Rocco Spallina, Nolan Wieczorek and Tyler Byrnes help Massapequa boys lacrosse win first state title since 2019

GENEVA — Massapequa’s close defense unit of Justin Farrell, Michael Ippolito and Brady Gilchrist huddled alongside goalie Peter Kostantinakos in front of the cage as the final seconds of the state Class A championship game ticked away Sunday at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

“We all brought it in and said we love each other,” Gilchrist said. “That we can’t believe it’s over and that we can’t believe we did it. And that there’s no other group we’d rather do it with.”

The huddle broke up to embrace a sea of white jerseys running toward them. A moment later in the same place that quiet huddle took place, Massapequa’s players screamed and jumped for joy as they celebrated a 19-9 state championship win over Section III’s West Genesee.

19 goals in the county final.
19 goals in the Long Island championship.
13 goals in the state semifinal.

And once more, 19 goals in the state championship as Massapequa celebrated its first state title in seven years. Here’s how it looked: pic.twitter.com/JMXRbuCC1s

— Michael Sicoli (@Michael__Sicoli) June 15, 2026

It’s Massapequa’s first state title since 2019 and third in program history. Rocco Spallina had four goals and three assists for a game-high seven points.

“It’s an incredible feeling; it’s everything I dreamed of and more,” Spallina said.

Spallina continued to impress alongside Nolan Wieczorek (three goals, three assists) and Tyler Byrnes (two goals, three assists).

“We’ve been saying this forever; a three-headed snake,” Byrnes said. “Once you have a group of guys that gets going, it’s hard to stop it. It’s hard to get the train off the tracks.”

Massapequa (19-3) rallied repeatedly, trailing 5-2 with 4:10 left in the first quarter before scoring six consecutive goals to take an 8-5 lead. It then led by one goal with 6:45 left in the third quarter but scored eight straight goals to take a commanding 17-8 lead with 5:41 left in the game.

Massapequa in full control. Luke Gargiulo scores a thriller to give Massapequa a commanding 17-8 lead.

Now 5:36 left. All that’s between Pequa and a state title as Long Island looks to go 3-for-3 today. pic.twitter.com/B4DihBYNZn

— Michael Sicoli (@Michael__Sicoli) June 14, 2026

“Pure grit. They’re going to dig in and get the job done,” Massapequa head coach Kevin Catalano said. “Their emotions were a little high in the beginning, but once we settle in, believe in each other, believe in the system, we can get it done against anyone.”

Kostantinakos made 11 saves and sophomore Casey Gilchrist led all players with three caused turnovers.

“I could not be more proud of him as an older brother,” senior Brady Gilchrist said. “He’s one of the greatest players I’ve watched.”

Tyler Byrnes also got to lift a state title alongside his brother Jake, who had three goals. Eleven different players recorded a point, and the defense allowed just four goals over the final 36 minutes after allowing five in the first 12.

Wieczorek remembers how the last two years ended for Massapequa: a 7-5 loss in the county final in 2024 and a heartbreaking loss in the final seconds to Half Hollow Hills in the Long Island championship game in 2025.

He’ll remember 2026 differently, as the year Massapequa reached the pinnacle of New York high school lacrosse. And then, it’s on to 2027 with 30 returning players for a state championship side.

“To finally achieve what I wanted to achieve, and I still have another year — a lot of us have another year — so we’re already looking to get back to work, honestly,” Wieczorek said.