Hard-working South Side on roll

While Garden City continues to set the bar in Nassau County boys’ lacrosse, a rebuilt South Side squad is among those looking to make a deep playoff run and challenge the mighty Trojans in Class B.

The Cyclones, despite losing 16 players from last year’s playoff team, have won six of their last eight with defeats at the hands of eight-time defending county champion Garden City and perennial contender Wantagh. The Trojans got four goals from Cody George, and James Sullivan controlled 10 of 11 draws in a 6-1 Conference B-I victory over South Side at Skelos Sports Complex on April 23.

“We had to replace a lot of leadership and experience, but this group has been ready to work since the first day of practice and bought into the systems that we’re trying to run,” Cyclones coach Steve DiPietro said. “When you prepare well and work hard, good things are going to happen.”

Junior goaltender Dennis LiCalzi (11 saves) kept South Side (7-5 overall) within range of Garden City until early in the third quarter. His best two saves came late in the first half when he robbed George on a breakaway and turned aside Luke McDavid’s quick rebound attempt on the doorstep to keep the Trojans’ lead at 2-0. “Dennis is doing a great job,” DiPietro said. “He made a bunch of tough saves today.”

George and McDavid scored early in the third quarter to stretch the margin to four before senior Alex Pickett tallied South Side’s only goal off a feed from senior Brian Hurwitz, who recently enjoyed a stretch of 14 goals in five games. “He’s played fantastic,” DiPietro said of Hurwitz.

George tacked on two more goals in the third for the Trojans, who got 11 saves from Danny Dolan. “We would’ve liked to create more quality scoring opportunities and gotten a few more goals, but Garden City is tremendous defensively,” DiPietro said.