Central Stuns LI in OT, 8-7

July 23, 2010

Michael Andreassi (1) and James Pannell (14) each scored twice in the second half for Long Island. Photo by Kyle LavioletteMichael Andreassi (1) and James Pannell (14) each scored twice in the second half for Long Island. Photo by Kyle Laviolette

BUFFALO — Carthage’s Tom Grimm, a Syracuse commitment, ended an overtime thriller at the Empire State Games on his goal with 2:06 left as Central topped Long Island, 8-7, in a scholastic boys lacrosse game at Canisius College Friday night.

Central, which improved to 4-0 and locked up a berth in the gold medal game on Sunday, held Long Island scoreless in the first half and jumped out to a 5-0 lead early in the third quarter. But Long Island, the four-time defending champs, answered with a flourish.

Hicksville’s Brandon Gamblin got the Island on the board with a rip with 7:07 left in the third. Sachem North’s Michael Andreassi closed the gap to 5-2 on a point-blank shot with 5:8 left. West Islip midfielder scored on yet another behind-the-back move with 1:55 left and Smithtown West’s James Pannell closed the quarter with a goal and high step celebration to move Long Island to down 5-4.

Central responded with a pair of fourth-quarter goals sandwiched between Andreassi’s score. Then East Islip’s Kevin Wendel and Pannell struck for back-to-back goals, the latter forging a tie at 7 with 3:10 left.

That’s how it remained until Grimm beat Connetquot goalie Zach Oliveri (11 saves) backside for the sudden death score.

Long Island FOGO Jake Froccaro, who had a strong second half, was knocked out of the game with 4:14 left when he was hit from behind. He sat out the remainder of the game. But his absence was felt in the faceoff circle.

Long Island can return to the gold medal game and force a rematch with Central by beating winless New York City on Saturday at 5 p.m.

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 OT F
Central 1 3 1 2 1 8
Long Island 0 0 4 3 0 7

Goals – CN: Rice 2 Corapi, Curtis, Donahue, Edwards, Grimm, Lasda LI: Andreassi 2, Pannell 2, Gamblin, Sagl, Wendel. Assists – CN: Ferrito, Piroli LI: Jones, Keenan, Pannell. Saves – CN: White 11 LI: Oliveri 11.

Kyle Keenan’s Empire State Games Destiny

July 12, 2010

From left: Smithtown West attack Kyle Keenan (18), Conestoga (Pa.) midfielder Tanner Scott (18) and Whitman midfielder Myles Jones (17) share a moment at the Tri-State Tournament. Each is a Duke commitment. Phto by Jason Molinet.

As the son of two coaches, Kyle Keenan emerged from the womb with the DNA of an athlete and the mentoring to make it happen. The rising senior at Smithtown West High School is considered one of the nation’s top boys lacrosse players.

It comes as little wonder considering his father, Sean Keenan, is the Smithtown West boys lacrosse coach. He played for Long Island legend Joe Cuozzo at Ward Melville and was an All-American at Adelphi University.

“He put a stick in my hand when I was 2 years old,” Kyle Keenan said. “We were always having a catch before dinner. He taught me to love lacrosse.”

The 5-11, 160-pound attack capped this third varsity season with a Long Island-best 53 assists in the regular season and a run to the Suffolk Class A semifinals. He committed last fall to reigning national champion Duke.

And yet Keenan has another sports destiny just as deeply embedded.

Bridget Keenan played for the Long Island open women’s soccer team at the 1992 Empire State Games in Albany. Twelve years after her first Empire experience, the ‘92 Games marked her final trip as a player. Unknown to her at the time, Keenan – an Adelphi grad who met her husband in college – was pregnant with her first child.

The Long Island women’s soccer team earned a silver medal that summer. Kyle Keenan was born eight months later. Bridget Keenen coached the open women for three more summers then gave it up to focus on her growing family.

“She was a big soccer player at the Empire State Games and she won a lot of medals,’’ Kyle Keenan said, proud of the family legacy.

All these years later, Kyle Keenan battled through a tryout process unlike anything in high school sports – he was among 712 teenagers to try out for the Long Island scholastic boys lacrosse team – for the right to play at the 2010 Empire State Games.

It was clearly important to him. He had heard the story of his mother playing pregnant at Empires too many times for it not to have an impact. So Keenan arrived early and was third in line to register for tryouts at Bay Shore High School. Yet the first day left him frazzled.

“A lot more kids. The games were short. I wasn’t getting the ball. I didn’t think I was on a good team,’’ Keenan ticked off the issues. “So I didn’t have a great first tryout.”

Even still, Keenan’s ability shone through and he made an impression. He sailed through four rounds of tryouts to earn a spot on the final 20-man roster and fulfill his destiny. Keenan was so anxious, he stayed up past 2 a.m. awaiting the congratulatory email, checking his iPod Touch every few minutes.

He’d chugged up and down the soccer field in his mother’s belly, competing at the Empire State Games. The five-day, Olympic-style festival has been going strong since 1978. Now he’s an Empire player himself, transforming the Games into a multigenerational celebration.

“I’ve heard about Empires since I was a little kid,” Keenan said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be an Empire player. This is awesome. This is what I’ve wanted since I was a little kid.”

The Long Island scholastic boys lacrosse team has already played nine games to prepare for the Empire State Games, which are in Buffalo from July 21-25. At the Tri-State Tournament in Princeton, N.J. on Saturday, Keenan scored twice against the Dukes – a travel team consisting of the best athletes from the Delaware Valley (Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) – to help Long Island finish the day 4-0.

The Dukes featured several future Division I players, including fellow Blue Devils commitment Tanner Scott (Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Penn.). Two duo, along with Whitman midfielder Myles Jones, another Duke recruit, shared an embrace and some conversation afterward.

At this elite level, Keenan proved he belonged.

“I go to the cage hard, see the slide and there’s always someone open,’’ said Keenan, who looks to pass first. “That’s my game. It’s instinct.”

No doubt. It’s in the DNA.

Long Island Wins Hero Tourney

July 3, 2010

Division senior attack Thomas Nuckel (21) scored twice to help the Long Island's Empire State Games boys lacrosse team go 4-0 at the Hero Tournament. Photo by David Savoie
Division senior attack Thomas Nuckel (21) scored twice to help the Long Island’s Empire State Games boys lacrosse team go 4-0 at the Hero Tournament. Photo by David Savoie

Haverford, Penn. — Long Island’s Empire State Games boys lacrosse team outscored its opponents 37-10 and went 4-0 on Saturday to win Hogan’s Lacrosse Hero Tournament at the Haverford School.

LI rolled to the championship game of the 25-team tournament, beating Rockfish Silver, a travel team from Anne Arundel, Md., 8-0. Hicksville’s Brandon Gamblin scored twice against Rockfish.