Hewlett is a work in progress

The Hewlett boys’ lacrosse team is still a work in progress, something evidenced by a tough loss to cross-town rival Lynbrook on March 28. But, Bulldogs’ new head coach Jesse Corben believes the finished product could be something special.

“It’s very early, and we still have a lot to improve on as a team,” Corben said. “But, I definitely see some potential, and am hoping for a successful season. We would like to go deep into the playoffs. We have an overall tough schedule, and we have a five-game stretch late in the season that will be a real test for us. Right now we’re just working hard every day.”

Before losing to the Owls, Hewlett racked up a pair of wins that gave everyone a peek at the team’s full potential. The Bulldogs defeated Oceanside and Bellmore JFK, outscoring its opponents a combined 30-8 in the two contests. 

Junior attackman and midfielder Alex Vardaro played a starring role in both victories, registering a combined 13 points, and is a player the squad carries high hopes for this spring. 

“He’s a great player, and is one of those players that makes everyone else better around him,” Corben said. 

Vardaro serves as one of Hewlett’s team captains, as does senior attackman Ethan Grossman. Grossman is expected to be a major offensive piece for the Bulldogs, and showed why on March 22, by scoring four goals in the school’s win over the Sailors.  

Team captain Jake Levitz is another senior of critical importance for the club. The midfielder is a top faceoff man for Hewlett, and a strong contributor on both sides of the ball. Levitz showcased his offensive ability against the Cougars on March 25, registering three goals.

Leading the team on the backend is junior team captain Gavin Adler. He is joined on the defense by a pair of valuable returning senior starters, Max Rovner and Zachary Bromfeld. 

“We’re hoping to have some good chemistry on the defensive end, because we have a lot of guys returning who played together last season,” Corben said. 

The Bulldogs’ defensive unit has done a nice job of pitching in on the offense in the early going. Adler finished with four points against Bellmore-JFK, a game in which Bromfeld also found the back of the net. 

Sophomore Matt Weiss will likely play a large role on the team’s defense as well. He is one of multiple young players Hewlett is excited about and is hoping can make a positive impact. Sophomore Max May is currently competing for the starting goalkeeper job, and sophomore Sam Rovner is playing alongside the first line midfielders. 

While there is plenty of individual talent on the Bulldogs, Corben says playing as a team is one of the group’s biggest focuses. 

“We need to improve on our team offense and team defense,” he said. “It can’t just be everyone watching one guy do something. We need to have all of our guys on the same page, working together.”