2025 Nassau County Previews

With practices starting this week, Blaxeight.net is releasing a series of articles previewing the upcoming  2025 boys lacrosse season in Nassau. For the first time, boys lacrosse in Nassau will play league schedules completely based on ability groupings. Three leagues have been created completetly based on ability, with no regard to school size and New York State classification. At the conclusion of the regular season, teams will be seeded back into their four state classifications and complete for championships that culminate with the state finals on June 14th at Hobart College in upstate Geneva. League 1 consists of the sixteen top programs as decided by the Nassau County Boys Lacrosse Coaches Association. Leagues 2 and 3 consist of 18 and 17 schools respectively. Steve Tripp, the head coach at Glen Cove, when asked about the new league alignments said "The switch to ability groupings will make for more competitive games from top to bottom. It should be a great year for all of Nassau County Lacrosse."

Nassau Class A Preview

This year Class A consists of thirteen total teams, eight of which will qualify for the Nassau County playoffs. Five of the teams- Massapequa, Farmingdale, Syosset, Port Washington, and Oceanside will play in League 1 (sometimes known as the "Power League") while the rest will be split between Leagues 2 and 3. Farmingdale has won the last two Nassau A titles, while Port Washington, Syosset, and Massapequa have each won one dating back to the 2019 season. The Dalers, Braves, and Chiefs have combined to win 29 of the 38 total championships dating back to 1986. 

This year, Massapequa was given the top seed as voted on by the Nassau County Lacrosse Coaches Association, with Farmingdale, Syosset, and Port Washington rounding out the top four. Oceanside is the five seed and perhaps has their best team in years, while Herricks, Hicksville, and Plainview Kennedy are programs with some returning talent and will be competitive in League 2. 

OLD BUT NEW
This year both Massapequa (10-9 in 2024) and Port Washington have new head coaches in Kevin Catalano and Glenn Lavey, respectively. The Chiefs have been a top Class A team for years, having won state titles in 2013 and 2019 under coach Tim Radomski. For the Vikings, last years 4-12 record was a drastic dropoff from the previous seasons in which they won the Nassau title in 2022 and appeared in the title game in 2023.

Massapequa has a strong sophomore class, featuring defender Justin Farrell and attackers Rocco Spallina and Nolan Wieczorek. Senior leadership will be provided by goaltender Michael Jannotte, a Stevens commit who made 201 saves a year ago, and midfielder Joey Diesso, who is headed to Adelphi. Junior attackman Tyler Byrnes, commited to UMass is back as well for a team that gave Farmingdale a battle before falling in the Nassau title game a year ago. 

The Vikings should be strong on defense with Harrison Behan and Nick Noga returning for their senior seasons. Sophomore Max Enyon is back in goal for his third season and has 191 career stops to his credit. Port will be young offensively, with senior attackmen Brendan Lang (Muhlenberg) and Liam McCarville as the key senior returnees. If Lavey can get the offense to gel, the Vikings could be looking at a return to the form they showed in 2022. 

CONSISTENCY COUNTS
Farmingdale (17-6) and Syosset (9-9), the #2 and #3 seeds respectively have been the model of consistency for years in Class A. The Dalers are the two time defending Long Island Champions and appeared in consective state finals for the first time in school history. Farmingdale is one of two (Manhasset being the others) Nassau teams to have won at least one championship in six straight decades. The Braves are in the hunt for a championship every year under coach John Calabria (277 career victories) and have had some of the top high school players on Long Island on their roster every year, with names like Mac O'Keefe, Jack Monfort, and 2024 Krumenacker Award winner David Disque. 

After a slow start to 2024, Farmingdale found the right formula under first-year head coach Eric Dunne, winning eleven straight games before falling in the NYS Class A final to McQuade Jesuit in overtime. The Dalers always are solid defensively and this year is no exception with Matt Ippoliti (LIU commit) and junior Mike Galgano (UMass commit) manning the back end and senior two-way midfielder Jake Mangio (Bryant commit) roaming the middle of the field. Graduation hit the offensive end hard, but with junior JJ Damo (LIU commit, 227 faceoff wins in 2024) back at the faceoff X, Farmingdale should have the ball plenty. Look for junior three-sport star Josh Kama to become a household name this spring. "We're in a great spot in terms of returning a lot of experience and players understanding what it takes to be champions" said Dunne. "However, each year is different, and players will have to fill the voids left by the graduation of some talented seniors. I believe we have guys who bought into putting in the work needed to step up the challenge and continue our culture of working hard and getting the details right."  

Syosset has talented players at both ends of the field in senior Will Cawley on defense and junior Brody Waxer on attack. Cawley, a Lehigh commit, will team with classmate Evan Ostranger to give the Braves a solid defensive duo in front of junior goaltender Josh Weisenfeld (LIU commit, 142 saves in 2024). Waxer has been a mainstay for Syosset since 8th grade and enters 2025 with 144 career points. The Michigan commit is the most accomplished returning offensive player in Class A and will team with senior Nick Turner (Geneseo commit) to power the Syosset offense. The continued development of a strong junior class could be the X factor this season for the Braves who look to win their first Nassau championship since 2021. 

LOOKING TO CRASH THE PARTY
Oceanside (11-6) begins the 2025 season with high expectations. "We have young players playing high level club ball and in showcases all over nationally. I never have seen this high level of play and IQ so naturally ever in my time here" said second-year head coach Mike Santisteban, who has been in the program for many years as an assistant . "I am proud of many of the committed players we have going off to play at the collegiate level and I hope they raise the bar this season for future players."
Oceanside returns 9 of 11 starters, including two goalies who split halves.  They are excited to compete in League 1 this year which should help them be better prepared for the playoffs, as well as playing a very competitive non-league schedule. Junior Brady Nardone (25-15-40 in 2024) returns at attack along with classmate Jack Passuello. Defensively they are stout, led by returning senior close defenders Dylan Bender (St.Johns commit), Will Purmann (West Conn), and LSM Cole Rinn (Springfield). With a strong junior class, the Sailors look to be in the mix in Class A for a few years to come. 

RACE TO THE FINISH
The next best three teams in Class A will all play in League 2. Herricks (12-5), Plainview Kennedy (10-7), and Hicksville (10-7) were all playoff teams a year and look to have the inside track again this season. The question is how will it all finish, as all three teams appear to be stronger than they were a year ago. 

Herricks moved last year up to A from Class B and had a strong year, defeating both the Comets and Hawks in the process, and earning the #6 playoff seed. This year the Highlanders have senior attackman Troy Madden back to lead the offense. The Mercy commit totaled 105 points by way of 48 goals and 57 assists. Coach Mike Chin said "...some established names are gone, but returning are a group of underclassmen who have multiple years of playoff experience, and, after a productive off-season, are eager and hungry to make a name for themselves as this season." Another talented player to watch out for this season is Patrick Nolan a smooth defender who will play at Wingate. A playoff quarterfinalist three of the last four years, Herricks appears to be on track to continue their success in 2025.

Plainview Kennedy returns 90% of its scoring from 2024 and a strong junior group for coach Michael Schatt. Attackman Nick Altmann and midfielders Chris Tripoli and Alex Kantrowitz combined for 150 points last year as sophomores and those numbers could increase in 2025. Two other juniors, Jake Ilardo and Matthew Fitzgerald return on the defensive end as well. Ilardo made 141 saves in 2024 and Fitzgerald contributed 4 goals and 37 gbs. Like Oceanside, this group could be building for an even better 2026. 

Hicksville has two offensive stars back in Michael Gilbert and Brandon Dalton. Both players are seniors who have vast experience and can play both attack and midfield. Gilbert, headed to LIU, totaled 42 last year, as did Dalton. With a small number of return players, this duo will have carry the load for coach Tom Kinsella if the Comets hope to improve this spring in League 2. 

LEAGUE 3 TEAMS
East Meadow (8-8) should be one of the best teams in League 3 this spring. Returning 90% of their scoring, the Jets will feature senior attackmen Bryan Tauber (43-9-52 in 2024) and Jack Caracciola (18-33-51). Senior Jackson Reger return in the cage for East Meadow, having made 165 saves last year and will lead a senior-heavy defensive group for coach Joe Cataldo.

Uniondale will be looking for more wins this year after only getting in the win column once a in 2024. Senior midfielder Adrian Ayala will be counted on heavily by Hugo Charles, who is entering his 13th season as the coach of the Knights.

Valley Stream graduated 13 players from a 5-11 squad and will need younger players to progress quickly in order to compete this spring. Senior attackman Nick Tartamella will be a bright spot for coach Matt Antoniou this year.

Both Freeport (2-13) and Hempstead (1-15) have new coaches this spring. For the Red Devils, Mark Andrejack replaces legend Harry Mohrman who spent 52 years as the Freeport coach. 16 seniors are on the Freeport roster, but only 20% of last year's scoring returns. Junior Mailk Groover in back in the goal, with 242 over his first two seasons. Kyle Gabrinowitz is the new boss in Hempstead, replacing longtime coach William Cherry. The Tigers have low numbers but should benefit from their schedule in League 3.

Nassau Class D Preview

Class D is the smallest classification in both school size (under 450 students) and number of teams (five) in Nassau County. Four of the five will qualify for the playoffs which will consist of a semifinal and a championship in Nassau and will culminate with the New York State Class D championship on June 14th at Hobart College in Geneva.

Any discussion of Class D in Nassau County (or New York State for that matter) is all about Cold Spring Harbor. The Seahawks have dominated the class since their move from Class C in 2022. They have won three straight NYS championships, outscoring their opponents 41-13 in the three championship games.

This season, Cold Spring Harbor (14-6 in 2024) continues to be head and shoulders above the rest of the Class D competition in Nassau. Coach Dennis Bonn (354 career wins) is one the best in Nassau and always has the Seahawks playing their best at tournament time. There are 16 returning seniors, headlined by Alex Bauer, a Michigan commit, who is a versatile offensive player and one of the best on Long Island. He is joined offensively by fellow seniors Sam Bruno (Stevens) and Brady McKean (Stony Brook), while classmates Hunter Yulico and Cole Newman are strong defenders with a ton of big-game experience. Matt Kammer, who blossomed last year down the stretch in goal as a freshman, returns as well. The Seahawks will play in the ultra-competitive League 1 this spring, the only Class D team in the sixteen-team League 1 grouping. 

Locust Valley (1-15) will play in League 2 this spring. The Falcons graduated 16 seniors and will be a young bunch in 2025. Senior midfielder Owen Pye (Pace) is a four-year contributor and Grayson Iannotti returns in goal after making 165 saves last year as an 8th grader for coach Tom Duggan. 

Friends Academy (11-7) lost to Cold Spring Harbor in last year's Nassau Class D championship, 15-8. The Quakers were the Class D Long Island champions in 2021, when the Seahawks were in Class C, and will play in League 3 this spring.  Overcoming the loss of defender Campbell Florence (39 goals in 2024) who is now at Dartmouth will be difficult. Having senior goaltender Brett Cohen (291 career saves) back will be helpful for coach Ryan Lawler, as will having senior midfielder Clark Beard (53 points in 2024) offensively. 

Oyster Bay (9-8) will have a new coach in Doug Tripp, as program founder and long-time coach Brian Soper has moved on, and will play in League 3. The Baymen graduated most of their scoring from a year ago but do have senior goaltender Tyler Rosasco back for another season. 

West Hempstead (2-13) has Daniel Sanchez (156 saves in 2024) back in goal this year for coach Austin Wolfson. Playing in League 3 will help as the Rams do return half their scoring from a year ago but have low numbers. 

Nassau Class B Preview

Today we preview the B classification in Nassau. Class B consists of 19 total schools that will compete for 10 playoff berths. The top five B schools- Garden City, Manhasset, Carey, Calhoun, and Roslyn- will play in League 1, while eight will play in League 2 and another five will be in League 3. Last year`s B champion, South Side, had a magical ride culminating in a NYS championship. This year the Cyclones have moved down to Class C, so we will have a new champion in 2025. 

The Usual Suspects
Any discussion of Class B in Nassau must begin with Garden City and Manhasset. The perennial powers are two of the top public school programs in the United States and have won a combined 10 NYS Class B championships.

Garden City (15-3 in 2024) finished last season in an unfamiliar position, losing in the semifinals to the rival Indians. The Trojans are widely considered the class of Nassau in 2025 and were ranked #25 in the US Lacrosse pre-season poll, the highest ranking of any team in Section VIII. Senior faceoff ace Luke Cascadden, committed to Navy, and his brother Blake a midfielder committed to Cornell, are top players for coach Steve Finnell, who enters 2025 with 285 career wins. Add in midfielders Charlie Koester, a junior Lehigh commit and senior Owen Wuchte, headed to Bucknell, and Garden City appears to be very strong in the middle of the field. Wuchte, is a four year starter and two-time All-County player, is one of the very best at the SSDM position on Long Island.

Manhasset (12-7), who lost in the 2024 Nassau B championship to South Side, returns key seniors in attackman Danny Kolin and defenseman Kyp Zacharia. Kolin, headed to Navy, and Zacharia, a Lehigh commit, will be important pieces for Coach Keith Cromwell early in the season. "We are very excited for the 2025 season to be upon us" Cromwell said.   "Our off season and early preseason will allow us to analyze our depth especially on the defensive side of the ball.   Offensively, Kolin, a four year varsity member, will lead us. Many juniors and sophomores will compete for increased roles as they gained valuable experience last season." 
Both squads play a demanding non-league slate on top of their League 1 contests and it will be interesting to see how both teams progress over the course of the season, as both teams are full of quality younger players. The teams will meet on Saturday, May 3rd at Garden City in their annual Woodstick Classic game, one of the longest standing scholastic lacrosse rivalries in the United States.

The Contenders

Carey (12-6) returns their best squad since 2021 when the Seahawks fell to Garden City in the Class B championship game. Carey was the #5 playoff seed in 2024 and looks to improve on that placement this season for longtime coach Tom Aiello (199 career wins). Rich Metzger, a Marist commit and four year player who has 458 career saves, is one of the best goalies in Nassau and will lead the Carey defense along with senior Billy Koutsoumbaris, who`s headed to Adelphi. Chris Obertis (62 points, Manhattan commit) and Christian Todaro (44 points) are senior attackmen with plenty of game experience for the Seahawks.

Calhoun (15-2) has become one of the most consistent programs in Nassau, with a record of 48-19 over the last four years and three semifinal appearances in that span. Coach Jim Femminella said "...talented sophomore and freshmen classes will push for playing time in 2025, leading to depth on both sides of the field for us. We feel that this depth will help us this spring with the addition of the shot clock and faster pace of play. The main question going into the season is how quickly can an inexperienced defensive unit gel." The Colts return 75% of their scoring, led by seniors Harley Finkelstein (73 points), Braden Garvey (41 points) , and junior Nicholas Voll (56 points). Sophomore face-off specialist Michael Nicholson, won won 67% of his draws in 2024, could be a real difference maker this spring.

The most intriguing team this year in Class B is Roslyn (10-6). Led by Josh Berger, a junior attackman who is one of the top uncommited players in Nassau, the Bulldogs return 75% of their scoring from a year ago for coach Jesse Sorensen. Berger will team with senior midfielder Spencer Cymbler and sophomore attackman Gavin Ryback to give Roslyn scoring punch. The player who may swing games in the Bulldogs favor is faceoff man Ethan Goldberg, a junior Bucknell commit who won 78% of his draws last year. Roslyn battled Manhasset last year in the Class B quarterfinals, falling 9-7, and another step into the semifinals could be a possibility this season.

The Next Tier
A familiar playoff participant in Class B is Long Beach (11-7). The Marines lost a good portion of last year`s scoring to graduation, but do return 16 seniors for coach Jason Pearl. Long Beach will play this year in League 2 and will be one the top teams. Top returning players include juniors Aidan Derupo in goal (138 saves in 2024) and Charlie Conway, a midfielder/attackman who had 35 points last year.

Like the Marines, Mepham (11-6) will be a top League 2 squad. The Pirates were the #7 seed last year for first-year coach Ryan Walsh and should improve on that this spring. Senior Owen Heller, UMass commit who can play both midfield and attack, will be the top scoring threat along with senior Alessandro Walaitis (47-7-54). Heller has 208 career points and has been a regular performer since 8th grade. Mepham also has two excellent juniors in defenseman Jack Weber (Penn State) and Braedon Kehoe (Iona), a faceoff midfielder who won 69% of his draws a year ago.

MacArthur (9-8) is another regular playoff qualifier hoping to improve in 2025. "We are looking forward to the upcoming season" said coach John Nessler. "While we have a few senior contributors, the team will consist of many underclassmen looking to assume important roles. After a year that ended in a first round loss, the Generals look to rebound and find their way deeper into the playoffs this year." Midfielder Gavin Thompson, a Flagler commit who totaled 34 points last year is one of the seniors who should lead the way for the Generals in League 2 play.

Hewlett (8-8) has moved back to Class B after spending the last four years in Class C. The Bulldogs were the #9 playoff seed in C last year and will be in League 2 for the regular season. Daniel Lankri, an Honorable Mention All-County goalie last year, is the top returner for coach Dale Pescitelli. Lankri has 492 career saves and is a four year varsity player.

Jericho (10-6) looks for a return to the playoffs this year after missing out in 2024. "Although our team ended the season on a high note" said coach Brandon Mulholland "we came short of our goal of making it into the playoff bracket in Class B in 2024. That shortcoming has left a bad taste in our mouth and motivated us to hit the ground running at the start of this season and get to work." The Jayhawks have the top returning scorer in Nassau in senior attackman Josh Rubin who totaled 100 points last season by way of 56 goals and 44 assists. With over 80% of their scoring returning, Jericho will be a team to watch in League 2 this spring.

The Field

Division (7-9), Sewanhaka (6-10) and Great Neck South (6-9) will all play in League 2 this spring. Division coach Rob Storrie said "The future of Division lacrosse looks promising. Despite losing a large class last year (13), we have a few returning seniors who will step up to fill major roles, as well as a large group of juniors and underclassmen who are hungry to make a name for themselves as they vie for a role on this team. Returning captains, Timothy Stanley and Cristian Barone, are looking to make an impact this year and play like they have nothing to lose in their League 2 standing." Midfielder Stanley totaled 37 points and Barone finished with 157 stops in goal a year ago.

Sewanhaka will lean on returning defender Hallelujah Agesin, who had 110 ground balls and 43 takeaways in 2024. A strong senior class could help the Indians and coach Connor Horl improve on last year`s win total. Great Neck South has two strong senior midfielders in Edwin Serpas (38-15-53) and Michael Azatyan and returns almost all of their scoring, but coach Mike Passuello needs to find a replacement for graduated netminder Robin Varughese, who totaled over 250 saves the last two years.

Baldwin (7-8), a Class A staple for decades, has been in Class B the last two years and will play in League 3. The Bruins will be led by senior captain Preston Kirchner, according to coach Tim Clancy. "Our team graduated a lot of seniors (last year).  We have a core group of solid players returning" said Clancy. "Our JV team is coming off of a ten win season, so we have young and hungry group coming up to varsity looking to make an impact."

Great Neck North (5-9) might have the best player in League 3 in Daniel Perlman, a senior attackman headed to Franklin and Marshall. He enters 2025 with 193 career points and was All-Conference in 2024 as was junior goalie Brian Schiedt (212 saves in 2024).

New Hyde Park (6-10) will also be in League 3 after making the playoffs a year ago as the #10 seed. Coach Mike Milio will have to find a replacement for 2024 graduate Aidan Garvey, who took his 219 career points to Adelphi. The play of senior midfielder Nick Garofalo should help.

Bellmore Kennedy graduated 15 seniors from a team that finished 6-10 last year. Coach Gerard Cunningham will lean heavily on senior midfielder Zack Greenseid who totaled 37 points last year.

Glen Cove (6-10) last qualified for the playoffs in 2022. They will play this spring in League 3 for coach Steve Tripp. He will be trying to replace 2024 grauate Matteo Cameron, who made 629 saves in his career in goal for the Big Red.

Elmont (1-14) will try to improve despite the loss of eleven seniors and only returning 32% of their scoring. Playing in League 3 will help these efforts as will the play of senior goalie Michael Garvin who totaled 50 saves last year in limited action.

O`Keefe, Aughavin Help the Archers Win PLL Championship

Congratulations to Nassau County alumni Mac O'Keefe and Ryan Aughavin for winning the PLL Championship with the Utah Archers this past Sunday in Philadelphia. 

O'Keefe, a graduate of Syosset HS and the 2016 John Krumenacker Award winner as the Nassau County Player of the Year as well as a US Lacrosse All-American, scored three goals in the championship game against the Maryland Whipsnakes. For O'Keefe, this was his second PLL championship, having won the title in 2021 as a member of the Chaos. He also has been an All-Star selection the past two years and graduated from Penn State in 2021 as the all-time leading goal scorer in NCAA history and a multi-year All-American for the Nittany Lions.

Aughavin, a graduate of North Shore HS, was a US Lacrosse All-American in 2017 and played college lacrosse at Brown University. While at Brown he was an All-Ivy and All-American selection and was the first Brown player drafted into the PLL in 2022. This is the second consecutive championship for Aughavin, who has played his entire career with the Archers. The squad won the PLL championship last season as well.

2024 Season Review

2024 was a tremendous year for lacrosse in Nassau County. To increase competition the Nassau coaches voted to create a select Power League, consisting of the nine top programs in the county. The remaining squads continued to play in their respective conferences based on school enrollments. South Side was the regular season Power League champion, finishing with a 7-1 record, only falling to Wantagh during league play. There were four classes for the Section VIII tournament. Farmingdale (A), South Side (B), Wantagh (C), and Cold Spring Harbor (D) were he top seeds and they all won championships. 

Farmingdale won the A championship for the second consecutive year by downing Massapequa, 7-5. In Class B, South Side defeated Manhasset for the championship, 12-10. Wantagh won the C title defeating first time finalist Island Trees by the score of 13-4. Cold Spring Harbor won their third straight Class D championship by routing second-seeded Friends Academy, 15-8. 

At the end of the year, the Nassau County coaches selected the post-season award winners including their All-Conference and All-County players. Then they selected nine US Lacrosse All-Americans and nine US Lacrosse All-Academic selections. Named All-Americans were Brendan O'Keefe (Farmingdale), David Disque (Syosset), Jake Martini (Wantagh), Owen West  (South Side), Michael Aiello (South Side),

Michael Melkonian (South Side), Kian McCoy (Island Trees), Matthew Kephart (Garden City), and Jack Mulholland (Manhasset). O'Keefe was a repeat recipient and McCoy was the first All-American in Island Trees history.

Finalists for All-American were Jake Anzelone (Seaford), Jimmy Caputo (Farmingdale), Campbell Florence (Friends Academy), Will Greaves (Wantagh), Andrew Ottomanelli (Garden City), and Ryan Wieczorek (Massapequa). Academic All-Americans were Steve and Joe Braunshweiger (Port Washington), Denis Fargione, Matthew Kephart and Carson Kraus (Garden City), Caiden Lung (Lynbrook), Brady Mahler (Baldwin), Michael Mondiello and Jack Mulholland (Manhasset), and Michael Muscarella (South Side).
South Side Head Coach Steve DiPietro was named USA Lacrosse Coach of the Year from Nassau County and the Bob Scott Award winner was Michael Melkonian, also from South Side.

Nassau County has a long history or recognizing the best players and coaches for each year with their annual awards.

The Nassau County "John Krumenacker Player of the Year Award" is given annually to the most outstanding high school lacrosse player in Nassau County

as voted by the NCLCA. This year the award was split between David Disque (Syosset) who is headed to Johns Hopkins and Michael Melkonian (South Side) who will attend Cornell.

The "Bill Ritch Award" is given annually to the most outstanding high school attackman in Nassau County as voted by the NCLCA. Bill Ritch was the longtime coach at Sewanhaka High School and is widely considered the first great coach in Nassau County lacrosse history. This years recipient was Michael Aiello (South Side).

The "Howdy Myers Award" is given annually to the most outstanding defenseman in Nassau County as voted by the NCLCA. The award is named after the late National Hall of Fame coach Howard “Howdy” Myers, who is considered by many to have been most responsible for the spread of lacrosse throughout Long Island during the 1950’s. The award this season was split between Jack Mulholland (Manhasset) and Matthew Kephart (Garden City).

The "John Driscoll Award" is given annually to the most outstanding midfielder in Nassau County as voted by the NCLCA. The award was originally named after Jim Brown but was renamed in 2004 in memory of the late John Driscoll, who, like Brown, was an outstanding midfielder from Manhasset High School. Jake Martini of Wantagh was this years recipient. 

The "Goalie of the Year" for 2023 was Jimmy Caputo from Farmingdale. The "Long Stick Midfielder of the Year" was Nolan Wieczorek (Massapequa).

The "Tom Flatley Award" is given to a Nassau County student-athlete that competed at a high level in the sports of football and lacrosse throughout his high school career. The 2024 award was split between Manhasset defenseman Jack Mulholland and South Side faceoff midfielder Michael Melkonian. 

The "Alan Lowe Coach of the Year Award" is given annually to an outstanding coaching staff in Nassau County as voted by the NCLCA. The award was originally named after Fran McCall, the longtime coach at Bethpage High School but was renamed in honor of Alan Lowe, the former coach at Manhasset High School. This year the award went to Steve DiPietro from South Side, who led the Cyclones to the New York State Class B championship. 

The "Jim Amen Jr. Man of the Year" award is awarded annually by the NCLCA to a person that has made significant contributions to the sport of boys lacrosse in Nassau County. The recipient this season was Ray Nelson of Orlin and Cohen. The NCLCA thanked Ray for all he has done in supporting the development of the Blaxeight website and his support of the New York State championships being held at Hofstra University. 

Nassau County had a strong showing at the New York State playoffs this spring. South Side (Class B) and Cold Spring Harbor (Class D) won state championships in their respective classifications. For the Seahawks, it was the their third straight title in Class D under head coach Dennis Bonn. The highlight of their tournament run was a stirring 6-5 victory over Pleasantville in the semifinals at SUNY Albany. 

For South Side, it was a season to remember! The Cyclones were slight favorites in a stacked Nassau Class B that included Garden City and Manhasset. South Side won the inaugural regular season Power League title, suffering only one setback during league play to Wantagh. They had an incredible playoff run, winning close, come-from-behind games against Yorktown in the semifinals and Victor in the championship at Hofstra to earn the second NYS Class B title in school history. 

Farmingdale appeared in the NYS Class A championships for the second straight year, falling to McQuaid Jesuit in overtime, 8-7, at Hofstra in the final. The highlight of the Dalers playoff run for first-year head coach Eric Dunne was a dominant win over Half Hallow Hills in the Long Island Championships. 

Wantagh was led all season by their prolific offense that averaged a county-leading 13.3 goals per game. The Warriors handed South Side their only loss of the season, a 15-11 home triumph on April 10th and won their second Nassau title (and first since 2001) with a 13-4 win over Island Trees. Wantagh battled eventual Class C state champ Bayport-Blue Point in the LIC but fell by the score of 9-7, ending a excellent season for Wantagh.

With wins in Class B and D, Nassau kept their streak of at least one NYS championship intact, a stretch of 14 championship seasons that dates back to 2009. Schools that have helped keep the streak going include Cold Spring Harbor, Farmingdale, Garden City, Massapequa, Manhasset, and South Side.

South Side, Cold Spring Harbor Win NYS Titles

Cold Spring Harbor defeated Marcellus 12-7 to win the Seahawks third consecutive NYS Class D championship on Saturday, June 8th at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium. Cold Spring Harbor had a dominant playoff run, outscoring opponents 54-25 en route to the title. The Seahawks finished the season with a record of 14-6 and have won seven overall state championships, six of them coming in the past nine seasons!

South Side finished their magical season with a incredible come-from-behind 12-11 overtime victory over Victor of Section Five on Saturday June 8th at Shuart Stadium. Cole DiPietro's goal gave the Cyclones their 21st victory and the NYS Class B championship, the second in school history. Michael Melkonian won 17 of 27 faceoffs and Michael Aiello totaled six points (three goals, three assists) in the final for South Side, who only lost once during the season, finishing with a record of 21-1. 

With the two championships in 2024, Nassau has now won at least one NYS title in every season since 2009. This level of success in the state tournament has never been seen before, with Nassau having a champion in each of the last 14 consecutive seasons and 16 years overall (there were no championships played in 2020 and 2021). 

State Championships Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the final day of boys high school lacrosse in New York State and three Nassau County teams will compete for championships at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium. 

Cold Spring Harbor will look to win their third consecutive Class D title when they take on Marcellus (20-1) of Section Three at 10:00 am. The Seahawks (13-6) defeated Pleasantville in a thrilling East semifinal in Albany on Wednesday, 6-5. The Mustangs are averaging 15 goals a game and defeated Aquinas Institute in the West semifinal, 14-8. Cold Spring Harbor plays great defense, allowing less than seven goals per game, so something will have to give in this one. 

Farmingdale is in the Class A state final in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. The Dalers (17-5) defeated Mamaroneck 9-8 in the East semifinal Wednesday and feature goaltender Jimmy Caputo, a Pace commit that has made 229 saves, and Brendan O'Keefe (Albany), a 2023 All-American who has 190 career points. Their opponent is McQuaid Jesuit (19-2) from Section Five who is making their first champinship game appearance in school history. Game time is 12:30 pm. 

In Class B, South Side (20-1) will face Victor (18-3) from Section Five. The Cyclones are making their second state final appearance in school history, having won the B title exactly twenty years ago in 2004. Faceoff midfielder Michael Melkonian (Cornell) is the engine for South Side, having won 81% of his draws this season and attackman Michael Aiello (Skidmore) is one of the leading scorers in Nassau with 97 points (56g, 41a). He has totaled 33 points in the six Cyclone playoff games so far. Victor is a frequent visitor to championship apearances, having won four titles and lost last year at Hofstra to Garden City, 9-8. Game time is 3:00 pm.

In the final game of the day, at 5:30 pm, Suffolk's Bayport-Blue Point (20-1) will face Jamesville-Dewitt (19-2) of Section III for the Class C championship. The Phantoms defeated Wantagh in the Long Island Championship and downed Rye on Wednesday, 9-8. They are seeking their first state title in school history. 

NEW YORK STATE BOYS LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIPS- HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY, SATURDAY, JUNE 8
10:00 am Cold Spring Harbor vs. Marcellus
12:30 pm Farmingdale vs. McQuaid Jesuit
3:00 pm  South Side vs. Victor
5:30 pm Bayport-Blue Point vs. Jamesville-Dewitt

To see the full NYS boys lacrosse brackets, click the link below:

NYS Boys Lacrosse Brackets

For game tickets, click the link below:

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TICKETS

Can't make it to the games? Livestream links are below:

NHFS State Championship Livestream Links

Nassau Teams Advance In NYS Playoffs

All three Nassau teams advanced to the semifinal round of the NYS playoffs yesterday with wins over Section IX opponents in games played at Middletown High School.

In Class A, Farmingdale routed Monroe-Woodbury, 17-1, to advance to the semifinals for the second straight year. Brendan O'Keefe had a goal and seven assists and Cuinn Sunde scored three goals to lead the Dalers to win.  [ BOX SCORE]
Cold Spring Harbor moved on in Class D for the third straight year with an easy 15-2 win over James I. O'Neill. Dan Touhy had two goals and an assist to lead eleven different Seahawk goal scorers.  [ BOX SCORE] 
In Class B, South Side continued their dream season with an 11-6 victory over Warkwick Valley. Michael Melkonian won 19 of 20 faceoffs and Michael Aiello had three goals and three assists for the Cyclones.  [ BOX SCORE]

Long Island Championship Game MVP

Thank you to James Metzger for sponsoring the 2024 Long Island Championship Most Valuable Player Awards once again this year. The Nassau reciepients are as follows:

Class A- Farmingdale High School senior goaltender Jimmy Caputo

Jimmy Caputo with James Metzger and James Pannell of the Whitmore Group

Class B- South Side High School senior faceoff midfielder Michael Melkonian

Michael Melkonian with US Lacrosse Hall of Famer Vincent Sombrotto of the Whitmore Group

Class D- Cold Spring Harbor High School freshman goaltender Matt Kammer

Matt Kammer with US Lacrosse Hall of Famer Vincent Sombrotto of the Whitmore Group

Nassau Wins Three of Four Long Island Championship Games

Farmingdale (Class A), South Side (Class B), and Cold Spring Harbor (Class D) all won their Long Island Championship matchups today and advanced in the 2024 New York State Boys Lacrosse Tournament. Unfortunately, Wantagh fell to Bayport-Blue Point in Class C and finishes the season at 16-4. 
For Cold Spring Harbor (11-6) it was their third straight LIC win in Class D, and their sixth in the last nine years (counting three championships the Seahawks won in Class C from 2015-2017). 
Farmingdale captured their second straight Island Class A championship and their fifth overall. It was the first back to back titles for the Dalers in school history. 
The Cyclones of South Side continue their dream season by winning their second LIC in school history, exactly twenty years since their first in 2004. 

The three teams advance to the quarterfinal round of the NYS tournament which takes place on Saturday, June 1st at Middletown High School. The opponents all hail from Section IX. The schedule is as follows:

Class D: Cold Spring Harbor (11-6) vs. O'Neill (2-9) at 10:00 am

Class A: Farmingdale (15-5) vs. Monroe-Woodbury (10-6) at 12:30 pm

Class B: South Side (18-1) vs. Warwick Valley (16-1) at 3:00 pm

Long Island Championship Game Schedule

All four Long Island Championship games are Wednesday, May 29th. 
NOTE: There has been a location change for Class A and C games! 

Class A
Farmingdale (14-5) vs. Half Hallow Hills (18-1)
East Islip Middle School-Stadium Field
4:00 pm

Class D
Cold Spring Harbor (10-6) vs. Babylon (9-5)
Shuart Stadium, Hofstra University
4:30 pm

Class C
Wantagh (16-3) vs. Bayport-Blue Point (17-1)
East Islip Middle School-Stadium Field
6:30 pm

Class B
South Side (17-1) vs. East Islip (17-1)
Shuart Stadium, Hofstra University
7:00 pm

Nassau County HS Alumni Earn USILA Honors

This past week the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association announced their All-Americans for Divisions One, Two, and Three. Several players with Nassau County HS roots were named All-Americans. Massapequa led all Nassau schools with five selections! They are as follows:

South Side and Wantagh Each Win 2nd Championship in School History

Yesterday at Hofstra, South Side and Wantagh each won their second Nassau championship in school history. In Class B, South Side outlasted Manhasset 12-10, and Wantagh defeated Island Trees 13-4 to win the Class C crown. For each school it was their second Nassau championship in school history. The Cyclones won their other championship in 2004 and Wantagh won in 2001. For both schools, their other title was in Class B and yesterday marked the first time a school other than Garden City or Manhasset had won Class B since 2014 (Lynbrook). 
In the first game yesterday, the Cyclones (17-1) withstood a strong effort from Manhasset to win Class B. After scoring the game's first two goals, South Side found themselves trailing 5-2 midway through the second quarter. But a goal by Griffin Mills at the end of the first half off another Michael Melkonian faceoff win (he finished 22 of 23 at the dot in the game) gave the Cyclones a 7-5 advantage. The game would go back and forth throughout the second half but South Side took control in the fourth to end their championship drought. Michael Aiello, Cullen Lynch, and Owen West each scored three times for South Side. Conor Sheerin had a game-high four goals and Daniel Kolin had a goal and three assists for Manhasset (12-7). South Side advances to the Class B Long Island Championship on Wednesday, May 29th at Hofstra against Suffolk champion East Islip (17-1). Game time is 6:30 pm. 
In the nightcap, Wantagh defeated first-time finalist Island Trees, 13-4. Dylan Martini scored six goals and Jake Martini added two goals and three assists for the Warriors (16-3). Wantagh led 2-1 after a tight first quarter but would outscore the Bulldogs 11-3 the rest of the way to earn the Class C crown. Will Greaves won 14 of 20 faceoffs and Devin Paccione had three assists, giving the sophomore a Nassau-best 64 for the season for the Warriors. Kian McCoy scored three goals for Island Trees, who completed their best season in school history with a record of 12-7. Wantagh will face Suffolk champion Bayport-Blue Point (17-1) for the Long Island Class C title on Wednesday, May 29th at 6:30 pm at Longwood High School. 
Full Class B boxscore:   [ BOX SCORE] 
Full Class C boxscore:   [ BOX SCORE] 

Dennis Bonn: 350 Wins and Counting!

Congratulations to Cold Spring Harbor coach Dennis Bonn for winning his 350th game last night in the Seahawks Nassau Class D championship victory over Friends Academy. He now has the ninth most wins in Nassau lacrosse history, have recently passed former Port Washington coach Ken Case (348 wins) and Harry Morhman of Freeport (429) is the only active coach with more victories than Bonn.
Coach Bonn became the head coach at Cold Spring Harbor in 2000, replacing Jim Frank, who has 274 wins of his own at the Harbor. His career record stands at 350-88, with a winning percentage of 80%. A model of consistency, his teams have won an average of 15 games a season, with less than four losses a year. His teams have won 15 Nassau championships, 6 Long Island championships, and 6 New York State titles. He has won several major awards, including Nassau Coach of the Year four times (2002, 2006, 2017, and 2022) and was the NILCA National HS Coach of the Year in 2017.

To see the complete list of Nassau County coaching victories, click the link below!

Coaching Victories

Cold Spring Harbor and Farmingdale Repeat As Nassau Champions

Cold Spring Harbor 15, Friends Academy 8
Top seeded Cold Spring Harbor won their third straight Nassau Class D championship by downing #3 Friends Academy, 15-8. Kevin Burns and Alex Bauer each had three goals and an assist and Andrew Mazzei had two goals and two assists for the Seahawks (10-6). Freshman Roy Testa added three goals for the winners, and Clark Beard had three goals for Friends Academy (11-7). Cold Spring Harbor has now 15 overall Nassau championships, including victories in the overall (prior to 1986), Class C, and Class D.  [ BOX SCORE] 

Farmingdale 7, Massapequa 5
Cuinn Sunde and Brendan O'Keefe each scored two goals to lead Farmingdale to their second consecutive Nassau Class A championship and 15th overall in school history. O'Keefe had an assist and James Caputo made nine saves in goal for the Dalers (14-5). JJ Damo of Farmingdale won 8 of 15 faceoffs and had eight ground balls in the win. Tyler Byrnes scored two goals for the Chiefs, who finished the season with a record of 10-9.   [ BOX SCORE] 

2024 Nassau County Champions

Class A: Farmingdale High School

Class B: South Side High School

Class C: Wantagh High School

Class D: Cold Spring Harbor High School

Farmingdale Rolls and Massapequa Stuns Syosset in Class A Semifinals

Farmingdale 12, Port Washington 5
Top seeded Farmingdale broke open a close game by scoring five consecutive second half goals in their 12-5 semifinal victory over #4 Port Washington. Caden Lennon scored five goals and added an assist and Brendan O'Keefe had a goal and three assists for the Dalers (13-5). Jimmy Caputo totaled 16 saves for Farmingdale. Steve Braunshweiger scored two goals for Port Washington (4-12). Farmingdale will be appearing in their third Nassau A championship game in the last four years on Thursday at 7:30 pm at Hofstra against Massapequa.   [ BOX SCORE] 

Massapequa 11, Syosset 10
Down 10-4 in the third quarter, #2 Massapequa rallied to defeat #3 Syosset, 11-10, in a Nassau Class A semifinal. With less than 30 seconds remaining and the score tied at 10, defenseman Ryan Wieczorek intercepted a pass, ran the length of the field and fed Jack Garguilo for the winning goal for the Chiefs (10-8). Wieczorek had two goals to go along with his game-winning assist, Gargulio totaled two goals, and Joey Diesso had two goals and an assist for Massapequa. David Disque led the Braves (9-9) with five goals and an assist. He finished the season with 61 goals and 32 assists.   [ BOX SCORE] 

South Side Rolls On, Island Trees & Wantagh Move On In Class C

South Side 12, Carey 3
Michael Melkonian won 15 of 17 face-offs and Michael Aiello scored six goals to lead top seeded South Side over #5 Carey in the Nassau Class B semifinals yesterday. Cullen Lynch added four goals and an assist for the Cyclones (16-1).  South Side plays #3 seed Manhasset for the Nassau County Class B Championship on Friday at 5:00 pm at Hofstra University. Rich Metzger made 14 saves for the Seahawks who finished the season at 12-6. [ BOX SCORE] 

Wantagh 16, Bethpage 5
Top seed Wantagh broke open as close game by outscoring #4 seed Bethpage 11-2 in the second half to advance to the Nassau Class C Championship. Devin Paccione had four goals and four assists and Will Greaves won 17 of 25 faceoffs for the Warriors (15-3). Wantagh will play #3 seed Island Trees at 7:30 pm Friday at Hofstra for the C title.  Bethpage finished at 12-6.  [ BOX SCORE] 

Island Trees 14, Seaford 6
Island Trees pulled off the upset by defeating #2 seed Seaford in the Nassau Class C semifinals last night at Hofstra. The third seeded Bulldogs had lost to Seaford 12-6 on April 5th, but flipped the tables behind John Echezuria (5g, 1a) and Kian McCoy (3g, 3a). For Island Trees, this will be their first Nassau championship game appearance in school history. Seaford finished at 13-5. [ BOX SCORE] 

Manhasset Takes Down Garden City In B Semifinals

Manhasset 6, Garden City 5
Daniel Kolin scored three goals to lead #3 seeded Manhasset past #2 Garden City in the Nassau Class B semifinals yesterday at Hofstra. Garden City (15-3) raced out to a 3-0 first quarter lead behind individual goals from Charlie Koester, Andrew Ottomanelli and Dan Medjid. But the Indians (12-6) rallied and tied the game at 3 by the end of the quarter, and a goal by Michael Mondiello gave Manhasset a 4-3 halftime advantage. Kolin scored the only Manhasset goals of the second half, and his unassisted tally with 4:15 left proved to be the game-winner. Medjid scored his second goal on a pass from Koester with 0:48 left in the game to cut the Manhasset lead to one. The Trojans won the ensuing faceoff, but a last second bounce shot by Ottomanelli was saved by Matt Im (9 saves) to close out the victory for Manhasset. Earlier in the season, Garden City had defeated Manhasset, 7-2, in the team's annual contest called the Woodstick Classic.  [ BOX SCORE] 

Friends Academy Advances in Class D

Friends Academy 14, Oyster Bay 5
Cambell Florence and Cooper Schultz each scored four goals to lead #3 Friends Academy past #2 Oyster Bay in the Nassau Class D Semifinals played at Hofstra University. Florence added two assists and Schultz had one to go with their goals for the Quakers (11-6), and teammate Clark Beard added three goals and two assists. Chris Lingen had two goals and an assist for the Baymen (9-8). Friends will play #1 seed and defending champion Cold Spring Harbor in the Class D championship on Thursday at 5:00 pm.  [ BOX SCORE] 

2024 Nassau County Playoffs Are Here!

THE 2024 NASSAU COUNTY LACROSSE PLAYOFFS ARE UNDER WAY! 

BLAXEIGHT.NET IS THE HOME TO EVERYTHING PLAYOFFS IN NASSAU COUNTY.

TO SEE THE CURRENT BRACKETS, CLICK HERE: 2024 NASSAU BRACKETS