Thursday, October 1, 2026
Chris Cafiero has never had a younger team in his six years as Massapequa boys basketball head coach.
The Chiefs have four sophomores and, for the first time, a pair of freshmen on the roster.
But Massapequa, which went 10-11 last winter and lost to Port Washington in the Nassau Class AAA quarterfinals last year, also has tremendous senior leadership on a team Cafiero said works “unbelievably hard.”
That starts with Tyler Byrnes, a UMass lacrosse commit who was part of the undefeated Long Island championship football team. The 6-foot-4 forward is a two-time All-Conference selection who is the engine of the squad.
“He’s a force defensively, he outworks everyone on the court,” Cafiero said. “He’s the guy who’s going to take a charge or dive and save a loose ball and get the team going the other direction, or he’ll get a steal and a dunk.”
Returning at point guard is senior John Neary, a lockdown defender who is the quintessential floor general, and Ryan McLaughlin is a 6-foot-6 senior forward who gives Cafiero a “good problem to have.”
“I’ve got two bigs who I’ve got to figure out how to play together at some point,” he said. “The problem is we have a ton of shooters. These younger kids can shoot the basketball.”
Senior Will “The Rooster” Leszczak is Massapequa’s X-factor, someone who can dunk, run the floor, and is a knockdown shooter, and shooting guard Sean Durnin provides additional leadership as a junior captain.
In freshman Jake Byrnes, Cafiero said the Chiefs have a “unicorn,” someone who can jump out of the gym, can guard anyone, and can shoot the ball, while freshman Austin Irizarry might be the best shooter on the team.
Sophomore Nate Leszczak can also shoot it, and sophomore Austin VanRoten, whose brother Michael was a starter last year, will see minutes.
“We have a lot of intangible parts,” Cafiero said. “If we put it together, we may surprise some people.”
Winning a county championship won’t be a tall task for the Massapequa girls’ basketball team.
That’s because the Chiefs, who were 15-7 last season and lost to Plainview-JFK in the Nassau Class AAA semifinals, could field a starting five that features four players 5-foot-10 and taller.
Running the point is junior Olivia Morgan, who can blow by defenders with an explosive first step, but has also done a good job of distributing the ball and getting to the foul line.
Savanna Appleton is an athletic 6-1 senior who is a matchup nightmare because of her versatility. “Her jump shot has really improved,” head coach Billy Herr said. “She has taken a leadership role on the court. She’s a kid who can light it up from the three-point line, run the break, and then is our best rebounder.”
Senior forward Maeve Schiereck, a Stony Brook softball commit, battles under the basket and can also step out and knock down 3-pointers.
Sophomore Sienna Erker has great post moves and footwork and is lethal from 15 feet and in.
Round out the starting five is Molly Hoffman, a long and athletic junior guard who is just under 6-foot and can defend any position on the court. The Elon lacrosse commit is a great passer who can also consistently knock down her jump shot.
There’s also quality coming off the bench with Reese Russell, a Stonehill soccer commit, who can hit the 3-pointer and chases after loose balls in the Chiefs’ press. Junior Peyton Wildes, a Wingate lacrosse commit, is a relentless rebounder, senior Gina Bellone can play either guard position, and sophomore Kate D’Agostino is also going to provide valuable minutes.
“They’re great character kids, they’re hard workers,” Herr said. “No one is looking for their numbers. No one is looking to do anything that the team doesn’t need. This group has been great. I think it’s a group that can win it all and go far.”
