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.