By STEVE SINISKI
But what the boxscore doesn¹t show is Clarke¹s well-rounded effort that produced assists on a dozen of the 15 scores. Mike Gerrato led the way with five goals and two assists, while Mike Moore added three scores and Kevin DeNunzio a pair to go along with five assists. Strong ball movement and effective passes allowed the Rams to take advantage of Valley Stream Central¹s zone defense.
For Gerrato, it was a continuation of an early season offensive outburst that has seen him score a team-high 15 times through four games. He¹s been moved up on the depth chart from last year and taken an immediate liking to a starting role at attack. The instant rewards for the left-handed shooter have come from a combination of his hard shot and speed around the net. Moore has also climbed up the depth chart and has teamed up with DeNunzio, a converted midfielder, in the role of playmaker behind the cage.
But even though the offense has tallied 36 goals through four games, it¹s the defense that coach Fred Graham feels is the strength of the team. Backed by a pair of three-year starters ‹ Joe Gaynor and Walter Kakareko ‹ and a two-year starter in Sasha Goehring, the experience is something that cannot be taught in practice.
³We can be more aggressive on the ball and can clear better because they¹re better stick handlers,² Graham said. ³We have confidence that the defense can handle the ball, and it allows us to get the ball up on offense when we¹re more effective clearing it.²
Mark Sniffen, who scored twice against Valley Stream Central, anchors the midfield along with Pat Cavanagh. The Rams are looking at a half-dozen players who are battling for playing time at the position.
Clarke has welcomed Joe Spinola to the roster, and the goaltender has immediately had an on-field impact. He stopped 20 shots in a 10-9 loss to Roslyn last Thursday and added 15 more stops in the Rams¹ first win of the year, a 7-5 decision over Great Neck South on March 26. His ability to let loose with on-target outlet passes has already been an asset to Clarke¹s transition offense.
Sophomore Vinny Dassidaro has also played well in early game action, and the leadership of the defense is helping the goaltenders adjust.
In the loss to Roslyn, the Rams bounced back from a four-goal deficit to tie the game at 8-8 in the fourth quarter. But the Owls broke through with two goals in the final five minutes to secure the victory. Gerrato scored four goals in the loss, while Sniffen added two. Moore, Cavanagh and Mike Hanley each had one goal apiece.
³We lost a tough one to Roslyn,² Graham said. ³We had a lot of chances to score [late] and we didn¹t.²
The Rams return to the field this Wednesday when they travel to Locust Valley for a 4:45 p.m. start. They stay on the road for a trip to Wheatley on April 13.
