Warriors bring talent and experience

After a 6-2 season with no chance to compete in the playoffs due the pandemic last winter, Wantagh is eager to once again compete for a title.

The Warriors are three years removed from falling in the Nassau County Class A finals to Sewanhaka when veteran point guard Madison Taylor was a freshman. Now Taylor, who will play college lacrosse at Northwestern, is the lone senior on a team with nine returning players looking to go on another deep postseason run.

“The way she carries herself on the basketball court you’d think she would be playing college basketball instead of college lacrosse,” said longtime Wantagh head coach Stan Bujacich of Taylor, who earned All-County and conference defensive player of the year honors as a junior. “She is just amazing.” 

Taylor is one of two returning starters along with junior Ava Kornbluth, who can play guard or forward. Freshman Juliana Cerasi is also slated to take start after earning some varsity minutes as an eighth grader last season.

A number of returning players are in the mix for starting roles or valuable roles off the bench including juniors Julia Nicholson, Angela Pellicoro, Katherine Killian and Julia Allen. Sophomores Casey Kissinge and Brighid Smith along with freshman Skylar Mondelli following short varsity seasons last year.

Juniors Meghan Tucker, Jennifer Gendels will also look to contribute to the Warriors’ rotation in their first years on varsity. 

Wantagh returns to Conference A-V, which features Seaford, North Shore, Clarke, Lawrence and Island Trees. Bujacich said the team has the ability to take the conference if the many talented players embrace their roles whether starting or providing a spark off the bench. 

“Once we settle in on a rotation basis I think we will be fine,” he said. “I think this is one of the most athletic teams we have had in years.”