Rebuilding Oceanside eyes playoffs

As if the graduation of three All-County and two All-Conference players from last year’s Nassau Class A quarterfinal team wasn’t enough for Oceanside to replace on the lacrosse field, it lost one of its top returnees for 2012 when junior attack Will Remsen suffered a torn ACL.

“A lot of the offensive punch we had the past two years is gone, and then we lost Will on top of it, so we’ve got big shoes to fill,” Sailors coach Bob Moltisanti said. “I’m expecting some growing pains on offense, but we’ve got a hard-working group and I think we can develop into a playoff team.”

Oceanside’s roster features eight seniors, eight juniors and nine sophomores, and Moltisanti said what it lacks in varsity game experience it can make up with work ethic, athleticism and speed. “The one thing I’ve noticed is our overall speed,” he said. “That’s something you can’t teach. We just need some seasoning at the varsity level.”

The defense and senior goaltender Andrew Failla will be counted on to lead the way, especially in the early going when the Sailors navigate the toughest part of their schedule. “We’ll see how we survive the beginning,” said Moltisanti, whose team is seeded seventh among 14 Class A schools. “Our goals are to get better with every practice and game.”

Failla, an All-Conference selection a year ago, is a solid all-around stopper with quick reflexes and leadership qualities. “He makes tough saves as well as the routine ones,” Moltisanti said. “He’s also strong in-tight.”

Junior defender Nick Swanson is likely to get the most challenging assignment in the back, while senior Luciano Arra brings tenacity to the unit. Junior Jimmy McGuinness and sophomores Joe Denaro and Conner Johnson will also contribute as they vie for the third starting spot. Sophomore Chris Morales has impressed the coaching staff with his work at long pole, where he and Geo Melelli lead the charge.

Offensively, Moltisanti is looking to the midfield and young attack Luke Schwasnick to set the tone and called the loss of Remsen “big.” “Luke’s our dodger; our playmaker,” the coach said of Schwasnick, a sophomore with stick skills, speed and strength. “He’s probably going to draw the best defensemen on every team we play, and we have to be prepared for that to happen.” Schwasnick and midfielder Tariek Harris scored in the team’s 7-2 season-opening defeat to Lynbrook.

Senior John Ramalho steps into a starting attack role after getting a taste of the varsity level a year ago, while sophomore Ryan Hertling is up from JV.

The midfield returns senior John Grassi and juniors Shane Saucier and Ryan McCarthy. Grassi and McCarthy are capable of finding the net, and Saucier will handle the bulk of face-offs. Sophomores Harris, Jesse Platia and Ryan Sicker, and junior Timmy Garrett, are up from JV and competing for playing time. “They all move well,” Moltisanti said.

The Sailors host Bellevue, from the Seattle, WA, area, next Tuesday at 4 p.m.