LI Lax Journal – Nassau Class A – SEASON PREVIEW

The goal of FLG’s Long Island Lacrosse Journal is to promote the sport of the lacrosse on Long Island. The LI Lax Journal will include team previews, coach interviews, rankings, top players, and much more. Follow FLG Lacrosse this spring to get inside access to what’s happening in the world of lacrosse on Long Island!

Syosset 2017 Season Preview

Syosset

Mascot: Braves

Nassau Class A

Rating: 1st

With 2 straight Nassau County Championships, the Syosset Braves look to make that 3 in the 2017 Season. They are the team to beat right now in Class A. Syosset is a powerhouse and we know that. They aren’t looking to settle for anything less than an appearance in the Long Island Championship. Losing Mac O’Keefe and Lucas Kotler hurts, but Syosset being a heavy lacrosse town will be able to fill in those holes for the upcoming season. Massapequa and Farmingdale can contend with Syosset, but it would take a lot for one of them to dethrone the Braves.

“Our team has great work ethic, we work really hard. Hopefully the teams chemistry will click. Our motto this year is TODAY. Focus on getting better today, one day at a time, get better every day.” -John Calabria

2 Key Losses: Mac O’Keefe (Penn State) and Lucas Cotler (Yale)

Key Returners:

• Matt Benus – Senior – Loyola Commit – Midfield – 4 Year Player – Captain
• JP Lanning – Junior – Attack – 2 Year Starter
• Liam Kalbacher  – Junior – Attack – 2 Year Starter
• Danny Ochs  – Junior – Hofstra Commit – Defenseman
• Max Verch  – Junior – Defenseman – 3 Year Starter

Key Games:

• Home vs Garden City – 3/21/17
• Home vs Cold Spring Harbor – 3/28/17
• Away @ Farmingdale – 4/25/17
• Home vs Massapequa – 4/28/17

Massapequa 2017 Season Preview

Massapequa

Mascot: Chiefs

Nassau Class A

Rating: 2nd

With a disappointing end to a 2016 season, Massapequa looks to get revenge against Syosset after losing 2 straight county championships to the Braves. With a talented 2016 senior class a new wave of Chiefs are looking to be the next “Ryan Tierney” or “Craig Berge.” Heavily recruited sophomore and junior classes look to help out this experienced senior class in winning its first Nassau County Championship in 3 years. Will Pequa have what it takes to get past the field and capture a county championship? That remains to be seen.

Key Losses:

• Ryan Tierney – Attackman – Hofstra
• Casey Kimmel – Midfield – Towson
• Chris Bacotti – Midfield – Dartmouth
• Justin Lynskey – Attack – Holy Cross
• Frank Callan – Defenseman – NYIT
• James Detomasso – Defenseman – Air Force

Key Returners:

• Brendan Nichtern – Attack – West Point Commit – Captain – 3 Year Player
• Sal Ienna – Midfield – Binghamton Commit – Captain – 4 Year Players
• James Hall – Attack – Adelphi Commit
• Garrett Gibbons  – Midfield – Maryland Commit – Sophomore
• Angelo Petrakis – Fogo – Leigh Commit – Sophomore
• Timmy Ley – Attack – Boston University Commit – Junior – 3 Year Player
• Mike Peco  – Defenseman – Leader of the Defense – Hofstra Commit

Key Games:

• Away @ Chaminade – 3/22/17
• Away @ Smithtown East – 4/15/17
• Home vs Farmingdale – 4/21/17
• Away @ Syosset – 4/28/16
• Home vs. Port Washington – 5/5/17

Farmingdale 2017 Season Preview

Farmingdale High School

Mascot/Nickname: Dalers

Nassau Class A

Ranking: 3rd

For the Farmingdale Boys Lacrosse team anything but a trip to the Nassau Class A Semifinals would be considered a failure for the 2017 season. Without long time successful coach Bob Hartranft steering the ship, it’s now up to Mike Hungerford and his assistants John Campbell, Eric Dunne, and Kenny Garcia to lead this heavy upperclassman team.  As coach Mike Hungerford said “The biggest thing I learned from Cold Spring Harbor was you need to be careful not to change too much when a program has been successful the year prior. We will continue what we were doing last year and making some adjustments where needed.”  When it comes to the team’s goals this year, Coach Hungerford believes as long as they make good decisions throughout the game with the ball and improve on mistakes from last year they can compete with powerhouses like Massapequa and Syosset for a county championship.

“We are going to decide who we are going to be early, and work to be that team every day” -Mike Hungerford, Head Coach Farmingdale

Key Losses:

• Tommy Mcpartland – 51 Goals and 50 Assists in Senior Season – All American

• Steve Kunz – Albany 2016 Commit  – All County

• Matt Deluca – All American – Delaware 2016 Commit

Key Returners:

• Kyle Tucker – Attack – Cabrini Commit – 25 Goals and 5 Assists in Junior Season
• Darrin Simons – Midfield – Stony Brook Commit – 20 Goals and 13 Assists in Junior Season
• Kevin Depalma – Midfield – 10 Goals and 5 Assists in Junior Season
• Tim Hegarty– Junior – Defenseman – Hofstra Commit
• Brody Agres – Goalie – St. John’s Commit
• Brian Michael – Faceoff – Air Force Commit
• John Feiner – Midfield, Senior
• Nick Pantorno – Defense, Senior, Western New England Commit

Key Games:

• @ Massapequa High School, April 21st

• Home vs. Syosset High School, April 25th

• Home vs. Port Washington, April 29th

Port Washington 2017 Season Preview

Port Washington

Mascot: Vikings

Nassau Class A

Rating: 4th

With an experienced senior class, the Port Washington Vikings look to make some noise in a very competitive Class A Conference. It’s going to take their leadership to compete with powerhouses like Massapequa, Farmingdale, and the reigning Class A Champions Syosset Braves. Seniors like Robbie Connors, Brian Crawley, and Crew Weingard are going to have to do the heavy lifting if the Vikings want to contend for a county championship. With a very active offseason the Port Washington Vikings look to shock Nassau county with an appearance in the county championship, but with three straight games against the top three seeds on the road, it would be a big challenge for the Vikings to make it to the big dance.

“This will be the first year where I will take less kids on varsity. For me, I want with 30 kids who all contribute and play on varsity. This will get away with just the top small percentage play. Makes practice a fight every day.” -Isaac Neil, Head Coach – Port Washington

Key Losses:

• Christian Athanasian – Attackman, Harvard
• Seth Obadia – Attackman – Lafayette
• Nick Ferraro – Goalie
• Aidan Finnerty – Defense, Quinnipiac

Key Returners:

• Robbie Connors, Senior, Midfield, Oswego State Commit
• Brian Crawley, Senior, Attackman, Fairfield Commit
• James Dalimonte, Junior, Midfield
• Andrew Turner, Junior, Midfield
• Tommy Dover, Junior, FOGO All-County Middie as sophomore
• Crew Weingard, Senior, Defensemen – All-County D-man

Key Games

• Home vs. South Side – 3/21/17
• @ Farmingdale – 4/29/17