South Side begins playoff push

A chance at revenge for its lone league loss – as well as vengeance by proxy – may lie ahead for South Side, whose wins last week over boys’ lacrosse rivals Calhoun and MacArthur cinched the Cyclones the No. 2 seed in the Nassau Class B playoffs set to begin this upcoming weekend.

Stopped in last year’s county Class C final by eventual state champion Manhasset, South Side (6-1 Conference B, 11-4 overall), in moving back to Conference B this spring, inherited interchangeable nemesis Garden City, the reigning state Class B champ and this season’s No. 1 seed. In a May 3 showdown, South Side – buoyed by junior Michael Aiello’s team-leading sixth hat trick – stormed back late but ran out of clock as the host Trojans held on to win 9-8.

“It’s a real positive that we had such a close battle with [Garden City],” said South Side coach Steve DiPietro, whose club has a bye in the in first round of playoffs. “Iron sharpens iron. I was proud of how the kids didn’t quit and fought back. If we limit our mistakes, we’re capable of winning that game.”

Added DiPietro: “Hopefully, we’ll see them again.”

A county finalist for the first time in 14 seasons last spring, South Side – which has upped its league winning percentage by 15 points over last year – looks to return to the title game using what DiPietro has called the Cyclones’ formula: a balanced attack (No. 2 offense in Conference B), stern defense (No. 1 Conference B), and – most critically – dominance in faceoffs (junior Michael Melkonian’s 73 percent win rate No. 1 in Nassau.)

“Michael Melkonian being able to control the X is a big part of our formula for success,” DiPietro said of the Cornell-bound All-County midfielder. “Our offense comes off of that and we get lots of guys contributing, being unselfish and opportunistic.”

Aiello, who had a team season-high six goals in a 14-4 league rout at Roslyn, leads the Cyclones with 41 points (28 goals, 13 assists), followed by junior Owen West (23, 15) and senior Ryan Mayerhofer (25, 10) – both attackmen – while Liam Livingston leads the team with 16 assists and fellow junior midfielder Cole DiPietro is fourth on the club with 26 points (17, 9).

Bound for Boston University, All-County senior goalie Thomas Gentile ranks third in Conference B with 111 saves, his services held to a minimum by a Cyclones defense led by junior Jack Lozito and fellow All-Conference selection Logan Kelly (senior). “Our defense has been a revelation and it’s become our calling card,” DiPietro said. “And with Tommy cleaning up any mistakes, it’s allowed us to keep most teams under six goals a game.”

With its junior-heavy roster, some see South Side’s apparent arrival as happening ahead of schedule. DiPietro doesn’t necessarily agree.

“To get to the championship game with a lot of sophomores last year was a sign,” DiPietro said. “There was no guarantee this year, but the team came in with good experience.”

“In any case,” he added, “we’re focused on the here and now. We’re playing well. The kids know we have a great opportunity to do something special.”