Mepham's offense sharp early

Mepham raced out of the gates in late March with a combined 24 goals in its first two games on the lacrosse field, notching 15 in a 10-goal victory over West Hempstead, and nearly hitting double figures in a 10-9 loss to Seaford. “The upside to that [loss] is that we thought Seaford had a really good defense,” coach James Koester said.

A blend of returning seniors — including All-County honoree Matt Byrne and All-Conference honoree Chris Vento — at attack, and a potentially potent crop of midfielders gives the Pirates plenty of scoring options on the field. Byrne, a strong lefty and double-team target for many opponents, followed up his season-opening five-goal, two-assist effort with a pair of goals and assists against the Vikings. Vento totaled four goals and four assists in the two games, while junior Anthony Vicario, also part of the mix at attack, tallied two goals and an assist in the win over the Rams.

“When we can, we want to get out and go,” Koester said, although he stopped short of saying an up-tempo offense is the style his team will gravitate to. “But I also think ball possession is just as important, especially against the better teams. When we have unsettled situations, we have guys that can finish, but we still want to take care of the ball.”

Seeded No. 12 out of 14 teams in Conference B-II for the second straight season, Mepham’s early offensive explosion was also pushed along by sophomore All-Conference returnee Yanni Hilas, now in his third varsity season, and sophomore Mike Gilroy, a newcomer to the program who scored twice and added an assist in his Pirates debut against Seaford. “He definitely made his presence felt on offense and uses his size [as an advantage],” Koester said.

Senior Matt McKenna, a short stick defensive midfielder and jack-of-all trades who always matches up against an opponent’s top scoring threat, is back along with senior Chris Durkin, in his fourth varsity season and seniors Mike Carreri and Dom Raheb, who handle faceoffs. “Matt [McKenna] is such an important part [of the team] because he shuts down the best midfielder,” Koester said. “But we’re very young as a team [defense] and have to learn when to slide and recognize what the other team is trying to do.”

Senior Matt Castellvi has taken over the starter’s role in net after serving as a backup last season, and his knack for strong outlet passes could be a trigger for getting the offense out into transition. “He’s quick to clear the ball,” Koester said. “If he can get it to Hilas, Gilroy or McKenna, we definitely have a chance to run the field and get fastbreaks.”

Lining up in front of Castellvi at close defense are senior Pat Receno and junior Tom Danz, while junior Tim Cardace is hoping to carve out a larger role in his second varsity campaign. Sophomore Peter Motley is also in the defensive mix.