Massapequa earns first boys' lacrosse title since 2019

The flame was ignited for Michael Jannotte two years ago following a loss to Port Washington in the Nassau Class A boys’ lacrosse semifinals.

It was a slow burn for the Massapequa goalie. And on Saturday, on the same field, the senior got his revenge, helping lead the top-seeded Chiefs to a 9-7 win over No. 3 Port Washington in the Nassau Class A final at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

“I wanted vengeance and to come out and take revenge on this field, it’s such an amazing feeling,” Jannotte said. “My brother, who played here a few years ago, I wanted to do it for him, I wanted to do it for my dad, for my grandpa do it for my entire family.”

The Stevens Tech commit, who made 14 saves in a 9-7 semifinal win over Syosset, remained hot in the county final. He made five of his eight saves in the fourth quarter to help secure a 12th county championship and first since 2019.

Massapequa (15-4) advances to take on undefeated Half Hollow Hills in the Long Island Class A final Wednesday at Hofstra at 7 p.m..

“He’s been our anchor the entire year, the leader of the defense,” first-year Massapequa coach Kevin Catalano said. “He cleared the ball very well today, made saves when we needed him, and he’s had a tremendous season.”

To win the county championship, it took a true team effort. Nolan Wieczorek had two goals and one assist, eighth-grader Jake Byrnes had a pair of goals, Braden Tucker and Sean Durnin had a goal and an assist each as seven different Chiefs scored.

Ryan Chabus won 13 of 20 faceoffs, including all four in the decisive fourth quarter, defenders Justin Farrell, Harrison Heckman and Will Krieg, along with long-stick midfielders Casey Gilchrist, Brady Gilchrist and Ryan O’Connor were solid in front of Jannotte.

They held Port Washington’s Loyola-bound attackman Harry Eynon, who entered the game with 42 goals, to just one goal and one assist.

“Without them, I can’t make the saves I make,” Jannotte said. “They play great defense and play steady defense. They push them to the alleys. They give me what I want to see. Without them, where would I be?”

Massapequa was also plus-10 in ground balls, which proved critical down the stretch, especially when Matt Pettis, who was instrumental in the clearing game against Port Washington’s ride, and Tyler Byrnes (two assists) both kept the possession alive ahead of Wieczorek’s go-ahead goal with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter.

Jake Byrnes, who picked up the ground ball on the ensuing faceoff, then rounded the cage to score his second of the game with 2:17 left and help exorcize some of the demons from past seasons.

A year ago, Massapequa lost to rival Farmingdale in the county final.

“Our kids wanted it,” Catalano said. “Last year we showed up here. We didn’t get it done. These seniors really wanted it again. They had fuel the entire season. And our guys just really wanted this one hard.”