Jets working to get in sync

After winning two of their first three non-conference lacrosse games, the East Meadow Jets hit a speed bump in the Conference A-I opener, a 15-6 loss to Massapequa. The Jets fought back with four goals in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the big edge the Chiefs had opened in the first half. “One of the things I love about these kids is how they bounce back,” first-year coach Lou Lago said. “They tend to rebound pretty well.”

Following a game with Uniondale, East Meadow had just one non-conference game scheduled for spring break before returning to conference play on April 17 at home against Valley Stream District. “We have guys that can get it done,” Lago said. “We just have to get them in sync and kind of work out some of the kinks.”

In the loss to Massapequa, the East Meadow offense was led by senior midfielder Dylan Curry, junior attack Chris Buschi, and sophomore attack Bobby Bender, each of whom scored twice. “They’ve done a good job stepping up offensively,” Lago said of Buschi and Bender, who’ve scored a combined eight goals in the last two games.

Senior captain Chris Fuger, also a key member of the attack, is a perfect complement to the more physical Buschi up front. Buschi scored three times in an 8-4 victory over Calhoun on March 26. The athletic Curry, a midfielder, is a strong two-way player and netted one goal and an assist, while sophomore midfielder Nick Suchocki, sophomore defenseman Billy Andrle and freshman attack Joe Barbato each added a score against the Colts.

“We always want to try and play on the aggressive side,” Lago said. “We want to try and take it up-tempo and take advantage of the situation, although sometimes you get in a game where you have to settle [it down].”

In breaking down Calhoun’s zone defense, East Meadow had a three-goal lead at halftime and extended it to five heading into the final quarter. In the win, however, the Jets did lose sophomore Dan Wood, the starting goalie to a thumb injury. “He’s a [strong] communicator and that’s a good thing for a goalie,” Lago said.

In Wood’s absence, junior Ryan Borg has taken over the goaltending duties. “He’s holding his own and we’re counting on him,” Lagos said.

The backline is led by senior Andrew Lynch and Andrle, who’s just as physical on the lacrosse field as he is on the gridiron. Curry, meanwhile, is a key cog in a midfield that also features veteran Chris Whitenack, a senior who excels on face-offs.

The early season for the Jets has also featured an 8-7 loss to Aurora High School, the Illinois state champions, and an 8-7 victory over Carey in the season-opener. “That first game was a real good win,” Lago said. “We started off down at the halftime but made some adjustments.”