Despite the fact that a lot of people in Manhasset felt sure about it, this time around, don’t mean anything, last year’s results and the new year are sure, and pretty darn good.
In the Long Island championship match, the Indians delivered Mount Sinai its only defeat during the journey and claimed the New York Class C state championship from last year. Among others, they bid farewell to an exceptional group of seniors, which included the present Virginia freshman, Joey Terenzi (Long Island Express), and the present Air Force freshman, Hunter Panzik.
On Saturday, Darien, a team that consistently competes for the Connecticut state title, suffered a resounding defeat. This year’s squad has demonstrated its determination to hold onto the championship it won last season. Dismissing the Indians entirely, though, would have been unwise. It was not unreasonable to consider the possibility that Manhasset could experience a temporary setback.
No. 4 Brunswick (Conn.) (5-1)
The Wave Blue lacrosse team, led by junior star-four Brady Pokorny, shocked the undefeated powerhouse Darien public high school from Connecticut and upset them in a legitimate threat. The Notre Dame/Eclipse (Dame/Eclipse) Bruins’ dreams of an undefeated season were shattered as they beat the buzzer to score their way out.
Tomorrow, Lawrenceville and Brunswick will square off in a rematch of last year’s Game championship Nationals Prep. The highly skilled Brunswick team, led by the talented senior four-star Andrew Greenspan, looked impressive, coming off a strong performance where they scored five points against the well-coordinated Notre Dame team.
No. 7 Salisbury (Conn.) (4-0)
In the upcoming week, the Knights will face challenges as they embark on road journeys to Trinity-Pawling and Avon Old Farms. The defense is commanded by Brady O’Sullivan, who has verbally committed to Brown University. Leading the midfield unit are Jaxon Smart and Luke Winkler, who has committed to Lehigh University. Taking charge of the dynamic offense are senior Trey Deere, who is rated as a Four-star player and is affiliated with SweetLax and Syracuse University, along with PG Ryan Goldstein, who is bound for Cornell University. Salisbury’s offense has been performing exceptionally well, having scored a total of 62 goals in their first four games.
No. 5 Hill Academy (Ont.) (6-0)
Tomorrow, Taft No. 22 has the first opportunity to finish as the top team in the rankings, with already two wins and 20 top finishes going for Hill Armed.
No. 3 Culver (Ind.) (11-1)
Devouring their local competition, the Eagles concluded their East Coast tour and are now facing a challenging period as a Midwest team. In order to prolong their winning streak to four games, Culver outscored two opponents, 51-4. On the agenda, two upcoming rivalry matches await in the next fortnight against Western Reserve (Ohio) and the formidable No. 5 Hill Academy (Ontario). Displaying an 81 percent success rate in winning draws, Spencer Reagan (West Coast Starz), a junior committed to Dartmouth, has exhibited great strength at the faceoff dot, alongside his tag team partner, sophomore sensation Tay Rodriguez (SweetLax Florida), who boasts an impressive 77 percent success rate.
Mondiello Adding More Offense to His Game
The emergence of Mondiello as a threat on offense puts stress on the defense in many different ways. Manhasset has a diverse offense that the Wave Blue defense needs to worry about for another matchup. Mondiello, a midfielder for the Wolfpack Island Long 91 Team, has traditionally been known as a two-way midfielder who gets up and down the field. However, he has now seized a much bigger role as a player. They had to replace some impressive individual pieces from the team that hoisted the state championship trophy at Hofstra last June.
Mondiello chuckled and expressed, “People kept commenting on my exceptional performance against Darien. Through my dedicated efforts, I have solidified my position as a starter this year. Coach Aiello has encouraged me to contribute to the Wolfpack’s defensive efforts as well. The coaches prefer that I step off the field and allow James Lapina and PJ Flood, our highly skilled defensive midfielders for Manhasset, to handle the defensive responsibilities.”
This spring, the Indians are focused on returning and seeking additional offensive contributions from Mondiello, which has been advantageous. Likewise, players like Matt Cargiulo and Jack Petersen, who are committed to Harvard, have made significant contributions. As a four-star senior, Manhasset expected Cal Girard, a Duke commit, to be one of the top faceoff men in the country.
Mondiello, a student with a remarkable GPA of 4.32, aspiring to pursue a degree in either business or engineering, expressed, “It seems as though all the focus was placed on other teams. Our aim is to achieve success once again.”
No. 2 McDonogh (Md.) (8-0)
Maryland’s 91 Team (Maryland) had a strong day, with a furious comeback to end the slow start against the explosive Latin Boys’ offense. Eric Bowden, a four-star junior from Georgetown, showcased his skills with two assists and five goals, continuing his fantastic sophomore season. Check out the full highlights game as McDonogh held off the comeback from the furious Lakers. Meanwhile, McDonogh gets a slight edge due to two assists and five goals from the sophomore five-star Brendan Millon, as they win over top-12 teams Haverford School (Pa.) And Boys’ Latin (Md.). However, Culver and the Eagles are basically a wash here.
No. 1 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) (6-0)
Delbarton dominated the Friars in a 17-7 victory, thanks to the outstanding performance of senior Owen Duffy, who scored four goals and provided four assists from his position in the No. 3 spot for the NLF team. The Long Island 91 Team has been unstoppable this year, with Duffy, a native of North Carolina, leading the way with 41 points in six games. He has consistently outperformed his opponents, never collecting fewer than five points in a game this season.
In a rematch on Thursday, John’s St. Cadets convincingly won the battle against the Friars, with a score of 9-2. The helper, Greene Jackson, contributed two goals, while Duffy had three goals, one assist, and six goals in total. This loss marks Malvern Prep’s fourth straight defeat, as they were handed a defeat by Philly Prep Anthony’s St. Last week.
No. 8 Chaminade (N.Y.) (4-1)
Brendan Reilly (Amherst), Gary Correa (Long Island Express / Stony Brook), and five-star sophomore Connor Kuttin (Long Island Express) each contributed an assist and two goals, while Gavin Creo (Long Island Express / Richmond) stood out with a goal and three assists in a 14-5 victory over Yorktown (N.Y.). During a challenging three-game stretch this week, which includes Fairfield Prep (Conn.), Darien (Conn.), And St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), Chaminade will discover a lot about itself.
No. 6 Lawrenceville (N.J.) (8-1)
Tomorrow, Lawrenceville is set to have a major clash with No. 4 Brunswick (Conn.). The offense was led by highly-rated senior Hunter Chauvette (SweetLax / Yale) and junior Chris Matia (Crabs / Providence), both tallying six goals and five assists. The Big Red easily cruised to two comfortable victories, notably a dominant 24-6 win against rival Hun School (N.J.).
Manhasset Heating Up
The transitive property, which is often deemed insignificant in sports, especially in high school sports, proved to be insignificant as the Blue Wave effortlessly defeated a team that had previously defeated a team with potential to become the best team in the country. This victory followed their impressive win against the previously undefeated Brunswick (Conn.).
Junior midfielder Mikey Mondiello stated, “Last year, people assumed that we would take a step back and think that we wouldn’t be where we were.” “I believe that the win over Darien opened everyone’s eyes.” They all wanted to watch that game. They all wanted to watch that game. I think Darien beating us gained notice from a lot of people and we received credit for that.
The Indians are scheduled to compete against Chaminade, ranked No. 8, in the annual Reg’s Rock game on May 13. This game serves as an opportunity for the Indians to face off against another top 10 program from the Island. Although they will not be playing against the Friars this year, Manhasset is one of the five Long Island teams, including the top-ranked St. Anthony’s, that are featured in the rankings. The Indians have made an impressive appearance at No. 13 in the first NLF high school rankings of the season.
No. 10 Haverford School (Pa.) (4-2)
Kane O’Brady, with two helpers and three goals, combined with Ryan commit Army and DiRocco’s older brother to assist on three goals and score three goals themselves, leading Navy’s DiRocco Aydan, a junior four-star Prep, to a 17-6 victory. Today, they will face their archrival Malvern in the Inter-Ac opener. It won’t be an easy match, considering their six losses and a top-20 win record. Fords, who have no early schedule walk in the park, should serve as a tough opponent.
No. 9 St. John’s (D.C.) (7-2)
The second time St. John’s beat St. Anthony’s, Charlie Ball, a sophomore from MadLax, assisted and scored five goals. He was equally dominant in a big win over Episcopal Academy, with a dozen ground balls and a hat trick, going 15-for-16. Jackie Weller, a four-star senior and Michigan signee, also dominated with a 15-for-16 performance. The Cadets rolled to an 18-6 victory, making Heights The their latest victim. After a two-game losing streak, the Cadets have now won six straight games.
Rounding Out the Top 25
Salesianum (Delaware) 24. Darien (Connecticut) 23. Deerfield (Massachusetts) 22. Taft (Connecticut) 21. St. Mary’s (Maryland) 20. Academy of the New Church (Pennsylvania) 19. Loyola Blakefield (Maryland) 18. Malvern Prep (Pennsylvania) 17. Radnor (Pennsylvania) 16. Garden City (New York) 15. Mount Sinai (New York) 14. Georgetown Prep (Maryland) 13. Manhasset (New York) 12. Boys’ Latin (Maryland) 11. Belmont Hill (Massachusetts)