LI Downs Team Superstars 11-3
July 8, 2010
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
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
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.