Massapequa, Manhasset, Cold Spring Harbor, St. Anthony's and St. Dominic boys lacrosse best in state

MASSAPEQUA

There’s an emotional feel to how Massapequa’s boys lacrosse team approaches its games. Not happy, but almost angry. Like every goal Massapequa scores is a response to an insult levied by the opposing team.

Beyond appearances, there’s truth to that. Two of the team’s three losses came to Syosset and Mamaroneck. Massapequa (19-3) then beat both in the playoffs on the way to the state final in Geneva where it topped West Genesee, 19-9, to lift the program’s first state title since 2019 and third ever.

“Not many teams get a chance to get two losses back,” senior captain Braden Tucker said after defeating Mamaroneck in the state semifinal. “We got our [Syosset] loss back in the county championship, and there’s another one.”

No team on Long Island averaged more goals per game than Massapequa’s 16.3. It averaged 17.5 goals — also most on L.I. — across six elimination games.

“We’ve dealt with a bunch of adversity this season,” coach Kevin Catalano said. “But these kids were all in since Day 1, so they really earned this. We got the job done like we’ve been working for.”

Luke Garguilo’s speed and athleticism shined, whether on a clear or when he dived to avoid the crease in the state championship to score mid-air. Michael Ippolito, Justin Farrell and Brady and Casey Gilchrist, with Peter Konstantinakos in the cage, led a team that allowed 7.3 goals per game over its playoff run.

When you have Nolan Wieczorek (141 points), Rocco Spallina (122) and Tyler Byrnes (79) — not to mention players like Tucker, Dylan Milio, Jake Byrnes, Sean Durnin or Ryan Kiderman, all of which had over 25 points — that’s more than enough.

“Beginning of the season, we said we were going to be here, that we were going to take it,” Brady Gilchrist said. “It feels amazing to finally get it, and I could not be more proud of everyone around me.”

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

County final: def Syosset, 19-5

Long Island final: def Sachem North, 19-6

State semifinal: def Mamaroneck, 13-11

State final: def West Genesee, 19-9

MANHASSET

Manhasset boys lacrosse coach Nick Armstrong took his hat off one last time as the buzzer rang out, his arms outstretched to the skies.

His players immediately drenched him in water, storming the field and leaving him in his disbelief. For the first time since 2023, Manhasset was a state champion after a 10-7 win over Victor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

“You always think about it, you set this goal, but our guys did such a good job all year of putting their heads down and worrying about today,” Armstrong said. “I said if we take care of enough todays, we’ll get to where we want to be in the end. And this is it. What a ride it’s been.”

Before the state final, Manhasset (18-4) won three consecutive one-goal games against powerhouses in Garden City (county final), Smithtown East (Long Island final) and Yorktown (state semifinal).

Armstrong watched his star-studded freshmen and sophomores deliver all season, from Andrew Limburg to Tommy Geron to William Mondiello to Peter Weston to Tommy Kasselakis. Kasselakis alone had 21 points over the six-game playoff run.

All could have gone to private schools, Armstrong said. But they chose to stay.

“I told them how much that meant to me and how much that meant to this program,” Armstrong said.

The juniors and seniors went through the wringer. Tommy Leder underwent midseason meniscus surgery before delivering the winning goal against Garden City. Marco Petruccelli missed time with injuries after being injured for six games a year ago; he had six goals and three assists combined across the state semifinal and finals.

Dylan Scheer was hurt at times in both in 2025 and 2026. Kip Zacharia, the only remaining member of Manhasset’s 2023 state championship team, missed all of 2025 with injury and returned in 2026 to anchor a defense that allowed 6.5 goals per game this spring.

“We don’t have a mind-blowing senior class with commitments,” Zacharia said. “Just to pull this out with our senior leadership and our young guys stepping up . . . It’s awesome. It’s surreal."

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

County final: def Garden City, 9-8

Long Island final: def Smithtown East, 10-9

State semifinal: def Yorktown, 12-11

State final: def. Victor, 10-7

COLD SPRING HARBOR

No state championship at Geneva was more competitive than Cold Spring Harbor’s Class D title game against Marcellus.

The Seahawks trailed by two entering the fourth before senior captain Dylan Reilly assisted Colby Koenigsberger just 49 seconds into the quarter. Marcellus’ Jack Lutwin won the ensuing faceoff and the Mustangs took an immediate timeout.

That was a mistake.

“They gave us a second to relax and compose ourselves,” coach Dennis Bonn said.

Koenigsberger scored less than two minutes later to tie it. While Cold Spring Harbor would trail again, it would only be for 81 seconds before Roy Testa’s goal with 5:05 remaining kickstarted a four-goal run to help the Seahawks reclaim the state Class D title with an 11-9 win at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

“I had my doubts in the beginning of the year just because, like any year, we’re such a small school,” said Bonn, who is now 8-0 in state championships. “We lose so many kids every year . . . You always say, ‘How can we replace that?’ We not only replaced that. We far exceeded that.”

Reilly, who Bonn described as “the missing piece” after the county championship against Locust Valley, had been injured during the team’s 1-3 start and returned to ride a 17-game winning streak to Cold Spring Harbor’s fourth state Class D title in five years.

Juniors Andrew Ioannou, Matty Kammer and Alex Vitale were instrumental toward the team’s success, not to mention sophomores Andrew Bauer and Denis Kiely’s growth throughout the spring.

But seniors Reilly, Jeep Pace, Rex O’Connor, Brady Meyer and Daniel Tuohy helped set the standard. After a heartbreaking loss in the state semifinal a year ago, the Seahawks (18-3) managed to fly their way back to the throne they are accustomed to being perched upon.

“Coming back from that loss and coming right back [to the state championship], standing our ground and coming back in a tough game," O'Connor said, "it’s everything."

ROAD TO CHAMPIONSHIP

County final: def Locust Valley, 12-2

Long Island final: def Bayport-Blue Point, 17-12

State semifinal: def Bronxville, 14-5

State final: def Marcellus, 11-9

ST. ANTHONY'S

There’s something to be said about how St. Anthony’s boys lacrosse team seems capable of winning in every sort of way.

Trail by one with 4:13 left against Malvern Prep? Billy Atkinson scores to complete the comeback with 42.4 seconds left.

Lead by one against Iona Prep? The Friars shut out the Gaels in the second half to seal the win.

Down one at halftime to Haverford? St. Anthony’s (12-4) finds a way to force overtime and win on Dylan Harrigan’s score.

“We just have so much fight in us, we have that dog in us,” senior captain Ethan Bramoff said. “You can never count the Friars out in any game, ever.”

And when St. Anthony’s lifted the program’s seventh consecutive state CHSAA Class AAA title at Hofstra on May 13 with a 13-12 win over Chaminade — a third consecutive comeback win against the Flyers, having trailed in the regular season at halftime and in last year’s state championship — it just felt like deja vu.

“I think it’s our schedule,” coach Keith Wieczorek said. “Playing these kinds of competitive games week-in and week-out, we don’t get phased.”

Danny Rooney (29 goals, 34 assists), Harrigan (26 goals, 12 assists) and Charles Cacciabaudo (38 goals, three assists) put the points on the board; stars like Bramoff, Patrick Heron and Brody Richert helped keep opposing teams out.

“I almost get emotional, because I just don’t want to be done,” Rooney said. “I’ve had so much fun here. I love all my teammates; everyone does their job, even if they’re not a starter on the field.”

St. Anthony’s was 3-3 after a surprising loss to La Salle College High School on April 8. The Friars then won nine of their next 10 games to finish where they always do: atop New York.

ST. DOMINIC

The state CHSAA Class A championship game went Monsignor Farrell’s way last year by just one goal. But St. Dominic had a title-round rematch at Centre Island in May, and this lacrosse sequel played out much better for the Bayhawks.

“Avenged it,” coach Mike Schwalje said.

After beating Holy Trinity for the NSCHSAA A title, St. Dominic walked off with the state championship plaque via a 10-7 win behind senior attackman Aiden Cromwell’s five goals and two assists and junior attackman Brian Medley’s three goals and three assists and sophomore goalie Logan Bracco’s 17 saves.

“The boys really played well,” Schwalje said. “They really brought their intensity up for the game.”

It was the joyful cap to a 10-3 season.

“I was just really happy for the kids,” Schwalje said, “because they had a tremendous competitive spirit all season when they played.”

St. Dominic didn’t get Medley back from a broken leg until the last week of April.

“It really helped get us across the finish line,” Schwalje said.

Schwalje called Cromwell, an Iona commit, and sophomore long stick midfielder Jonathan Catanzaro “the heart of the team.”

“Heart” was the most special characteristic of this team.

As Schwalje put it, “They just never, never gave up.”

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

NSCHSAA Class A semifinals: def. St. Mary’s, 15-3

NSCHSAA Class A final: def. Holy Trinity, 10-5

State CHSAA Class A final: def. Monsignor Farrell, 10-7