Carey clicking in all phases

Carey boys’ lacrosse, a perennial Nassau County playoff team regardless of classification, is off to a great start to the 2023 campaign with a 7-2 record including wins in three of its first four Conference C games.

On the offensive side of the ball the Seahawks are young, fielding one senior, four sophomores, and a freshman, but the young guys can play. Michael Verderosa, Christian Korszlowski, Ethan Pelzer, are contributors while sophomores Chris Obertis and Christian Todaro light up the score sheet. After combining for 10 goals in victories this week, Obertis now has 22 goals for the year while Todaro has 21 goals and 17 assists.

The one senior and Pace commit, Matt Metzger, has been absolutely pivotal to Carey’s success this season. He leads the team with 24 goals, 14 assists, and 38 points. Last week Metzger added three goals to his total tally, scoring two against North Shore (8-3 win April 19) and one against Seaford (8-5 win last Friday.) Coach Tom Aiello called him his “main player on the offensive side.”

Carey has a stout defense with Dan Fanto and Rob Zitarosa thriving from the midfield. The rest of the defense stars Billy Koutsambaris, Michael Lucsczynski, James Gangone, Dom De Luca, and TJ Wakely. Aiello said Wakely had a strong performance in the win over North Shore, which didn’t score more than one goal in any quarter and was blanked in the fourth.

“North Shore only scored three goals and I thought TJ had a great game,” said Aiello. “He really shut down their best attack man and held him in check.”

Some say that a team is only as good at their goaltender and not many are having as good a season as Carey sophomore Rich Metzger. He is currently one of the leaders in Nassau with 78 saves, adding that total with 16 stops against North Shore and nine against Seaford. Behind a strong group in front of him, Metzger has only allowed an average of four goals over the last three games.

Another important piece to Carey’s puzzle is its primary face-off man Ben Rose, who has won almost two-thirds of draws so far this spring. “He could really be a key down the road. I think good face-off plays are what we need,” said Aiello.

Carey has a set of important games coming up that will decide its postseason fate and seed in Class C.

“We just have to win the games with all the teams around us,” said Aiello. “We have Floral Park and Friends Academy next week.Those are both teams that are seeded right around us. We have to be at the top of our game if we want to win those games. Those games are important for us

“The goal is always going to be in the playoffs,” he added. “I think we're continuing to get better. The kids are practicing at a high level and if we continue that and everything goes right, then I think we'll be in the playoffs.”