011. "I think it's about how aggressive we are and how aggressive we can be with the ball," coach James Raucci said.

Calhoun's midfield is a major strength with a trio of fouryear seniors returning. Meghan O'Sullivan, Ellie Rosenblum and Ava Fitzgerald are backed with plenty of experience, including two consecutive seasons of squaring off against the top teams in Nassau.

O'Sullivan's a nightmare to defend one-on-one, while Rosenblum makes smooth cuts to free herself up. Sophomore ore Leah Sanders also figures into the mix at midfield. "Those four are a revolving ing door at midfield," Raucci explained. "They hey might play offensive or defensive [roles]. es].

They are all interchangeable which h is huge."

As the midfielders push the ball upfield, eld, one player sure to be in their sightss is senior attack Diandra Hanna, the team's m's top returning scorer who is also entertering her fifth varsity season. "She's a very ery aggressive offensive threat," Raucci said. aid.

"She's not scared to take anyone one-on-one one and takes good care of the ball.

"She's been playing so long and comompetes outside of high school and is comomfortable going against the better competietition."

Juniors Jessica Silverman and Rachel hel Tyson are also going to create their share are of scoring opportunities, while eighthhthgrader Natasha Treuman is vying for time ime at both attack and midfield.

Senior Michaela Buckley, a returning ing starter, teams with junior Carley Singer ger on the backline with support from senior nior Sarah Schuster and junior Talia Chariaridah. Singer's quickness and athleticism ism also opens up other opportunities, and she

may also log time with the midfield. "We're hoping she's going to be a big key in transition," Raucci said.

Senior Casey Solotoff, junior Kelly Gallo and sophomore Haylee Solomon are battling for time in net. "It's a matter of who puts a streak together and who does not get rattled," Raucci said of the positional faceoff.

1st 4th 9th 12th 15 th 26th 29th

V.S. District Roslyn Herricks Syosset @ Hicksville @ Long Beach Port Washington

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May 4th 11th 14th 17th

@ Uniondale @ Plainview-JFK @ Hempstead Freeport

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10:00 a.m.

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GIRLS March 29th @ East Meadow

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April 1st 6th 14th 15th 28th

Oceanside Hicksville @ Elmont @ Baldwin @ Syosset

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May 3rd @ Farmingdale 7th Massapequa 11th @ Port Washington

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2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

JOE MCGINLEY AVA FITZGERALD

Photos by SUSAN GRIECO

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March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

CAREY

Schedule March 29th @ Floral Park

Veteran Seahawks should be tough

By ANDREW McCLURE

T

he Seahawks finished at 7-10 in 2010 and were beaten by Wantagh in the second round of the Class B playoffs.

With a senior-laden roster, expectations are pretty high for the Seahawks. Carey will compete in a tough Conference B-I with the likes of nationally ranked Garden City, Wantagh, Division, and South Side.

Coach Tom Aiello likes the makeup of his team. “I’m very happy with this group,” Aiello said. “It’s a hard-working team that listens to instruction, and tries to improve their game each day. We’re in a very strong conference, and play a tough non-league schedule. We’re going to have to play hard to be successful. I like what I have seen this far.”

They great thing about having a relatively young team last spring is having an experienced one in 2011. The defense is again led by senior Giuliano Bove, an AllCounty honoree who has signed to play at Hofstra. The fleet-footed, athletic Bove will be complemented well by seniors Drew Zahradka and Chris Theodorou. Seniors Craig Samson and John Fineo round out what should be a solid defensive unit.

Senior Jake Robison will once again lead the Carey offense. Robison can put the ball in the net, find the open man, and handle the face-off duties from the midfield spot. Senior Matt Oswald and Mike Dzibuela, junior Tom Opitz, and freshman Matt Robison will all contribute at the position for the Seahawks.

A trio of seniors, John Andrade, Rob Zorn, and Joe Cali, comprise a tough, athletic group of short-stick middies. At attack, look for juniors Mike Locicero and Peter Nicholls, and senior Tom Scott to move the ball around and find the back of the net.

One area where Carey lacks experience is in the cage. Sophomore Nick Fasano will take over in goal and improve as the season unfolds. While he hasn’t been tested at the varsity level, Aiello is confident that Fasano will make a smooth transition from the junior varsity.

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS April

Lady Seahawks looking to jell

2nd 6th 8th 13th 15th 20th 27th

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he Lady Seahawks are coming off a season that saw them win five of their last six games to finish with an 8-6 overall record. Graduation was tough on the Carey girls, but the team has a solid group of seniors and some young players with a ton of potential.

Carey competes in Nassau Conference B-III. Expect Sewanhaka to be among the teams battling for the conference’s lone playoff berth.

Coach Maura McNamara hopes her team will jell. “I guess you can say it’s a rebuilding year, but there’s definitely a lot of potential,” McNamara said. “We have veteran players, but there are also plenty of newcomers. The skill is there, but this is the first time a lot of these girls have played together. Once we become more familiar with one another, we’ll be very competitive.”

One of the newcomers is sophomore goalie Willow Helmkamp. While she’s new to the varsity, and relatively new to the position, Helmkamp clears the ball well, and is extremely eager to improve.

Helmkamp will have a slew of veterans defending her cage. Seniors Annemarie Brusca, Cecelia Morgan, and Cassie Smith form a strong defensive unit. The trio has played together for a multitude of years, and all have terrific game sense. Senior Steph DiPreta is a fast, athletic defender who can wear opponents down. McNamara expects big things in the back row from freshman Kasey Ilardi.

Senior Marisa Baccarella will handle face-offs for Carey. Baccarella is considered the leader in the midfield. She is strong at finding an open teammate and putting the ball in the cage. Four-year starter Daina Catanese is Carey’s go-to girl, Catanese has a fast, accurate shot, and figures to be among Carey’s top scorers. Senior Ericka Cruz and junior Jackie DelCiello will both contribute on offense.

One challenge will be working in a solid bunch of underclassmen. Sophomores Jamie Dahl, Alyssa Mayer and Hannah Mutum all have solid stick skills.

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@ Bethpage @ Friends Aca. @ Elmont South Side @ Lawrence Kennedy Garden City

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May 3rd 6th 10th 13th 16th

Jericho @ Oceanside @ New Hyde Park @ Wantagh @ Division

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GIRLS March 29th @ Roslyn

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April st1 5th 6th 11th 14th

G.N. North @ V.S. District Malv/ER @ West Hempstead @ G.N. South

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May 2nd 4th 7th 10th

@ Clarke @ Sewanhaka Glen Cove @ Elmont

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2:00 p.m.

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DAINA CATANESE GIULIANO BOVE

Photos by VICTORIA LODI

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

CLARKE

Schedule BOYS April

Newcomers to boost Rams’ offense Lady Rams defense equals offense

By STEVE SINISKI

A

1st 5th 9th 12th 15th 29th

s Clarke began preparing for the upcoming lacrosse season, two things were apparent. The offense was already rounding into midseason form and the Rams were going to get considerable production from an influx of JV players coming off an 11-3 campaign. "The junior class is very hungry," coach Tim O'Malley said. "They had a good year last year and realized they could play at this level."

The attack will be led by senior Connor Boalick, a three-year starter, and a trio of juniors — Shane Lavia, Anthony Gomes and Mike Martiello. Lavia and Gomes are strong finishers, with great instincts around the net, while Martiello is a bull rusher that also taps into his football experience on the field. "He's more of a setup guy," O'Malley said. "His vision is tremendous and [I'm] sure that's from playing quarterback. He's so calm on the field."

Clarke's attack will be supported by a large rotation of midfielders, including seniors Brandon Abbot, Kevin Schneider and Shane Questel. The three are expected to take on more of an offensive role, while junior Peter Rodriguez and sophomore T.J. Clappi are expected to cover both ends of the field. With 11 midfielders in all pushing for time, the Rams appear to be wellstocked for any style of play.

"I think we can be a blend of both," O'Malley said of playing ball control or up-tempo on offense. "We can slow it down and [use] our good stick skills, but we also have kids that can run."

The defense features three new starters, including junior Nick DiCamiello, whose size, footwork and instincts will have him locked on the opposition's top weapon. Senior Bobby West elevates from a reserve role to starter, while senior Tom King moves from midfield to the backline.

The Rams have a pair of juniors battling for the top spot in goal in Austin Peraza and Bryan Cullen, and the two are going to split time at the start.

W

Glen Cove @ Jericho Friends Aca. North Shore @ Island Trees @ Mineola

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May

ith three senior defenders and d a senior goalie entering her third d year as the varsity starter, it's no o surprise that coach Rick Aragona is goingg to use that talent and experience to hiss team's advantage. "I have enormous connfidence in the four we have now," he said. d.

"And whomever is added as the fifth, I havee [so much] confidence in the defensive unit it that I can just say to the attack 'go for thee goal and don't worry about getting back.'"

Michelle Daniell is the engine that at makes the defense go--and opposing offensses stop dead in their tracks. On top off being quick and athletic, the senior also o excels at intercepting passes and launchhing the ball downfield with long clears. s.

"Last year we won and lost a lot of gamess by one goal and she was a key factor forr us being in a lot of those games," Aragona a said.

Lining up in front of Daniell will be seniors Jelyssa Fuertes, Michele Colletti and Jeannie Mengel. Juniors Jamie LaRosa, Nicole Jrupe and Lisa Kenny are also vying for time on defense. "We're going to look to clear to the restrainingg lines where we have an enormous amount nt of speed," Aragona said. "We really want to o capitalize on our flat-out speed."

The midfield has a well-rounded blend of offensive and defensive specialists, including seniors Allie Knorr, Michelle Colvin and Kalene Dolan, junior Erica Sandorf and sophomores Nicolee Wahlig and Kristen Keller.

Junior Nicole Gibaldi finished seccond on the team in scoring last year and d returns to anchor the attack, getting suppport from senior Marie Cotter and speedy y junior Caroline Kosiba, who's developed a strong move to the cage.

The Lady Rams also have a trio off first-year seniors that have made the varrsity team in AnnMarie Zaccheo, Sarah Hlusko and Evelyn Yeung. "They are all athletes and I can see them contributing,"Aragona said.

Clarke enters the season ranked 10th out of 12 teams in Conference IV.

5th 7th 11th 14th 16th

@ Wheatley @ Locust Valley Floral Park @ Seaford @ C.S. Harbor

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3:30 p.m.

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3:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

GIRLS April 2nd 5th 7th 9th 14th 16th 26th

Mineola @ Locust Valley Carle Place @ Sewanhaka @ Friends Aca. Floral Park @ Seaford

10:00 a.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:45 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

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May 9th Island Trees 12th @ Wheatley

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4:45 p.m.

CONNOR BOALICK K NICOLE GIBALDI

Photos by RON MANFREDI

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March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

EAST MEADOW

Schedule April

Jets look to up playoff streak

By STEVE SINISKI

E

ast Meadow's looking to extend its recent run of playoff appearances — four straight —behind an offense that's showing early signs of being potent.

The midfield, in particular, returns largely intact led by senior Sean Hinchy, an AllCounty honoree, and juniors Chris Whitenack and Dylan Curry, both three-year starters.

"We want to keep things going," coach Barney Dell'Aquila said of the benefit of experience. "We're not making major changes with the offense and they know what they're doing."

Hinchy's knack for scooping ground balls, coupled with his ability make plays on both ends of the field makes him a major problem for teams to contend with.

"He's kind of a pest," Dell'Aquila said with a chuckle. "He's always out there around the ball."

Whitenack is a breakout candidate at a position with considerable talent and experience. Seniors Dom Fragiorgi and Rick Piket and juniors Chris Fuger and Nick Marinello are all part of the midfield rotation.

Senior attack Michael James and sophomore Chris Buschi both missed nearly all of last season due to injury but are healthy and back in the lineup. Freshman Bobby Bender is also hoping to have an impact on the offensive side of the field.

The defense is working in a few new faces, including Billy Andrle, though the compact freshman, a 5-foot-8, 210-pounder, has all the physical skills to be East Meadow's top defender. Junior Adam Suchocki, a two-year varsity player, returns, as does junior Andrew Lynch, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. As the backline gains experience, so too will goalie Ryan Borg, who started for the JV team last year.

Seeded ninth out of 17 teams in Conference I-A, the Jets will again square off against some of the top teams in Nassau County. Continuing the recent run of regular season success and playoff appear-

ances won't be easy, but East Meadow has shown early signs of focusing on a singular goal. "It's early, but it seems like they agree with what we want to do and are team-oriented," Dell'Aquila said.

Lady Jets tough to track down

S

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

peed and relentless energy are going to play key roles in the success of the Lady Jets in 2011. "We're pretty fast picking up ground balls and getting it upfield to the midfielders," coach Colleen een McMahon said. "And we also have a lot of speed there [at midfield], too."

Senior Vanessa DePasquale, e, an Honorable Mention All County goalie, e, played the part of brick wall last season, and the hope is to take some of the pressure re off of her and the defense this season. "She played excellent last season," McMahon on said, noting DePasquale's strength of being eing in good position. "We relied on her and nd she came up with great stops to keep us in n games."

Senior Katherine Masterson son will be one of the leaders on a defense nse that also includes junior Madison Youngg and speedy, but raw sophomore Nicolette Wilson and freshman Jaida Zabala.

Seniors Ryan Meyer and Jessica Widmann are the focal points at midfield and handle a variety of roles. Widmann, an All-New York State soccer player, layer, has a skill set that translates perfectly fectly to the lacrosse field. "She's everywhere here on the lacrosse field," McMahon said. "She's wherever we need her. She could run all day.

She's unselfish on offense and d aggressive going to the goal. She makes opportunities pportunities for everyone else."

Meyer, meanwhile, is expected ted to inherit a bigger portion of the goal-scoring scoring load but has also added a new dimension. ension. "Her defensive skills have really developed," McMahon said. "We're going to look for her more on the defensive side. e. She's good at anticipating passes and intercepting ntercepting passes."

Sophomores Emily Fitzsimmons mmons and

Jackie O'Leary are also expected to become bigger parts of the midfield mix along with junior Megan Cleary and sophomores Nicole Petrullo and Danielle Widmann.

Senior attack Charley Rottkamp figures to be a central figure around the net and will team with seniors Maryssa Dazzo and Ariana Ovadia in generating goals. Juniors Marissa Barrett and Kaitlyn McGuiness are part of the rotation at attack and freshmen Jenna Borresen and Kristina Sanicola have the talent and aggressiveness necessary to earn time.

1st 6th 9th 12th 15th 21st 26th 29th

Freeport @ Farmingdale Hempstead @ V.S. District Oceanside Division @ Syosset @ Herricks

4:15 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

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May 4th 6th 11th 17th

@ Baldwin Mepham MacArthur Massapequa

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

GIRLS March 29th Calhoun

4:30 p.m.

April 5th 7th 12th 29th

@ Hempstead Baldwin V.S. District @ Freeport

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

May 2nd @ MacArthur 5th Long Beach 11th @ Plainview-JFK

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ELMONT

Schedule BOYS March 30th Lawrence

Spartans have postseason on minds junior Ben Odugbesan will both be solid contributors on attack. Junior Brandon Brown and senior Akeem White round out a talented unit.

By ANDREW McCLURE

I

t’s been some time since Elmont earned a playoff berth. In fact, the last time the Spartans played a postseason game, coach James Carretta was a junior midfielder. Despite a conference that includes Garden City, Wantagh, South Side, and Carey, Carretta believes the playoff drought could end at 15 years.

“Anything short of a first-round playoff game will be a disappointment,” Carretta said. “We have an extremely hard-working group that deserves to reap some rewards.

They’ve put a lot of time into making this season a big one. The sky is the limit.”

One of the reasons for the coach’s optimism is senior goalie Peter Penalvert, a four-year starter and All-Conference recipient in 2010. Penalvert has terrific reflexes, and does an outstanding job of getting the Spartans into transition. Carretta believes the play of his netminder will have a big impact on Elmont’s level of success.

Senior close defender David Martinez is the team’s best stick-handling defender, and is terrific on ground balls. Senior Michael Morris is an intense, physical one-on-one defender. Senior Richardson Johnson will be asked to take on the opponent’s top attacker. Johnson has size and strength, and is solid on ground balls.

Senior Fernando Cruz provides depth.

At midfield, senior Kevin Johnson is an intelligent, athletic performer who typically sees the plays go through him. Expectations are high for Qusarn Caldwell. The junior middie controls the offense and can find the back of the net. Junior Kyle Johnson is Elmont’s most athletic player. He is a versatile player who can play both offense and defense. Senior Isaiah Jackson is a tough, offensive-minded midfielder.

Other midfielders who will contribute are senior Mustafa Allanah and sophomore Daniel Crawford. Junior face-off specialist Nikai Carter should be tough to beat on draws.

On attack, senior Kevin Figueroa, an All-Conference honoree, has a knack for finding the net. Senior Eustace Camal and

April

defense is going to have to set the tone. We have some very aggressive, determined players.”

1st 8th 13th 16th 21st 27th 30th

@ West Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

Carey 4:30 p.m. @ Jericho 4:30 p.m.

Malv/ER 10:30 a.m.

Kennedy 10:30 a.m. @ Mepham 4:30 p.m.

New Hyde Park 2:00 p.m.

Defense to lead way for Lady Spartans

May

T

5th 7th 10th 13th 16th

he Elmont girls lost a slew of nailbiters in 2010 and finished at 5-7 in conference play. The Lady Spartans will compete in Conference C-2 with New Hyde Park and Bethpage expected to be among the top teams. Second-year coach Anna Cesarano-Limitone hopes bounces will go her team’s way in 2011.

“We had some very disappointing losses last season,” Cesarano-Limitone said. “A couple of plays go our way, and we’re in the playoffs. I think our defense should be a real strength this season. If we can get where we need to be on offense, I’m optimistic that we can be very competitive.”

The defensive unit is led by senior cover point Janelle Broome. She’s outstanding close to the cage, and does a terrific job at picking up ground balls.

Broome has tremendous speed, which she uses to get the Lady Spartans into transition without an outlet pass. Senior Kai Miller is an outstanding complement to Broome on defense. What Miller lacks in size, she makes up with aggressive play. Junior Goldie Harrison is about as versatile as it gets. She’s a strong defender who can run the field and find the back of the net.

Senior Chazaray Odom, who will handle the face-offs for Elmont, has improved at all aspects of her game and will be looked upon for leadership. Senior attack wing Chelsea Graham is an unselfish player who can score, but loves to set up teammates. Senior Brenda Lubin moves the ball well and can finish. Two sophomores with a lot of potential are Cindie Moreno and Faith Barrow-Hunte. In goal, senior Malasia Brown does a terrific job of figuring out opponent’s tendencies.

Cesarano-Limitone, who is assisted by Kemola Webster, is optimistic. “We’re a work in progress, but I think we’re moving in the right direction,” she said. “The

4:30 p.m.

V.S. District @ Herricks @ Roslyn @ Division G.N. South

4:30 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

GIRLS March 31th Freeport

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April 8th 14th 17th 22nd 24th 26th 28th

@ Mepham G.N. South @ Valley Stream Hempstead @ Sewanhaka Wheatley @ Glen Cove

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4:30 p.m.

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10:00 a.m.

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May 3rd @ Hewlett 6th Malv/ER 8th @ Plainview-JFK

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

PETER PENALVERTT

JANELLE BROOME

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8

9

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

FREEPORT

Schedule April

Red Devils set sights on playoffs

By ANDREW McCLURE

A

fter missing the Nassau Class A boys’ lacrosse playoffs for each of the past three seasons, the Red Devils will look to follow in the footsteps of the football and basketball teams and return to the postseason.

Coach Harry Mohrman is working with a blend of veterans and newcomers eager to win games. “I think we’re going to be better than a 13-seed,” said Mohrman, referring to Freeport’s ranking among the 17 Class A schools. “We’ve got some talent and the chemistry looks good so far.”

The attack features junior Evan Lapice, who will be used in different parts of the field and brings speed, intensity and toughness. “The football guys called him a little Chihuahua,” Mohrman said. Senior Justin Slaton and junior Tucker Williams are stepping into bigger roles up front and will try to make defenders pay for clamping down on Lapice. Slaton is one of the team’s most improved players according to the coach.

In the midfield, senior Greg Foster is a potential scorer who always plays steady on the defensive end, junior Maurice Irby is a Lapice clone and will see some time on attack, and junior Devin Minott has what it takes to develop into a major factor.

Mohrman likes the depth, athleticism and confidence the Red Devils possess on defense. Senior Rob Morales is the main holdover from last season and will benefit from past experiences. Fellow seniors Phil Stevenson, Oscar Bruce and Dan Olivier bolster the quickness and size of the group.

Freeport has as many as five players capable of serving as the goalie. Senior Steve Rowan, who was pressed into action last spring after the starter and backup suffered injuries, tops the depth chart in 2011. “Steve learned the position on the fly last year and did well,” Mohrman said.

“He worked hard during the offseason to get better.” Senior Terrell Brown, an AllLong Island lineman on the gridiron, will also see action between the pipes.

1st 6th 9th 12th 26th

Lady Red Devils seek return to prominence

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May

D

espite falling short of a playoff berth, Freeport was one of the hotter teams in the county in the second half of the 2010 season. The Lady Devils are hopeful that they can pick up where they left off. Freeport will compete in Conference A-II with the likes of Long Beach, Syosset, Oceanside and East Meadow.

Coach Danielle Ballard hopes her team is ready to take another step toward building the program back to where it was when it won a county title in 1992. “It can only happen if the girls become lacrosse players and not just girls who play lacrosse,” Ballard said. “We’re hungry to restore the program. We need the girls to take their skills and aggressiveness to the next level.”

Four-year starter Oludayisi Olutulaja returns in goal net for the Lady Devils.

Olutulaja kept her team in many games in 2010 and is considered the team’s backbone. The 2010 All-County honoree, and one of the team’s four captains, is very strong at clearing the ball and finding open teammates.

The Freeport defense is led by senior captain Katherine Bellafiore. A strong complement to Bellafiore is junior Monique Jones. Both are quick on their feet and terrific in transition. Junior Deon Edionwe was one of the biggest surprises a season ago. Ballard believes the sky is the limit for Edionwe.

Junior Lindsey Lee is another fleetfooted player who is strong at moving the ball up the field. Sophomore Ashley Gomes has star potential. Gomes is aggressive on both sides of the field, and has the ability to score. Senior captain Gina Mazzola, a four-year starter, will handle the face-offs for the Lady Devils. Mazzola will need to look to score more in 2011.

Senior captain Gina Sparaco will once again be the go-to girl for Freeport. Sparaco, an All-Conference recipient, is a versatile player who gets it done on the defensive end. Sophomore Elena Sparaco is terrific in the crease and a strong passer.

@ East Meadow Hempstead V.S. District Massapequa Herricks

4th 6th 11th 14th 17th

@ MacArthur @ Glen Cove @ Uniondale Oceanside @ Calhoun

7:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:15 p.m.

GIRLS March 31st @ Plainview-JFK

4:15 p.m.

April 6th 8th 13th 15th 20th 29th

@ Hewlett MacArthur @ Oceanside Herricks @ Elmont East Meadow

4:30 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

12:00 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

May 2nd Hempstead 5th @ V.S. District 11th Herricks

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GINA SPARACI

EVAN LAPICE

Photos by RON MANFREDI

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LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

HEWLETT

Schedule BOYS March

Bulldogs in line for late boost and Spyro Messados, along with freshman Mike Rubino, make for solid depth in the back.

By TONY BELLISSIMO

W

ith its entire starting attack back in the fold and the potential to be reinvented at midfield late in the season when two standouts could return from injury, it would be no surprise if Hewlett peaks just in time for Nassau Class B playoffs.

The Bulldogs, coming off a 10-win season and ranked second in Conference B-II, will be without junior middies Sam Martorella and Adam Betesh for at least the first month of the season. Both underwent surgery after suffering knee injuries during football season.

“Every year it seems like we deal with tough injuries,” coach Chris Passuello said. “Sam and Adam are rehabbing nicely and doing everything they can to get back on the field. I still like our team and I’m cautiously optimistic we’ll have them at some point in May.” Fortunately, the Bulldogs appear deep at midfield with seniors Josh Rivlin and Jon Alfieri, junior long pole Mark Rizzo, sophomore Zach Richman, and talented freshman Kevin Fuchs. “All our midfielders move, pass and catch very well,” Passuello said.

Rizzo, an All-County selection already with North Carolina on his college radar, will be a force wherever he plays and could see time at in-close defense. He’s more than capable of popping in a goal as well. Rivlin and Richman scored 10 and three goals, respectively, a year ago, Fuchs brings lots of upside, and Alfieri will spell Martorella on face-offs and help lead the effort on groundballs.

Up front, junior Michael Gray (22 goals, 20 assists in 2010) and seniors Jake Geiger (10, 15) and Chris Loria (17 goals) work well as a unit and individually. Richman and freshman Gio Pugliese will also contribute.

Defensively, Rizzo, senior Landon Acriche and junior Jared Brent lead the charge in front of goalies Josh Levy and Mike Fine. Levy, a senior, was the varsity backup last spring, and Fine, a junior, was the JV starter. Seniors Alex Kahn, Niv Sultan

Lady Bulldogs remain on the rise

C

oach Rosemarie D’Ambrosio has built the Lady Bulldogs’ program from the ground-up and is looking oking for it to continue to grow. The district trict has fielded teams at all three levels ls — varsity, JV and middle school — since nce 2009 and are armed with 70 players this his spring.

Coming off a nine-win win varsity season without a senior on its roster, Hewlett is ranked 14th out of 22 Class B teams and will compete in Conference nce B-II along with Lynbrook, Roslyn, Bethpage, hpage, New Hyde Park, Kennedy and Mepham. pham. “We’ve come a long way,” D’Ambrosio o said. “The feeder program is going strong ng and we’ve got a community of girls who ho are passionate and motivated about lacrosse.” rosse.”

Senior Dani Kandel picked ked up the sport quickly a few years back ck and became an instant two-way threatt in the midfield, where she’ll lead the way along with freshmen Val DeNapoli li and Sam DiSalvo. “Dani’s a late bloomer mer who contributes so much to each end of the field,” D’Ambrosio said.

DeNapoli, who controls ntrols the center, comes from a talented lacrosse acrosse family and has all the skills. She’ss tough to beat on draws, can put the ball in the back of the net and set up teammates tes to do the same.

“Val goes 100 percent alll the time and is a weapon at both ends,” D’Ambrosio said.

DeNapoli and junior attack ack Jen Rogoff will be no strangers to the score core sheet. “Jen is one of our best scorers and has grown as a player and leader,” the coach noted. Freshman Emily Cohen is thee frontrunner to start at attack with Rogoff. off.

D’Ambrosio is looking ng for the defense to be improved and take some pressure off thee goal scorers. “It’s our best st g roup of defenders in three years,” she said, referring to juniors Melissa

29th @ Long Beach

7:00 p.m.

April Usdan and Gaby Green, sophomores Cori Hoberman and Ali Soskel, and freshman Ally Geiger.

In goal, junior Meri Oshrain brings three years of experience, solid all-around skills and vocal leadership. “She hangs tough back there,” D’Ambrosio said.

1st 5th 8th 13th 23rd 27th

@ South Side Kennedy Wheatley @ Glen Cove Mepham @ Lynbrook

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

May 3rd 9th 10th 13th 16th

Bethpage @ Manhasset @ G.N. North Plainedge Sewanhaka

5:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS April 1st 4th 6th 12th 15th 20th 28th 30th

@ Island Trees Roslyn Freeport New Hyde Park @ Lynbrook @ Herricks @ Bethpage @ Oceanside

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

May 2nd @ Kennedy 11th Mepham

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

MARK RIZZO DANI KANDEL

Photos by SUSAN GRIECO

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

KENNEDY

Schedule April

Cougars deal with early adversity

By STEVE SINISKI

sophomore Dan Hartman.

"The [team] attitude has been awesome," Papach said, noting Kennedy has made three straight playoff appearances.

"We've won 28 games over the last three years and don't want to take a step backward."

Speed, improving skills key Lady Cougars

B

acked by returning experience on every level of the field, the Lady Cougars are hoping to snap a string of five straight raight seasons without a playoff appearance. arance.

Senior midfielder Morgan Kitton on and senior midfielder/attack Kayleigh Grieser are focal points on the offense, which ich will also feature considerable contributions butions from senior Sam Rothery. Throw in the return of senior Nicole Insardi and sophomore Kerri Baum, and the five soccer er players have a special on-field bond that at could give them a leg up.

"They all play soccer together and are able to communicate without being ng verbal," coach Keri Andree said. "They hey can just give a look to each other and d know what's going on."

Baum, Insardi and freshman n Sara Rothery have already helped give Kennedy ennedy different looks, because the three aree quick to the ball and opposing players on the defensive wing. For Baum, the switch ch from attack happened on a whim after Andree noticed her quickness and mental strength trength while playing on the defensive end for the varsity basketball team.

"So many girls play so many different ifferent positions and understand the game ame so well," Andree said. "We're trying not to push the speed when it's not really y there and work on stick skills so we don't have to rely on our legs so much."

Sophomore Melissa Esposito is also part of the rotation at midfield, while senior Courtney Burdowski and sophomores Sheila Hernon and Mara Gerlack are slated to handle the defensive duties.

Hernon's the most physical of thee three, and Burdowski has become thee go-to player on the defensive side of thee field.

Gerlack slides to the back row after seeing time at midfield. "We're focusing a lot on defense," Andree said. "They've really pulled together a lot faster than they thought they would."

Sophomore Lee Kraut is the last line of defense, and her fearlessness is a major asset. "She's not afraid of the ball," Andree said. "She doesn't shy away from it, and she's got a big voice so we're looking for her to really work with the defense."

1st 5th 8th 13th 16th 20th 21st 27th

North Shore @ Hewlett G.N. South New Hyde Park Sewanhaka @ Carey @ Elmont South Side

4:30 p.m.

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10:30 a.m.

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May 10th @ Jericho 13th Garden City 16th @ Wantagh

4:30 p.m.

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GIRLS March 29th G.N. South

4:30 p.m.

April 9th @ Lynbrook 28th Roslyn 30th @ Bethpage

2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

May 2nd Hewlett 6th @ Mepham 10th New Hyde Park

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4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

WILL DIANA

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ennedy's been forced to do a considerable amount of moving and shaking on the lacrosse field during the early stages of the 2011 season due to an unfortunate string of injuries that has impacted the team. "We've just got to find a way to get everyone ready for game play," coach Craig Papach said, noting that the issue isn't talent-based, but rather building a chemistry among the players. "I think we have the ingredients, it's just going to take a little longer."

The defense for the Cougars, seeded seventh in Conference B-I, returns senior Will Diana, an Honorable Mention All-County close defender, along with classmates John Nantz and Patrick Coons, both four-year program players. Sophomores Brandon Klein and Nicholas DiGangi are also part of the mix. "[Will] is excellent on faceoffs, led the team in ground balls and is a good creator in offensive transition," Papach said. "He's also going to cover the [opponent's] best player, regardless of position."

Senior Patrick Grillo returns to his post between the posts as the starting goalie, though junior Alex Naftal, continues to push the incumbent in practice much the same as last season.

The domino effect of player movement began in the winter when sophomore transfer Jake Greenberg was lost for the season due to injury and continued when senior attack Zac Shuldiner was hobbled early in camp. When Shuldiner, coming of a team-high 30-goal campaign, is set to return, he will ultimately handle more responsibility.

Junior attack Matthew Gavigan is a returning starter, while senior Andrew Brancato is a good catch-and-shoot finisher and strong player inside.

In Greenberg's absence, sophomores Chris Racalbuto and Christopher Jones will assume larger roles on the first line along with junior Keith Safon. The second unit includes senior Kevin Carr, juniors Nick Mercurio and Lucas Gerrato and

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

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March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

12

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

LACROSSE SEEDING

Nassau County Boys

Nick Sherry Oceanside Photo by Ron Manfredi

CONFERENCE A-I CONFERENCE B-I CONFERENCE B-II CONFERENCE C-IV 1.

2.

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Farmingdale Syosset Massapequa Hicksville Oceanside Long Beach Baldwin Port Washington East Meadow Plainview-JFK MacArthur Calhoun Freeport Uniondale Herricks Valley Stream Hempstead

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Garden City Wantagh South Side Division Carey Roslyn Bellmore-JFK Mepham Jericho Great Neck South New Hyde Park Elmont

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Manhasset Hewlett Bethpage Lynbrook Plainedge Glen Cove Sewanhaka Wheatley Malverne/East Rock.

Great Neck North Lawrence West Hempstead

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Cold Spring Harbor Friends Academy Locust Valley Seaford Floral Park Mineola North Shore Clarke Island Trees Oyster Bay

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

LACROSSE SEEDING

Nassau County Girls

Erin Guerrero West Hempstead Photo by Ron Manfredi

CONFERENCE A-I CONFERENCE B-I 1.

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Farmingdale Massapequa Calhoun Port Washington Oceanside Syosset Hicksville Baldwin

CONFERENCE A-II 1.

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MacArthur Long Beach East Meadow Plainview-JFK Herricks Freeport Valley Stream Hempstead

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Garden City Manhasset Wantagh South Side Plainedge Division Jericho

CONFERENCE B-II 1.

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Lynbrook Roslyn Bethpage New Hyde Park Bellmore-JFK Mepham Hewlett

CONFERENCE B-III 1.

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Sewanhaka Glen Cove Carey Elmont Great Neck North Great Neck South Malverne/East Rock.

West Hempstead

CONFERENCE C-IV 1.

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Cold Spring Harbor North Shore Mineola Friends Academy Carle Place Locust Valley Floral Park Seaford

CONFERENCE C-IV continued

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Island Trees Clarke Wheatley Oyster Bay

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

LAWRENCE

Golden Tornadoes to set foundation

By MIKE CAPUTO

L

awrence is no stranger to championships. The football team has cemented itself as one of the county’s most successful programs and the boys’ basketball team recently played in the Nassau Class A title game.

Though the same can’t be said about the lacrosse program — not yet anyway — first-year coach Randy Mills aims to continue the school’s quest to build a winning culture for the boys who hit the field each spring.

Mills, also an assistant football coach, expressed confidence that his young lacrosse squad can improve on its two-win season in 2010, and continue to build a contender.

“I really think we’ll be able to completely turn it around and get the ball rolling,” said Mills, a high school football and lacrosse star who graduated from Freeport in 2003. “We’re not going to be the most finesse team, but we are going to be a hardworking scrappy team.”

Being Lawrence’s roster is smaller than most teams — 20 currently on varsity, major contributors like returning junior Chris Donohue won’t see much of the sidelines, if at all. Donohue, a midfielder who led the Golden Tornadoes with 36 goals last year, will play a major role on both ends of the field.

“He’s going to be a do-everything guy,” Mills said. “His rest will come when the quarter is over and at halftime. He needs to be on the field at all times.”

Joining Donohue as a midfielder is junior Kenneth Gutierrez, who provides speed and versatility. Gutierrez’s efficiency at alluding defenders makes him even more of an offensive threat. “He’s shifty, he’s quick and he can dodge from up top,” Mills said. “Hopefully he can create offense and assists up top.

Another speedy threat on attack is junior Ron Hirshberg, who should play a larger role this season. Dominick Saldutti, also a junior, provides size up front — just as he did for the football team. Saldutti,

who played center on the gridiron, provides an imposing presence as a 6-foot-two, 240-pound attacker. “He’ll catch and score for us around the crease and do the dirty work,” Mills said.

Another recruit from the football team, sophomore phomore Kenny Perez, should provide a high level of athleticism and physicality on the defensive end. Though Mills described scribed Perez as “raw,” he said the sophomore’s phomore’s hard work and talent should ould make him a solid contributor as a lacrosse acrosse player.

Schedule BOYS March 30th @ Elmont 1th 6th 9th 13th 15th 27th 30th 3rd 10th 13th 16th

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Mills has one problem at the goalie position, but nott one that a coach minds — too o many options. The three juniors who ho are competing to man the net are Brandon andon Helicher, Derek Jacobs and Sem Doll. ll. Mills said that each goalie candidate te brings a unique element to the field.

“Goalie oalie is one of the areas I’m not worried about,” out,” Mills said. “We have three guys who ho can compete, and each of them brings something mething different.”

Lawrence starts the season with seven straight aight road games, including a date with No. o. 3 Bethpage on April 9. Mills said he believes lieves his team can win a minimum of fivee games, if not more. “By the end of the year,” ar,” he said, “We can probably surprise some me people.”

We offer:

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@ Mepham 4:30 p.m. @ Roslyn 4:45 p.m. @ Bethpage 10:00 a.m. @ Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.

Carey 4:30 p.m.

Malv/ER 4:30 p.m. @ West Hempstead 1:00 p.m.

May

Wishing All Nassau County School Teams A Successful Season!

EN R W

4:30 p.m.

April

Photos by RON MANFREDI

LA

March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

14

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

LONG BEACH

Schedule 29th Hewlett

Marines’ defense tough to crack

L

ong Beach has tasted a playoff victory in each of coach Jim Kaspar’s five previous years, and 2011 should be no different despite a return to Nassau Class A. “We want to finish higher than where we got seeded,” said Kaspar, whose Marines are ranked sixth in the 17-team Conference A-I after reaching the Class B quarterfinals last season. “Our starting defense is back and has looks outstanding in practice drills,” he added. “Those guys will keep us in games and we’ll hope to get balanced scoring.”

Between the starting in-close defense of juniors Kris Horvath, Joe Brand and Alec Salvadore and senior long pole defender Ben Weiss, Kaspar said it’s the best group of four backliners he’s coached in more than 25 years. “They’re all athletic with great hands and stamina,” Kaspar said.

“The experience they gained last year was huge. I’m expecting big things from all of them.”

Filling the shoes of former All-County goalie Eddie Collins is juniors George Ambrosin and Mike Rourke. “They rotated between the varsity and JV last year and worked hard to improve,” Kaspar said.

“It’s not going to be a weak point. It’s a good situation and both kids could play equally. We’ll see how it goes.”

In addition to Weiss, the Marines employ sophomore Jake Brown at long pole and force opponents to make quick decisions with the ball. When Long Beach gains possession, midfielders Jake Shapiro, Connor Sofield, Matt Sheehan, Damon Whitfield and James Forkin will make it tough for the competition to keep pace. Of the five, Whitfield is the only senior. Shapiro, a junior, gets the nod on face-offs.

Sofield could slide up front to boost the attack. Junior Joe Radin is a proven scorer (35 goals in 2010) with a lefty shot, and the finesse of senior Sean Bogard makes for a nice balancing act. Junior Tom Hamlet is capable of doing more damage with some varsity experience under his belt.

“We need to beat a few teams seeded above us to reach our goal,” Kaspar said.

Lady Marines eye playoff spot

A

10-win season wasn’t enough for the Lady Marines to qualify for the playoffs last spring, but the return of nine starters makes coach Rachel Ray optimistic the next step can be achieved.

“We did really well last year despite missing the playoffs by one game,” Ray said. “We have a special group of seniors and more depth across the board.

Making the playoffs would mean n a lot.

Expectations are high.”

Long Beach is part of Conference ence A-2, ranked second behind MacArthur hur and ahead of East Meadow, Plainview-JFK, ew-JFK, Herricks, Freeport, Valley Stream eam and Hempstead.

Though extremely young on the he defensive side of the field, experience and nd talent isn’t lacking. There’s a good chance nce four sophomores — Hayley Kosiner, Molly olly Martin, Kirsten Horvath and Katherine ine Meyers — will work the defensive end nd at the same time most of the time. “Hayley yley and Molly not only defend well, but they hey push the ball up the field and start ourr transition,” Ray said. “Kirsten and Katherine atherine are up from JV and showing a lot in practice. They fit right into our style.”

Depending on the day, the Lady Marines will also feature a sophomore between ween the goalposts. Elyse Stark is developing ping fast and ready to share responsibilities ies with returning starter Allie Kaplan, a senior who was a key piece of last year’ss puzzle.

“They’ll share time at the beginning ning and we’ll see what happens down thee road,” Ray said.

Defenders at the other end will ll experience their share of headaches trying rying to contain senior Emily McLoughlin in & Co. McLoughlin, Long Beach’s leading ng scorer a year ago, is the offensive point nt guard who can put the ball on teammates’’ sticks ti k and past goalies. Sophomore Jill Piazza

and junior Aileen Denis can find the net as well.

Freshman Liz Rourke will contribute to the offense from the center-midfield position and play a vital role on draws. She joins a pair of key contributors in senior Kadee Medrano and junior Tricia Murphy.

7:00 p.m.

April 1st 9th 13th 15th 18th 21st 26th 29th

Massapequa Port Washington @ Plainview-JFK Uniondale Foothill (Ca.) Lynbrook Calhoun @ Hicksville

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May 4th 11th 14th 17th

@ Oceanside Syosset @ V.S. District @ Farmingdale

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GIRLS March 30th Massapequa

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April 2nd 7th 8th 12th 14th 18th 20th 29th

Deer Park 11:00 a.m.

St. John The Baptist 4:15 p.m.

Hempstead 4:30 p.m. @ Herricks 4:30 p.m.

Hicksville 4:30 p.m. @ Bethpage 11:00 p.m.

Locust Valley 10:00 a.m. @ V.S. District 4:30 p.m.

May 2nd 5th 7th 10th

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN

Plainview-JFK @ East Meadow @ Floral Park MacArthur

4:15 p.m.

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2:00 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

BEN WEISS

Photos by VICTORIA LODI

Let’s Mari Go nes!

455571

By TONY BELLISSIMO

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS March

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

LYNBROOK

Schedule BOYS March 29th Farmingdale

Defense key to success for Owls they find the cage consistently, the semifinals will be on the Owls’ radar again.

By TONY BELLISSIMO

L

ynbrook returns only three starters from a team that came up short against Wantagh in a Nassau Class B semifinal playoff game, but the Owls are far from lacking in varsity experience and figure to give opponents headaches if the offense proves up to snuff.

“We lost about 90 percent of our goals and my biggest concern is how we’re going to replace all the offense,” coach Bill Leighley said. “The competition is always tough.

We’ve got a great group of kids and they’re going to work hard and prepare as well as they can for every game.”

With senior Connor Daly leading a deep group of defenders, and seniors Victor Bergman and Joe Parry working as long pole midfielders, getting to senior goaltender Ethan Mirenberg won’t be easy.

Daly comes off an honorable mention AllCounty campaign and was a major part of the football team’s Long Island championship run. Senior Kyle Zalenka brings tremendous athleticism alongside Daly, while senior Dan Deutsch and junior Cory Yaeger provide Leighley with two solid options at the other in-close spot. Also contributing to the back line will be senior Andrew Schaefer and juniors Brandon Peresiper and Johnny Emmerich.

Leighley said he likes the confidence Mirenberg is displaying in practice. The backup goalie last spring, Mirenberg has soft hands and an excellent outlet pass.

“He’s seeing the ball well and doing great,” Leighley noted. Junior Jake Siciliano serves as the backup.

In the midfield, the top pair can fly with anyone. Senior Mike Kozlakowski, who’ll play football at Maine, can be an offensive force and will handle most draws, and junior Luke Spitzer (15 goals) has all the tools and does it all. Senior Andrew Mehr is ready to contribute more as a starter and depth is provided by seniors Mike King and Chris King.

The starting attack is comprised of seniors Steve Marrandino and Bryan Hoorwitz and junior Anthony Rainone. If

Lady Owls top seed in B-II

April 1st 5th 8th 13th 21st 27th 30th

lyn, Bethpage, New Hyde Park, Kennedy, Mepham and Hewlett. “We want to start games fast, which is something we didn’t do all the time last year,” Tetro said. “Our goal is to win the con- ference.”

U

nproven butt talented players stepping into bigger igger roles will be one of the keys for the Lady Owls to up their consecutive tive playoff streak to 10 years under coach h Vinny Tetro, who had to replace a large chunk hunk of the midfield and standout goalie Mary ary Magilligan.

“Our strength h is going to be attack,” Tetro said. “We should hould be able to put the ball in the net with consistency. Even though we graduated ated a bunch of starters, we have girls who o got better as last year went on and they’re re ready to step up.”

Senior attacks Nicole Pataky and Julie Wigand are likely to be the focus of defenders and an unfriendly endly sight for goaltenders. Pataky comes mes off a 2010 campaign that saw her score re 55 goals and assist on 20 others. “Nicole le had a huge breakout year,” Tetro said. d. “She’s a great dodger and finisher. If teams ams try to shut her down, we’re balanced enough ough to still do damage.”

Wigand, who had d more than 50 points, is a playmaker behind ehind the cage, and the speed of junior Kacey Carter makes her an asset up front as well as in the midfield where she’ll spark rk the transition game.

Junior Carrie Feltkamp tkamp is a vital part of a revamped midfield ld and brings leadership and the ability to win face-offs.

On the defensive ive side, freshman Sarah Chyrwiski takes es over between the pipes and needs only varsity experience to go with a solid skill set. She’ll operate perate behind a defense led by three hree seniors — her older sister, Jill, Megan McCarthy and Jessica Valentino — and sophomore Taylor Simeone. Jill Chyrwiski rwiski is the unit’s vocal leader, while Simeone eone will get the toughest assignment each game.

The Lady Owls ls are ranked at the top of Conference B-II, -II, which includes Ros-

4:30 p.m.

Friends Aca. @ South Side @ Glen Cove @ Manhasset @ Long Beach Hewlett @ Bethpage

4:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

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May 3rd 6th 10th 13th 16th

G.N. North Floral Park @ Wheatley West Hempstead Plainedge

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5:30 p.m.

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4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS March 29th Glen Cove

4:30 p.m.

April 1st 4th 6th 9th 11th 13th 15th 18th 27th

@ Plainview-JFK 4:30 p.m. @ New Hyde Park 4:30 p.m. @ Oceanside 7:00 p.m.

Kennedy 2:00 p.m.

Plainedge 4:30 p.m.

Floral Park 4:30 p.m.

Hewlett 4:15 p.m.

Division 10:00 a.m. @ Mepham 4:15 p.m.

May 3rd Bethpage 4th @ Roslyn 12th @ Sewanhaka

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

CONNOR DALY NICOLE PATAKY

Photos by JEFF WILSON

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March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

By ANDREW McCLURE

youth and depth to the roster are sophomore Jessica Mele, and freshmen Rebecca Ingenito and Halle Johnson.

T

he Lady Rockin’ Mules won just three games in 2010, but many of the losses were by three or fewer goals. With another year of experience under nder their belts, the Rockin’ Mules should hould be a tough opponent for Conference ence B-2 foes. Among the opponents Malverne/East erne/East Rockaway will face are Sewanhaka, ka, Carey, Elmont, Mepham, and West Hempstead. pstead.

First-year coach Nicole Beauford auford is optimistic that her team will jelll as a unit and get better as the year goes along. “We have six seniors who have been n playing together for four years, so we’ve got some experience,” Beauford said. “There’s ere’s a lot of speed and talent, but we need d to figure out where each girl will be mostt successful. It’s a work in progress, but I’m m excited about the season.” Beauford is assisted ssisted by Kim Rossi.

Junior Rosemary Vargas will ill handle the net-minding duties for Malverne/East erne/East Rockaway. The Rockin’ Mules will ill look to set the tone on the defensive end,, and Vargas will be a big cog when it comes es to clearing the zone and getting the team m started in transition.

The defensive unit is led by y seniors Becca Alvarez, Toni Michaels, s, Jessica Rojas, Dyondra Wilson and juniorr Rebecca Canales. Beauford is confidentt that the Rockin’ Mules will have a defensive nsive unit that can lock down opponents.

Seniors Alexa Germany and d Sydney Johnson, who are cousins, are a pair of four-year players with speed and nd agility.

Johnson is solid on the draw, and nd Germany should fill up the net. Juniors rs Kaitlin Robinson, Cathy Doodnauth, sophomore ophomore Stefani Ortiz, and senior Ie Vega a will also look to get to the cage and finish. sh. Expect big things from sophomore Taylorr Cussen.

Returnees Danielle Hinds, Nikki ki Roeill, Brittny Willis, and newcomerss Shannon Cummings, Rasheeda Mendenndenhall and Aaliyah Smith provide vide more speed at midfield. Adding ing

March 30th Lawrence

4:30 p.m.

April 1st 8th 13th 16th 21st 27th 30th

@ West Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

Carey 4:30 p.m. @ Jericho 4:30 p.m.

Malv/ER 10:30 a.m.

Kennedy 10:30 a.m. @ Mepham 4:30 p.m.

New Hyde Park 2:00 p.m.

May 5th 7th 10th 13th 16th

V.S. District @ Herricks @ Roslyn @ Division G.N. South

4:30 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

GIRLS March 31th Freeport

10:00 a.m.

April 8th 14th 17th 22nd 24th 26th 28th

@ Mepham G.N. South @ Valley Stream Hempstead @ Sewanhaka Wheatley @ Glen Cove

4:30 p.m.

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1:00 p.m.

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10:00 a.m.

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May 3rd @ Hewlett 6th Malv/ER 8th @ Plainview-JFK

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

ALEXA GERMANY

BILLY DEY

Photos by SUSAN GRIECO

Good Luck to the Rockin’ Mules Lacrosse Team!

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he Malverne/East Rockaway boys’ lacrosse team had a very respectable 7-8 record in 2010 with a slew of underclassmen. With a senior-laden roster returning, it should battle for a playoff berth. The team will compete in Nassau Conference B-2 with the likes of Manhasset, Bethpage, West Hempstead, Great Neck North, and Sewanhaka.

Coach Mike Whalen believes this could be a big year for Malverne/East Rockaway. “We have a lot of experience on the offensive end, and a nucleus of players who have had success at the junior varsity level,” Whalen said. “We’re going to need the younger guys to mature, and the seniors to provide leadership. It’s really a matter of the guys buying into what we’re teaching. If they stick to the team-first approach, we should be pretty successful.

The goal is to pick up a playoff berth.”

Three experienced midfielders will lead Malverne/East Rockaway. Seniors Niguel Williams, Lionel Matthews, and Brian DeMott are all talented with the stick, and figure to control the flow of the game. All three are solid on defense, and do all of the small things it takes for a team to be successful.

Senior attackman Brendan Cross will be one of the go-to guys for Malverne/ East Rockaway. The team will also get back two players who sat out their junior seasons with injuries. Seniors Matt Fuller and Jessie Gillespie should both be big contributors on the offensive end. Both have tremendous lacrosse IQ and are capable of finding the back of the net. Others who will look to contribute are Sean O'Hara, Marlon Johnson, and Dwayne LaCroix.

The defense is talented, yet young and inexperienced. Senior goalie Billy Dey should take the pressure off the unit which figures to be defense by committee.

Junior John Campbell is an aggressive defender who likes to mix it up. He’s joined

by Anthony Lovelace, Myles Mays Fletcher, Adam Reicherter, Quinn Neideckar, and Saad Rana.

Lady Rockin’ Mules should be improved

BOYS

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

MALVERNE/EAST ROCKAWAY Rockin’ Mules seek playoff berth

Schedule

March 31, 2011 — LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

18

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

MEPHAM

Schedule BOYS April

Pirates eye surge forward

By STEVE SINISKI

A

fter showing glimpses of potential throughout most of last season, Mepham is striving for consistency, and in the end, a solid improvement in the win column. "We want to keep it simple, do the little things well and keep turnovers to a minimum," coach James Koester said.

"Certainly we might be a little better possession team than last year."

The defense returns a pair of key pieces in seniors Chris Shevins and Brian Monks.

Shevins is a physical, experienced defender and Monks is being looked to as a jackof-all trades. "We're going to look for Brian on the wing, to play close defense and to man up," Koester said. "We need him to do it all."

Preseason injuries to junior long pole defenseman Doug Sherwood and sophomore Joe Aliberti could push some of the load onto the shoulders of juniors Mike Durkin and Pat Aquilina. The battle for time in net has come down to junior Brandon Lozarus and sophomore Mike Castaldi.

The Pirates are hopeful that senior Artie White can generate points at midfield, along with junior A.J. Heller and freshman Chris Vento, to support an experienced attack unit that is heavy on seniors. "Those are three guys that I hope can produce goals or slides that result in goals," Koester said.

Junior Alan West started the campaign with a strong effort in Mepham's first preseason game. Junior Steve Fotinos and sophomores Matt McKenna and Logan Abrams have carved out roles on the defensive side of the midfield position.

Senior Vin Moryck and sophomore Matt Byrne, a talented lefty, have developed into a strong one-two scoring punch. Of the two, Moryck's quicker and more physical, while Byrne possesses outstanding stick skills and perhaps even better field vision. Senior Trace D'Agostino also returns to boost the scoring production up front. "You've got to be ready [for passes] when he's out there," Koester said of Byrne.

Lady Pirates raising the bar

P

"There's going to be a lot of rotating," O'Brien said. "We have more subs available that can go in right away than in the past."

layoff appearances in two of the last three seasons on the strength of a dynamic offense have raised the bar for the Mepham girls' lacrosse program. gram.

And the graduation of just four seniors niors only increases the expectations of continontinued success.

The offense is led by senior midfielder ielder Cristina Olson, a two-time All-County y Honorable Mention winner, who missed out on All-County honors by one vote each time.

The Lady Pirates second leading scorcorer last season, Olson's quickness and nd stick skills make her a threat to scoree from any spot on the field. Ashley Appel enters her second year as a starter at center midfield, and coach Geraldine O'Brien is hoping the sophomore can take on a bigger chunk of the scoring responsibility. "She's one of our top set up people," O'Brien said. "But she can score a lot more. She's so unselfish and always looks [to set up first]."

Junior Julie Fithian and sophomores Katie Sherwood, Jess Dwyer and Jess Gelbwaks are also part of the mix at midfield. The attack is anchored by a pair of seniors niors entering their third varsity year — Erin McCarthy and Alex Giorgos. Nicole Stackpole, a sophomore, has the strength to o play behind the cage and ward off defenders. rs.

Keeping with what has become a family tradition, sophomore JoAnn DeLauter auter will handle the goalie responsibilities, s, following in the footsteps of not one, but ut two older sisters that played the position on for the Lady Pirates. The defense in front ont of DeLauter includes senior Jayme Batcher, tcher, junior Erin Neuwirth and sophomoree Colleen Maas, called up to varsity midway dway through last season.

Freshman Lily Jardines, who also plays lacrosse outside the school team, iss trying to carve out a role in the low post st and is one of four freshman — a list thatt also includes Emily Schmitt and Sam Trupo T — working to see consistent playing time.

1st 6th 8th 13th 23rd 27th 30th

Lawrence @ Floral Park @ Wantagh G.N. South @ Hewlett Elmont @ Roslyn

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10:00 a.m.

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10:00 a.m.

May 4th 6th 10th 14th 16th

@ Garden City 4:30 p.m. @ East Meadow 4:30 p.m.

Division 4:45 p.m.

Jericho 10:00 a.m. @ New Hyde Park 4:30 p.m.

GIRLS March 30th Malv/ER

4:15 p.m.

April 1st 4th 7th 14th 27th 29th

@ Glen Cove Bethpage West Hempstead @ Roslyn Lynbrook @ New Hyde Park

4:30 p.m.

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May 2nd Island Trees 6th Kennedy 11th @ Hewlett

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CHRIS SHEVINS CRISTINA OLSON

Photos by JANETTE PELLEGRINI

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19

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

OCEANSIDE

Schedule April

Sailors will be tough to contain

By TONY BELLISSIMO

W

ith more defensive experience than a year ago and a senior-laden attack, Oceanside is one of a handful of teams capable of challenging defending Nassau Class A boys’ lacrosse champion Farmingdale.

“Farmingdale is the team to beat and deserving of the No. 1 seed,” Sailors coach Bob Moltisanti said. “I’m confident in our talent. We’ll move the ball well in transition and we have proven scorers. Our defense is more mature and I think we’re fine in goal.”

Opponents will aspire to contain seniors Chris Hughes (23 goals, 36 assists), Nick Sherry (27, 12), John Remsen (26, 10) and Austin Akner (28, 7), but it’ll be a difficult task. “Those guys know each other so well,” Moltisanti said. “We have to stay healthy and cash in scoring chances. We’re going to be in a lot of tight games and have opportunities to win them.”

Hughes, who will split time between attack and midfield, is headed to Army, while Sherry, a midfielder, is set to attend St. John’s. “Chris is a complete player and bigger and faster than previous years,” Moltisanti said. “Nick’s very strong with the ball. He doesn’t turn it over and makes good decisions.” Like Hughes and Sherry, Remsen and Akner can score in a variety of ways. Sophomore Will Remsen and junior Nick Battaglia will contribute up front as well.

Midfield is the area where most changes took place. Senior Greg Gilbert returned to the program and brings leadership along with senior John Healy. Juniors John Grossi and sophomore Shane Saucier will help Joe Swanson in face-off responsibilities, and freshman Luke Schwasnick comes off a big year at the JV level.

The defense in front of junior goalie Andrew Failla is spearheaded by seniors Swanson and Brendan Mueller. Swanson, bound for Adelphi, is a long pole defender, while Mueller and junior Luciano Arra will work directly in front of Failla. Last year’s backup stopper, Failla’s work ethic

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

and knowledge of the game will go a long way in helping him be successful.

Seniors set to lead Lady Sailors

W

ith the majority of starters back after squeaking into the playoffs offs to bump their postseason streak k to five consecutive seasons, the Lady Sailors ilors boast eight seniors to lead the way this spring.

“Last year was tough for us, butt we managed to find our way into the playlayoffs,” coach Ken Dwyer said. “We lostt six games by a total of eight goals. We’re in a strong conference and playing the best st of the best, but we’re looking to be a playoff yoff team.”

Oceanside faced early adversity when senior goaltender Allie Fayans, an All-ConConference selection bound for Lehigh Univeriversity, suffered a broken wrist. Fayans is likely to miss half of the season, but Dwyer er is confident junior Jessica Maxwell willl get the job done. “We have depth at the position,” he said. “Allie’s a three-year starter rter and a tremendous goalie, but Jessica had some chances to play last year and played ayed well.”

Seniors Andie Krefsky and Tina Pumo are back to lead the defense. Both are strong one-on-one defenders with good stick skills. Pumo, who is headed aded to Marist, will also see some time in the midfield, Dwyer said. Sophomore Courturtney Collins and junior Annie Intrabarbartola serve as integral parts of the defense nse as well, and versatile senior Brittany y Eisenberg could assist in the back row.

Junior Stephanie Keane and senior Ali Cassidy bring lots to the table at midfield. Dwyer said Keane “is an outstanding athlete who can run all day long” and someone expected to play an active role offensively, while Cassidy is a gritty two-way player ready to handle an expanded role.

The Lady Sailors are long on talent nt and experience at attack. Junior Daninielle Montano is their top returning scororer (14 goals) with aggressive moves to the he

cage. Senior Lauren Gregeen is a gifted playmaker with smooth stick skills, senior Victoria DeBlase is an excellent finisher, and senior Katherine Malavet’s production should rise with a move from the midfield where she netted 10 goals in 2010.

1st 6th 9th 12th 15th 21st 26th

@ MacArthur Hicksville Baldwin10:00 a.m.

Farmingdale @ East Meadow Mamaroneck @ Massapequa

7:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

May 4th 6th 11th 14th 17th

Long Beach Carey4:30 p.m.

Herricks4:30 p.m. @ Freeport @ Syosset

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

GIRLS March 29th @ Farmingdale

4:30 p.m.

April 1st 4th 6th 8th 13th 18th 27th 30th

@ Calhoun Seaford Lynbrook @ Herricks Freeport MacArthur @ Plainedge Hewlett

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

May 3rd 5th 7th 11th

TINA PUMO

Hicksville Port Washington Half Hollow Hills @ Syosset

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4:30 p.m.

CHRIS HUGHES

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20

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

SEWANHAKA

Schedule BOYS March 29th Clarke 31st G.N. South

Young tribe hopes to compete

By ANDREW McCLURE

S

ewanhaka finished with a 7-8 record in 2010 with a relatively young team.

With a year of experience at the varsity level, the Indians hope to contend for one the conference’s eight playoff berths.

Sewanhaka will compete in Nassau Conference B-2 with the likes of Manhasset, Lynbrook, Plainedge, and Hewlett.

Coach Pete Burgess hopes his team is set to take things to the next level. “We have guys who took backseat roles that need to take over,” Burgess said. “It’s their time. I think our experience on defense is going to allow us to be pretty strong. Our speed will be an asset on offense.”

Graduation has created one glaring difference. For five years, Burgess was able to count on John Marco Militano in net. Two players, senior Will Pokorny and junior Malik Morris are both vying for time in goal. With neither being tested at the varsity level, both can expect to see time.

Three players who saw plenty of time on defense in 2010 return to lead the Indians on the back line. Senior Kyle Hayes, and juniors Stephen Wellington and Woodley Edouard are all steady, aggressive defenders who understand how to get it done on the defensive end. Burgess expects his defenders to position themselves well and disrupt the flow of opposing offenses.

Rather than settle in on offense, the Indians will look to use their speed to create opportunities and score in transition.

Senior Miguel Cifuentes is a speedy midfielder and solid face-off guy. Junior David Ford is likely the strongest all-around player on the roster. Junior Nick Grasman is one of Sewanhaka’s top offensive threats.

Junior Kevin Benavides and senior Messiah Morrison will both see time.

On attack, senior Michael Koc will be expected to create of fense and find the back of the net. Peter Militano, an eighth-grader, has terrific stick skills, and can catch and score from the crease or wing. Junior Mike Fileti provides depth at attack.

Lady Indians seek playoff berth

Senior Lindsey Montoya is a terrific feeder from behind the cage, and will be looked upon to score as well.

S

ewanhaka has won n 19 games over the past two seasons, but is still looking to earn the school’s ol’s first postseason berth in girls’ lacrosse. sse. After a couple years of knocking at the he door, coach Erica Brennan is hopeful that at the Lady Indians will kick it down this spring. pring.

“We’ve laid down the foundation for this program over thee past few seasons, and now we’re set to take it to the next level,” Brennan said. “We lost a few very strong players, but we’ re confident that other girls will step up and fill their roles. We’re look-ing to win the conference ence and get the league’s playoff berth. rth. We have the talent to do it.”

Fourth-year goalie ie Victoria Casso returns for her senior or year. Casso, who earned Honorable Mention All-County honors as a junior, has worked hard to improve her clearing ng skills, and has improved her game in many areas. With an unproven defense, Casso sso will be counted on to be a wall in goal.

The Lady Indians will need an inexperienced defensive unit to develop if they’re going to be a playoff team. eam. Senior Amanda Torres is an aggressive ive player who has solid lacrosse IQ. A pair ir of juniors, Yvelise Moreno and Gina Ragona, gona, has a ton of potential, and should lead a strong group as the year goes along.

Junior Jessica Santoli toli is an offensiveminded defensive midfielder. Santoli reads plays well and moves the ball well in transition. Juniors Shauna hauna Brouder and Elsa Gimenez are both h heady players who look to feed open players, ers, and can find the back of the net. Sophomore homore Marianella Gimenez has star potential. tential. Brennan is looking for big things from her at centermiddie.

Junior home Sabrina Orologio, who missed last season with a knee injury, has a wicked fast shot and terrific stick skills.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

April 6th 8th 11th 13th 16th 20th 27th

@ New Hyde Park 4:15 p.m.

G.N. North 4:30 p.m. @ Plainedge 5:00 p.m.

Lawrence 4:30 p.m. @ Kennedy 10:30 a.m. @ Locust Valley 10:00 a.m.

Bethpage 5:00 p.m.

May 3rd 5th 10th 13th 16th

@ West Hempstead @ Jericho @ Malv/ER Manhasset @ Hewlett

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS April 1st 6th 9th 11th 14th 26th 29th

@ G.N. South 4:30 p.m. @ Elmont 4:30 p.m.

Clarke 10:00 a.m.

G.N. North 4:30 p.m. @ West Hempstead 4:30 p.m.

Division 4:30 p.m.

Malv/ER 4:30 p.m.

May 4th Carey 9th @ Glen Cove 12th Lynbrook

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

MIGUEL CIFUENTES

VICTORIA CASSO

Photos by JEFF WILSON

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21

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

SOUTH SIDE

Schedule March

Well-balanced Cyclones will contend

By TONY BELLISSIMO

A

nice mix of seniors, juniors and sophomores will look to lead South Side deep into the Nassau Class B boys’ lacrosse playoffs again following an appearance in the quarterfinals in 2010.

Coach Steve DiPietro returns a trio that combined for 68 goals and 55 assists, and is trying to develop one of the deepest midfield groups in the county. “We have some proven scorers, two seniors returning to lead the defense, our goalie is back, and I feel we can run eight midfielders confidently,” he said. “I like our balance.”

Senior midfielder Bryan Gerrato (16 goals, 30 assists) and junior attack Zach Scaduto (32, 14) each had 46 points a year ago and will ignite the offense along with senior attack Pat Finnerty, who scored 20 goals and assisted on 11.

Gerrato, an All-County selection and member of the Empire State Games L.I. scholastic team, is the Cyclones’ most accomplished player. He’ll spend most of his time at midfield but could bounce to attack in certain situations. Scaduto is an Honorable Mention All-County honoree a player DiPietro described as “tough and not afraid to mix it up.” Finnerty serves as one of the offensive quarterbacks and has fluid stick stills. Junior Peter Clark, a natural lefty, compliments the others well, and junior Billy Moore possesses a powerful shot.

In the midfield, four seniors — Gerrato, Kevin Waxon, Mike Caldwell and Steve Cecere —four sophomores — Hunter Rainis, Cole Considine, Eric Gennari and Stephen Tita, and junior Nolan Kelly that equip South Side with depth to wear opponents down.

On the defensive end, seniors Mike Firestone and Mike Hayes are the anchors and top cover guys. Juniors Peter Meehan and Dan Villandre are vying for the other starting role. Aiding the group is sophomore long poles Matt Berry and Dan Cecere.

Senior goalie Dan Moriarty comes off an All-County campaign and has a

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

knack for making saves in big moments.

The depth chart also includes sophomore Chandler Baylis and junior Brian Beaudet.

Versatility key for Lady Cyclones

junior Kendall Gough anchor the defense in front of Gregerson, a two-time AllCounty selection capable of keeping the Lady Cyclones competitive in every game.

“Kelsey has all the confidence in the world in herself and the defense, and so do I,” the coach said

R

29th Cherry Creek

4:15 p.m.

April 1st 5th 7th 8th 13th 21st 27th 29th

Hewlett Lynbrook @ Bethpage New Hyde Park @ Carey @ Baldwin @ Kennedy Division1:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

11:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

May

anked fourth out of 22 Class B teams, the Lady Cyclones return more than half of their starters after reaching the county semifinals a year ago.

“The girls are hungry to win and they’re working hard every day,” coach Meaghan Healey said. “Everyone is training to play every position. We’re going to mix and match more than usual.”

South Side has four standouts signed to play at Division I colleges. Senior midfielder Jackie Cifarelli, who last spring tallied 30 goals and 33 assists, is headed to Ohio State, senior middie/attack Emily Considine is bound for Syracuse, senior goaltender Kelsey Gregerson (151 saves in 2010) will attend Hofstra, and the future of senior defender Dana Ahern is at Lafayette.

“We have some major contributors back, but to compete with teams like Garden City, Manhasset and Wantagh, we’re also going to need other players to step into bigger roles than last year and produce.”

Considine, who scored 20 goals and had 14 assists last season despite missing a chunk of time with a knee injury, is strong and healthy and ready to wreak havoc up front.

She’ll occasionally run the whole field with Cifarelli, who has a fast set of wheels and changes direction on a dime. Junior Grace Healey, who has strong playmaking skills, senior Brianna McNally and junior Olivia Gerrato will also contribute on attack and may appear in the midfield on occasion.

Senior Liz Cozier and sophomore Michaela Lynch are two players likely to operate strictly in the midfield. Cozier brings experience and solid all-around skills, while the speedy and strong-shooting Lynch looks to pick up where she left off after jumping to varsity from JV midway through last season.

Ahern, fellow senior Beth Gidiscin and

3rd 10th 13th 16th

@ Wantagh Garden City Roslyn7:00 p.m. @ Jericho

4:15 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS March 30th @ Friends Aca.

4:30 p.m.

April 5th 9th 12th 14th 20th 26th 28th

Division @ Jericho Garden City Mineola North Shore @ Plainedge Kellenberg

4:45 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

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4:15 p.m.

May 3rd @ Manhasset 6th Wantagh 10th @ Plainedge

KELSEY GREGERSON

4:15 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

BRYAN GERRATO

Photos by JEFF WILSON

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2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

VALLEY STREAM

Schedule BOYS March

Top scorers return to lead way

By TONY BELLISSIMO

W

ith all but two starters back in the fold, including top scorers Henry Waslo and Connor Sciacca, and following a strong offseason of workouts, Valley Stream District is primed to improve on its three-win 2010 campaign on the boys’ lacrosse field.

“Everything is going well,” coach Dan Achatz said. “We have seven more players on varsity than we did last year and the JV is up to 33 kids. We should be much more competitive.”

A quick, athletic defense that will be tested often, and scoring punch from players who didn’t contribute as much a year ago, is two keys to Valley Stream’s success.

Only Hempstead is ranked lower in Nassau Class A. “We’re well-rounded,” Achatz said. “We have a bunch of guys back, but overall it’s a pretty young team.”

Waslo, a senior, scored more than 30 goals last spring and leads a promising midfield.

Achatz said the team is prepared for Waslo to garner a lot of defensive attention and will look to take advantage of someone else being open. “Henry can score and feed,” Achatz said. “He can go left or right and dodge and get to the cage.”

Juniors Jesse Oppenheimer and Terry Gagstetter bring tenacity to the midfield.

Oppenheimer, a county wrestling champ, is quick and tough as nails, Achatz said, while Gagstetter is scrappy after loose balls and difficult to solve on draws. Sophomore Victor Huezo will be asked to provide an offensive spark, and junior Justin Cooper will also contribute.

Up front, Sciaccia, a senior, had 25 goals and features an accurate shot as well as playmaking skills. Sophomore Zach Silverstein is stepping into a full-time role, junior newcomer Eddie Dietrich could do the same, and senior Dylan Faughey is in the mix to play attack and midfield.

The defense in front of sophomore goalie Nick Miller is led by sophomores Gerg Jurcsak and Bobby Madramootoo. Junior CJ Byron will be a physical presence in the back.

Tougher schedule to present challenges

C

oming off a breakthrough season that saw it win 11 games and qualify for the playoffs for the first time in n history, Valley Stream’s girls’ program is set to battle in Class A. “It’s going to be a challenge and we’re up for it,” coach Rafaela Nikas-Doherty -Doherty said of competing against large schools. chools. “I think it might take three or four games for us to get up to speed, but we’ve got ot a great group of kids who work very hard and want to do well.”

A dominant midfield steered the he ship in 2010, and senior Catherine Powell ll is back to lead the charge. A fifth-year varsity rsity player and All-County selection, Powell owell can help control the center with tremendous mendous stick stills and better-than-average ge speed.

“Cat is the heart and soul of this his year’s team,” Nikas-Doherty said.

Senior Nicole Mercado, an integral egral part of the defense in recent years, might be joining Powell and junior Nicole le Riggio in the starting midfield. Riggio was the team’s leading scorer a year ago, averaging three goals per game. Junior Kim Riley has a nonstop motor and sound fundamentals, amentals, while freshman Cali Demas willl also get some minutes.

On defense, juniors Shannon n Mincey and Christine Rivera are quick to lockdown opponents and have the ability to force turnovers and jumpstart the fastbreak. Junior Sarah Santos ntos is another speedy defender sure to help elp freshman goaltender Tatyanna Gregory y become comfortable at the varsity level after fter making the leap from middle school.

Nikas-Doherty said she’s “looking forward to great things from thee attack.”

Sophomores Deirdre Tierney and d Heather Alexis had no trouble meshing after fter working together on last year’s JV, and nd senior Nicole Montana has starting experience. perience.

Senior Nikita Chan and junior Alexandra Barrero provide depth up front.

Nikas-Doherty said she’s excited xcited to see how Valley Stream stacks up p against the new competition in Conference ence A-2

31th @ Malv/ER

4:30 p.m.

April — MacArthur, Long Beach, East Meadow, Plainview-JFK, Herricks, Freeport and Hempstead. “I’m confident we’ll hold our own,” she said.

1st 6th 9th 12th 15th 26th 29th

@ Calhoun @ Uniondale @ Freeport East Meadow @ Port Washington MacArthur @ Hempstead

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

May 4th Herricks 14th Long Beach 17th Plainview-JFK

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS March 29th @ MacArthur

4:30 p.m.

April 5th 8th 12th 15th 29th

Carey @ Syosset @ East Meadow Plainview-JFK Long Beach

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

May 2nd @ Herricks 5th Freeport 11th @ Hempstead

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

HENRY WASLO CATHERINE POWELL

Photos by SUSAN GRIECO

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22

23

2011 HERALD High School Lacrosse Preview

WEST HEMPSTEAD

Schedule March

Low-ranked Rams can compete Numbers increasing for Lady Rams

By TONY BELLISSIMO

W

ith almost 20 players on the varsity roster, the Rams are looking to build on their success from 2010 when they celebrated five victories and lost three other games by merely a goal in Dominic Carre’s first year as coach. “It’s encouraging,” Carre said of the increased participation, which at the JV level has surpassed 20 to allow for a full-blown schedule unlike last season. “The numbers are promising for the future,” he added.

Though seeded at the bottom of the 12-team Nassau Conference B-II, West Hempstead has potential to surprise with more experience and confidence than it brought to the table last spring. “We still have a handful of guys in their first year, but we have a good core back and I’m expecting competitive games,” Carre said.

After leading the offense as a sophomore, Dan Sheeler is back to lead a midfield sure to be bolstered by the return of senior Stephen Mancilla from a broken collarbone that cost him a year ago. Sheeler is the Rams’ go-to player, Carre said, and is as tough in the open field as he is around the cage. The coach describes Mancilla as “a fundamentally sound and steady player who does all the little things well.” Senior Matt Levine is another key to the midfield.

Up front, the Rams feature junior Bruno DeVito and senior Mike Castagna.

DeVito has good vision and will look to feed Castagna, Sheeler and sophomore attack Dan Njoku plenty of scoring opportunities. “The offense communicates well,” Carre said. “I’m hopeful we’ll score more than last year.”

Defensively, the zone has been scrapped for a man-to-man scheme. Seniors John Gomez, Joe Visone and long pole midfielder Joe Violano will lead the effort in the back. Gomez is aggressive and physical, Visone brings four years of experience, and Violano will give the offensive-minded middies a break when the Rams aren’t in possession. The goalie responsibilities will be handled by junior Nick Locurcio and freshman Mike Mosca.

F

29th @ Island Trees

4:30 p.m.

April

“The girls put in a lot of time and effort during the offseason,” Hutt said. “They’re a dedicated group.”

ollowing a couple of lean years, coach Tracy Hutt is trying to revitalize the Lady Rams and is encouraged by the fact they’ll take the field with a roster that runs 26-deep. “It’s nice to have more players for a lot of reasons,” said Hutt, who is hopeful the JV program can return in the near future for the first time in a decade. ade.

“It boosts competition for playing time and we can have a full scrimmage in practice,”” she added.

Hutt doesn’t want anyone dwelling on the past and has the girls focused on the task at hand. West Hempstead empstead will compete in Conference B-III II along with Sewanhaka, Glen Cove, Carey, rey, Elmont, Great Neck North, Great Neck eck South and Malverne/East Rockaway. “We have to forget about last year and move on,” she said.

“We have a fresh start and an opportunity to win our share of games mes if we play well.”

The defense can keep eep the Lady Rams close in games. Seniorr Kim Velazquez is used to being the last line of defense, having served as the soccer ccer goalkeeper for years, and her vision and mindset will be an asset for new goaliee Taryn Squiciarino, a freshman who has played layed phenomenally in practice according to the coach. “Kim understands everythingg about defense and can help Taryn really y develop into a top goalie.”

Senior Bryanna Grogan is moving from attack to defense,, junior Kelly Walsh returns to the back linee after being pressed into goal a year ago, and nd freshman Taylor Friermuth is an aggressive ssive addition. Hutt also didn’t rule out using ing versatile sophomore Samantha Frigand nd on defense.

Junior Erin Guerrero ero is the team’s top all-around talent and d heads a midfield group that includes senior nior Ashley Merrill, speedy freshman Nina na Boria and sophomore Nia Jones. All are being counted on to chip in offensively and balance out senior attack Katie Lynch.

LACROSSE PREVIEW - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — March 31, 2011

BOYS

1st 8th 13th 27th 30th

Elmont Plainedge @ Malv/ER @ Wheatley Lawrence

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

May 3rd 5th 10th 13th 16th

Sewanhaka @ New Hyde Park @ Glen Cove @ Lynbrook G.N. North

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

GIRLS April 1st 7th 11th 13th 14th 16th 29th

@ Elmont @ Mepham Carey @ Wheatley Sewanhaka G.N. North @ Glen Cove

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

May 2nd @ G.N. South 5th Malv/ER 7th @ Roslyn

4:30 p.m.

4:15 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

KIM VELAZQUEZ DAN SHEELER

Photos by RON MANFREDI

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