- First Posted: 2025-07-08
- Updated: 2025-07-08 21:24:16
- Posted by: Unknown
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2025 End of Season Review
2025 saw changes in the league structure in Nassau County, designed by the coaches to increase competition and decrease the blowouts that had been occurring in previous seasons. The power league structure that had started in 2024 was continued in 2025, with several teams added to the original group of nine from the year before. In addition, the remaining teams were also grouped by ability into two leagues. At the end of the regular season, Garden City emerged as the top team in League I, the "power league." In League II, Long Beach finished undefeated at 8-0, and in League III, Friends Academy was the top dog at 14-0 against league competition.
All the teams returned back to the NYS classifications for the Nassau County (Section VIII) playoff tournament. Massapequa emerged as the top team in Class A, winning their first championship since 2019. Garden City was the winner in Class B, regaining the title they had won from 2021-23. Wantagh (Class C) and Cold Spring Harbor (Class D) were repeat champions. For the Seahawks, it was their fourth straight championship in the Class D grouping. With the exception of Massapequa all Nassau teams won Long Island championships as well. The Chiefs ran into a buzzsaw in Half Hallow Hills, widely considered the top public school team in the nation. They almost pulled off the upset, falling in the closing seconds, 15-14. Nassau has now won 15 of the 20 Long Island championships in the post-pandemic era (since 2021).
Garden City continued their dominant season in the state playoffs, dominating Canandaigua (Section V) in the championship at Hobart, 14-5. It was the 9th NYS title for the Trojans who gave up less than 5.5 goals per game in their seven game playoff run. In addition, head coach Steve Finnell won his 300th game at the helm of the perrenial power, being the second fastest coach to 300 wins in Nassau history.
With wins in Class B, Nassau kept their streak of at least one NYS championship intact, a stretch of 15 championship seasons that dates back to 2009. No other section in NYS has had such a streak of championship success. Schools that have helped keep the streak going include Cold Spring Harbor, Farmingdale, Garden City, Massapequa, Manhasset, and South Side.
At the end of the year, the Nassau County coaches selected the post-season award winners including their All-County, Honorable-Mention All-County and All-Conference players. The coaches selected nine US Lacrosse All-Americans, led by Garden City with three selections: senior twins Blake and Luke Cascadden and junior Charlie Koester. The remaining six selections, all seniors, were Harrison Behan from Port Washington, Will Cawley (Syosset), Michael Jannotte (Massapequa), Manhasset's Daniel Kolin, Cullen Lynch from South Side, and Wantagh's Dylan Martini.
The Academic All-Americans selected were Michael Berkery and Dan Medjid from Garden City, Lochlan FitzPatrick from Manhasset, Wantagh's John Gendels, Cole Newman from Cold Spring Harbor, Lynbrook's Chris Paladino, and Jericho's Josh Rubin. Blake Cascadden and Michael Jannotte, two of the nine All-Americans chosen, also received the academic honor as well.
As for the individual awards given out by the NCLCA, Garden City's Luke Cascadden was given the John Krumenacker Award as the top player in Nassau. Cascadden was also named the top specialist for his faceoff prowess. His brother Blake was chosen as the top LSM and teammate Charlie Koester was named the top attackman (Bill Ritch Award). Dylan Martini was the John Driscoll Award winner as the top midfielder, and Harrison Behan was the chosen as the top defender (Howdy Meyers Award). The Goalie of the Year Award went to Michael Jannotte.
The Tom Flately Award, given to the top football/lacrosse player as voted on by a select committee, was given to Martini. He had previously won the Thorp Award in the fall, given to the top Nassau player on the gridiron. The Alan Lowe Nassau Coach of the Year was given to Wantagh's James Polo, whose Warrior squad advanced to the NYS quarterfinals and were the LI champs for the first time since 2001. Finally, the Jim Amen, Jr. Man of the Year Award went to Hofstra's Ryan Watson, who has been so instrumental in helping the NCLCA host events for several years at Shuart Stadium.
Statistically speaking, Friends Academy had the most profilic offense in Nassau this season, averaging just under 13 goals a game, while Garden City scored the most goals with 276. New Hyde Park led all teams defensively with 65 goals allowed, giving up slightly more than. four goals per game. Senior attackman Troy Madden from Herricks was the top individual scorer in the county with 107 points and 62 assists. Senior attackman Daniel Perlman scored the most goals in Nassau with 78 and finished his career with 239, one of the highest totals in county history. Garden City's Luke Cascadden had the most faceoff wins (321) and ground balls (200). Sophomore CJ Siegler from Bellmore JFK had the highest faceoff winning percentage with 86% (197 of 230). Daniel Lankri from Hewlett led in saves with 293 and Brian Scheidt had the highest save percentage with 73.5%. Finally, Joe Mainente (Island Trees) had the most caused turnovers with 89.