Manhasset lax raises $12K for fallen alumni

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Fresh off a state championship last year, three current Manhasset seniors said they try to emulate the leadership of three alumni who died in a tragic car accident exemplified on and off the lacrosse field.

“None of us got the chance to play with them, unfortunately, but conditioning during practice and knowing that those guys can’t do that anymore lights a fire in us and pushes us to keep going,” senior Jack Petersen told Blank Slate Media.

Brothers Michael and James Farrell and Ryan Kiess were among five people who died in a twocar collision on the Montauk Highway in July 2021.

In their memory, the team raised more than $12,000 for a pair of foundations in their honor by selling t-shirts with their numbers 4, 32 and 44 on the side.

The funds will go to The Farrell Boy Foundation, which raises money for scholarships and educational purposes and the Ryan Kiess Memorial Fund, also used for scholarships and other community-based events. Sporting those numbers sets a standard for upperclassmen to uphold and for underclassmen to strive for, Senior James Lapina said.

“A lot of younger kids look up to you now and they also strive to get those numbers,” Lapina said. “It’s a lot of leadership that comes along with those numbers. Motivating younger kids who will be here going forward is really good for the team.”

“You have to lead by example when you wear those numbers and do everything right,” Senior Aidan Haggerty said.