Thursday, October 1, 2026
Wantagh/South Side is a rivalry that runs deep, not just in boys’ lacrosse.
A rematch of the past two Long Island champions Wednesday was everything you’d want a rivalry game to be. Physical. Chippy. Intense.
Thanks to a six-goal third quarter, Wantagh broke a halftime deadlock and never looked back in a 14-6 home win. Sophomore Luke Martini and seniors Devin Paccione and Joe Nicholson all record hat tricks for the defending L.I. Class C champion Warriros.
“I told the guys to relax with the ball, play our game, be fast with [the ball] and make good decisions offensively,” Wantagh coach James Polo said of his halftime message. “Defensively, continue what we’re doing, staying together as a group, staying tight and communicating.”
Paccione (eight points) broke a 5-5 tie at 9:58 of the third, sparking a run as Nicholson scored twice and Martini added his fourth and fifth goals to make it 10-5. Sean Stachlik capped the quarter with a buzzer-beater.
“They are very unselfish and at any point, any one of them can score goals,” Polo said. “They always look for that extra pass, try to make the right play and just play unselfish lacrosse. They did a good job with it today.”
The second quarter featured three lead changes. Wantagh senior Matthew Giacobello tied the game at 2, but back-to-back goals from South Side senior Brendan Vetter (his second) and junior Alex Notaro, capitalizing on a Wantagh penalty, gave the Cyclones a 4-2 lead.
“We know they’re a very physical and athletic team, so we felt like if we got opportunities there, and took advantage of it, that would help us,” South Side coach Steve DiPietro. “In the first half, that went in our favor, being able to tie at 5-5. Later in the game, we weren’t as fortunate.”
Giacobello and Martini knotted the game at 4, before senior Jack Muscarella regained the lead for South Side. Martini quickly erased it.
Martini’s five goals were the most he’s recorded in a game this season, and he also tacked on two assists.
“Some days it’s your day, when you have six great offensive guys on the field,” Martini said. “Some days, you’re going to score zero goals, some days you’ll score 10. You just have to stay in the gray area. I kind of worked into my role a little bit, and people were finding me.”
Wantagh goalie Gianni Passaro stood on his head all game, making point-blank saves to keep his team alive. The senior recorded 11 saves and said the rivalry “means everything.”
“After last year, I had a rough start against them in the county championship and I came in with the mentality that I wanted to get back at them, and I did,” Passaro said. “I hope [this win] sends a message to all of Long Island that we have a family and when we play together and compete, we’re unstoppable.”
Cyclone senior Tyler Sumrani hit the back of the net as well. Still, the Warriors’ defense kept South Side’s offense quiet in the third: Senior Pasquale Falco, juniors Chase Dankenbrink, Jack Li and Patrick Forthofer.
Wantagh improved to 8-3. South Side is 6-4.
