LI Runs Away From Western 10-4

July 22, 2010

East Islip's Kevin Wendel outpaces the Western defense at the 2010 Empire State Games. Photo by Kyle Laviolette.
East Islip’s Kevin Wendel outpaces the Western defense at the 2010 Empire State Games. Photo by Kyle Laviolette.

Buffalo — Long Island began its quest for an unprecedented fifth straight gold medal in scholastic boys lacrosse with an early-morning wakeup call. The players and coaches had to put a marathon 24 hours behind them, starting with a 10-hour bus ride which began at Bethpage State Park at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, then the emotions of Opening Ceremonies Wednesday evening and culminating with an air condition-less night of sleep in the dorms at Canisius College.

What awaited them Thursday was a 9 a.m. date with the belle of the ball. Many hyped Western as the trendy favorite to upset Long Island, not only because the boys from Buffalo and Rochester were playing on their home turf, but because the roster was stocked with several big-name college commitments.

Yet it was clear from the opening faceoff on the turf at Canisius that Long Island brought a little something extra. Call it confidence, swagger or attitude. The offense roared to life early, scoring three quick goals and hitting the pipe several times more.

East Islip’s Kevin Wendel, a rising senior midfield committed to Navy, took a pass from Smithtown West’s Kyle Keenan lurking behind the cage and found the back of the net for a 1-0 edge just 1:48 into the game.

Keenan, the son of Smithtown West coach Sean Keenan and one of three Bulls players on the Empire squad, made it 3-0 with his drive with 3:49 left in the first. It was part of a three-goal, three-assist day for Keenan, a rising senior attack headed to Duke.

Despite a strong start, Long Island only led 3-2 at halftime. The coaching staff simply preached patience. The defense held up fine and the offense had plenty of shots on goal. Connetquot senior goalie Zach Oliveri, a vocal leader in the back and a team co-captain, registered 10 saves and directed a defense that effectively shut down Western in the second half.

FOGO specialist Jake Froccaro a Port Washington rising junior and the youngest player on the Empire team, dominated in the circle in the second half. His quick outlet to Hicksville’s Brandon Gamblin put LI in front 4-2 just 3 seconds into the third quarter. Sachem North’s Michael Andreassi collected a ground ball to set up Smithtown West attack James Pannell for a goal 31 seconds later.

The rout was on from there. Long Island scored five goals in the quarter. Long Island faces Hudson Valley at 4 p.m. while Western gets a chance to atone against traditionally-weak New York City at 8 p.m.

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 F
Western 1 1 1 1 4
Long Island 3 0 5 2 10

Goals – WN: Coholan, Dejoe, Reed, Yunker LI: Keenan 3, Andreassi, Gamblin, Geratto, Gordon, Jones, Pannell, Wendel. Assists – WN: Burke, Yunker LI: Keenan 3, Pannell 2, Gordon. Saves – WN: Govenettio 8 LI: Oliveri 10.

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.

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.

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.