LI Downs Team Superstars 11-3

July 8, 2010

Floyd's Luke Miller scored twice as Long Island lacrosse beat Team Superstars, 11-3. Photo by David Savoie

Stony Brook, N.Y. — It was a game the Long Island boys lacrosse Empire State Games team dominated from start to finish, but a performance uneven enough to leave the coaching staff flustered.

Long Island faced Team Superstars, based in Katonah, N.Y., and boasting a roster of Connecticut and Westchester seniors and juniors.

Long Island built an 8-1 first half lead en route to an 11-3 win on Thursday night under the lights at LaValle Stadium at Stony Brook University.

Floyd senior midfielder Luke Miller scored twice and set up a Joey Leonard (Hicksville) goal just before halftime.

Duke commitment Myles Jones, a senior midfielder from Whitman, also raised eyebrows with a vicious hit and a second-quarter goal in a show of power and finesse.

Connetquot’s Zach Oliveri and Northport’s Thomas Cordts each played a half and looked good in goal, with an aggressive defense adding a near impenetrable layer.

Ryan Brunet (Comsewogue), Jake Froccaro (Port Washington), Brandon Gamblin (Hicksville), Thomas Gordon (Garden City), James Pannell (Smithtown West), Nick Sherry (Oceanside) and Kevin Wendel (East Islip) each scored for Long Island.

Division senior attack Thomas Nuckel was on the sideline 48 hours after suffering a left knee injury. Wearing a brace and in good spirits, Nuckel will miss the Empire State Games despite being selected as part of the 20-man travel team.

Long Island will play four games at the Tri-State Tournament on Saturday at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, N.J.

Max Seibald, LI Lacrosse Featured

July 7, 2010

Long Island lacrosse at the Empire State Games is featured in the July 2010 issue of Long Island Pulse magazine

Max Seibald is one of the most recognizable names in lacrosse.

Just in the last year the 22-year-old midfielder was chosen second overall in the 2009 Major League Lacrosse draft, led Cornell to the NCAA title game and won the Tewaaraton Trophy as the college player of the year.

Yet his rise from unknown high schooler to elite prospect seemingly happened overnight at the Empire State Games, New York’s annual Olympic-style festival. Earning a roster spot on the Long Island scholastic boys’ lacrosse team is a sure ticket to stardom.

Look no further than Seibald, who tried out after a strong junior season at Hewlett High School. But he was among 500 other Long Island hopefuls vying for 20 spots in June 2004. Seibald auditioned the previous summer and was cut the first day. What were the odds a kid with only moderate Division III interest could turn heads and land a job?

“Coming back the next year, it was intimidating,” Seibald said. “You see college coaches on the sidelines. It motivated you but also made you grip the stick a little bit tighter. This was my first experience at this level and I wanted to make things happen.”

Seibald not only made the team, he starred. His roommate on the road that summer? Notre Dame goalie Scott Rodgers, a Wantagh native and MVP of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Read on at LIPulse.com

Long Island lacrosse at the Empire State Games is featured in the July 2010 issue of Long Island Pulse magazine. Buy it at participating newsstands.

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.

Nassau Wins Top 50 Game

June 24, 2010

East Northport , N.Y. — Call it first contact. The boys lacrosse players who will make up Long Island’s entry into the 2010 Empire State Games faced off on Thursday night on the field turf at Veterans Park.

After five grueling days of tryouts, 712 players had been culled to the top 25 in Nassau and Suffolk. And from this group, the best performers in the Top 50 game would earn a spot on the 30-man Empire roster announced the next afternoon at Hofstra’s Margiotta Hall.

Suffolk shined early, but the Nassau all-stars pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn a 12-10 victory. Sachem North rising senior attack Michael Andreassi had five goals while Hicksville senior midfielder Brandon Gamblin and Division senior attack Thomas Nuckel each added three goals.

It was a see-saw battle entering the fourth quarter. That’s when Port Washington junior midfielder Jake Froccaro tipped the balance in Nassau’s favor thanks to his faceoff skills.

Andreassi scored Suffolk’s first two goals – sandwiched between Farmingdale senior attack Salvatore Tuttle’s goal – for a 2-1 edge.

Oceanside senior midfielder Nick Sherry tied it at 2. That’s how it remained into the third quarter when Smithtown West junior attack James Pannell put Suffolk back in front 3-2. In the second half, Pannell received a cut between the eyes which required a hospital visit, but he stayed in the game.

Hicksville senior attack Joey Leonard scored for Nassau and Andreassi answered immediately to make it 4-3.

Division’s Nuckel tied it at 4 and Hicksville’s Gamblin scored back-to-back goals to put Nassau in front for the first time, 6-4.

Andreassi continued to dominate, closing the gap to 6-5. East Islip senior attack Tyler Begley tied it at 6 with a hard shot.

Gamblin opened a manic fourth quarter with a goal. Comsewogue senior attack Ryan Brunet scored to tie things at 7. What had been a physical, defense-oriented game to this point now shifted into a track meet.

Each of the three goalies Nassau and Suffolk carried into the game had played one quarter to this point. Connetquot’s Zach Oliveri, Northport’s Thomas Cordts, Syosset’s Ryan Feit and Manhasset’s Frank Morelli made brilliant saves. Now all the goalies rotated through in the final period.

Jericho senior midfielder Jesse Chazen made it 8-7 Nassau. Smithtown West senior attack Kyle Keenan tied it for Suffolk.

But when South Side senior midfielder Bryan Gerrato, wearing No. 179, scored, it marked the eighth lead change and put Nassau ahead for good at 9-8. Goals by Farmingdale senior midfielder Korey Hendrickson and Nuckel extended the lead to 11-8.

Shoreham-Wading River senior midfielder Trevor Brosco answered for Suffolk to make it 11-9. Then Andreassi scored for the fifth time to make it a one-goal game.

But Nuckel put the finishing touches on an impressive night for Nassau with a goal just before the final whistle.

The tryout process was finally history. Yet the coaching staff still had a long night ahead. They needed to finalize the top 30 Empire players and send congratulatory emails overnight. The 20 who didn’t make the cut? They earned spots on the Long Island Showcase.

Long Island blasts Central for 2008 ESG gold

July 27, 2008

Binghamton, N.Y. — Two days after holding off Central 7-6 in group play, Long Island left no doubt on Sunday in the scholastic boys lacrosse gold medal game at the 2008 Empire State Games.

Long Island wrapped up a 6-0 week at Binghamton University and won its fourth straight gold by pelting the Central goal with 41 shots in a 14-3 victory.

The Island jumped in front 3-0 on St. Anthony’s midfielder Thomas Schreiber’s goal with 4:35 left in the opening quarter.

Central rallied to close the gap to 3-2 on Syracuse-CBA standout Casey Lasda’s goal midway through the second quarter.

But Long Island erupted for nine straight goals spanning the second and third quarters to take control. Plainedge goalie Rob Bellairs made eight saves and Rocky Point attack Matt Palasek scored six goals. West Islip junior attack Nicky Galasso added one goal and three assists.

Long Island 2008

July 26, 2008

Roster

NAME HIGH SCHOOL YR POS COLLEGE
Rob Bellairs Plainedge Sr. Goalie Hofstra
Ian Braddish West Islip Jr. Midfield North Carolina
Bradley Cappellini Manhasset Sr. Defense Harvard
Michael Chapman Sachem East Sr. Attack Penn
John Duvnjak Manhasset Sr. Midfield Middlebury
Connor English Manhasset Sr. Attack Virginia
Jeff Froccaro Port Washington Sr. Attack Princeton
Nicky Galasso West Islip Jr. Attack North Carolina
Andrew Hodgson West Islip Jr. Midfield Towson
Will Manny St. Anthony’s Sr. Attack UMass
Michael Mccormack West Islip Sr. Defense Yale
Maxx Meyer Half Hollow Hills East Jr. Defense Princeton
Steven Murphy Floyd Sr. Midfield Notre Dame
Nick O’Reilly South Side Sr. Midfield Virginia
Anthony Ostrander Farmingdale Sr. Defense Albany
Brian O’Toole Long Beach Sr. Midfield Harvard
Matt Palasek Rocky Point Sr. Attack Johns Hopkins
Thomas Schreiber St. Anthony’s Jr. Midfield Princeton
Kyle Sheridan Smithtown East Sr. Defense Lehigh
Ryan Zaremba West Islip Sr. Goalie Army Prep
STAFF TITLE
Chris Deeks Head Coach (Floral Park)
Jay Mauro Assistant Coach (Sachem North)
George Fox Lacrosse Coordinator
Bob Kenney Long Island Region Director

2008 Results

DATE OPPONENT RESULT
7-24 Long Island v Western 14-12 W
7-24 Long Island v Hudson Valley 9-8 W
7-25 Long Island v Adirondack 11-2 W
7-25 Long Island v Central 7-6 W
7-26 Long Island v New York City 17-1 W
7-27 Gold Medal Game Long Island v Central 14-3 W

Note: 2008 Empire State Games at Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y.

Long Island 2007

July 29, 2007

NAME HIGH SCHOOL YR POS COLLEGE
Justin Annunziato Rocky Point Sr. Defense None
Anthony Biscardi Wantagh Sr. Midfield UMass
Matthew Cannone Bethpage Sr. Attack Salisbury
John Carroll Smithtown East Sr. Goalie Albany
Jeff Cohen Syosset Sr. Attack Harvard
John Conneely Half Hollow Hills West Sr. Attack Penn
Daniel DiMaria Half Hollow Hills West Sr. Defense Harvard
Connor English Manhasset Sr. Attack Virginia
Jacob Ghitelman Cold Spring Harbor Sr. Midfield Virginia
Matthew Gibson Chaminade Sr. Attack Yale
Francis McDonough Garden City Sr. Midfield Georgetown
Keenan Ochwat Farmingdale Sr. Defense Ohio State
Tom Palasek Rocky Point Sr. Attack Johns Hopkins
Zach Pall Ward Melville Sr. Midfield Quinnipiac
Paul Pate Manhasset Sr. Defense Harvard
Steven Rastivo Ward Melville Sr. Goalie North Carolina
Sean Rogers Holy Trinity Sr. Attack Notre Dame
Steve Rubino Comsewogue Sr. Defense None
Dan Savage Garden City Sr. Midfield Penn
Brian Smalley Smithtown West Sr. Midfield Loyola
STAFF TITLE
Pete Mitchell Head Coach (Comsewogue)
Kevin Travis Assistant Coach (Kings Park)
George Fox Lacrosse Coordinator
Bob Kenney Long Island Region Director

2007 Results

DATE OPPONENT RESULT
7-26 Long Island v New York City 11-3 W
7-27 Long Island v Western 13-4 W
7-27 Long Island v Adirondack 16-6 W
7-28 Long Island v Central 12-7 W
7-29 Long Island v Hudson Valley 10-9 OT L

Note: 2007 Empire State Games at Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Long Island bests Central for 2007 ESG Gold

July 28, 2007

New Rochelle, N.Y. — Syosset senior attack Jeff Cohen scored three goals as the Long Island scholastic boys lacrosse team clinched a third straight gold medal by jumping on Central early and cruising to 12-7 win in Empire State Games action at Iona College.

Central (3-1) actually led 2-1 on Zac Guy’s goal midway through the first quarter. Then Long Island (4-0) erupted for five straight goals and took a commanding 10-4 lead in the third. Smithtown West senior midfielder Brian Smalley scored twice and John Carroll (Smithtown East) and Steven Rastivo (Ward Melville) each made six saves in goal for the Island.

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