Syosset Lacrosse Run Ends

This was not how it was all supposed to end. Not for this spectacular Syosset senior class.  

They formed the backbone of a Nassau Class A championship boys lacrosse team in 2012. And they had designs on a repeat. It was not to be.   

Port Washington players charged the field as if they’d just won a championship. The Vikings did the next best thing.  

Behind a trio of big-goal scorers and a feisty super sophomore, third-seeded Port Washington upset No. 2 Syosset, 11-9, Wednesday night in a Class A semifinal before a crowd of 1,000 at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.  

“In the quarterfinals and the semifinals I’m so proud of these boys because they never quit,” Syosset Coach John Calabria said. “It just didn’t go our way at the end.”  

Port Washington senior Derek Caruso came up big late. His diving shot from the left side of the cage gave the Vikings a 10-9 lead with 10:31 left. It was his second in a minute and third of the night. It also proved to be the game-winner.  

“Me being a senior I knew I had to take it upon myself and just go to the goal,” said Caruso, whose top sport is ice hockey.  

Daniel Grossman’s third goal made it 11-9 with 6:50 left.  

The defense did the rest. Syosset saw its chance at a comeback dashed when two players earned one-minute penalties for slashing with 1:16 left.  

“It’s just a great group of young men,” Calabria said. “They played hard. But the credit goes to Poet Washington. Those kids really wanted it.”  

Syosset battled back to force overtime and then won in triple OT one week earlier against MacArthur. This time the Braves overcame a 5-2 deficit.  

Joey Froccaro got the Vikings going. He won 15 of 19 faceoffs, including the last eight. The sophomore also scored off a faceoff and added two assists. He was the X factor.  

Syosset senior John Diaz got the better of Froccaro in the first meeting, an 11-5 Syosset win in April. But true to his surname and in the tradition of his famous older brothers, Froccaro owned the X in the rematch.  

“Joey had a tough time with John Diaz the first time,” Port Washington Coach Tom Rooney said. “Diaz is a great player. Joey told me, ‘Coach, I’m all right. I know what I’ve got to do.’ He was a big part of the game tonight.”  

Port Washington (12-4) will face Massapequa (14-2) for the Class A championship next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. at Hofstra. The Chiefs advanced to the big game for the fourth straight season with a 13-4 semifinal win over Farmingdale Tuesday.      

Vikings senior John Crawley, a Johns Hopkins signee, scored three times in the opening quarter alone. His blast with 2:41 to go in the first gave Port an early 5-2 lead.  

Syosset capitalized with a pair of momentum-changing goals to end quarters. Diaz closed the gap to 5-4 with 4 seconds left in the first. Nicholas Hatzipetrakos scored with 8 seconds left in the half to cut Port’s led to 6-5.  

Syosset (12-5) actually led 9-8 with 2:55 left in the third on a Hatzipetrakos goal. But Port and freshman goalie Nick Ferrero (11 saves) shut out the Braves in the fourth quarter.  

Johns Hopkins-bound goalie Ryan Feit made nine saves for Syosset. 

“It’s amazing,” Caruso said. “The last two years we made it to the semis. We never pictured this.”

Nassau Boys Lacrosse Playoffs 
Class A Semifinal – At Hofstra 
Teams………………….….…1…..2…..3…..4 – F 
Port Washington…....……5…..1…..2…..3 – 11 
Syosset………………………4…..1…..4…..0 – 9 
Goals –  PW: Crawley 3, Caruso 3, Grossman 3, Froccaro, Greenberg; S: Hatzipetrakos 2, Keith 2, Yoskowitz 2, Diaz, O’Keefe, Concannon. Saves – PW: Ferrero 11; S: Feit 9.