The South Side Cyclones are ranked 23rd in the LILJ preseason rankings. They are led by Head Coach Steve DiPietro. Last year they finished with 7-7 record and lost in the semifinals to Garden City. This year South Side is moving from Conference B to C where they will be presented with new challenges. Coach DiPietro discussed his thoughts about the upcoming season and what it could mean for the seniors who are returning as well as some of the younger players.
“We have some seniors looking to cement their legacy and some young guys coming up looking to prove themselves. Tough non-league schedule will show how close/far we are from our goals. We are looking forward to the process and having fun with the guys.”
Among the seniors who are returning that will play a big factor in how far South Side goes are Brady West (Loyola), Andrew Meindl, (Marist) Luke Schwartzberg (Muhlenberg), and Patrick Erickson. Playing midfield West was third on the team in points last season with 28. Schwartzberg plays LSM and recorded 22 ground balls last season which was good for the second most on the team. South Side is also getting back junior goalie-BU Commit Tommy Gentile who was the team’s starting goalie last year as a sophomore. He had an excellent season making 125 saves with a save percentage over 55 percent.
It’s going to take a collective effort to fill the void left by TJ Sheehan, JohnJude Considine, Matt Melkonian, Thomas Kelly, Matt Lozito, and Charlie McKeough who all graduated in 2021. Sheehan, Considine, and Melkonian accounted for a combined 87 points last season at the attack position. Kelly was good for 22 points and 19 ground balls last season playing midfield and Lozito and McKeough were an integral part of their defense.
South Side saw a number of young guns get part-time action on the varsity team last year. After getting valuable experience this year they will be with the team as full-time players and have expanded roles. These players include Owen West, Michael Aiello, Michael Melkonian, (injured) Cole DiPietro, Jack Lozito, Pat Mullin, James Sullivan, and Michael Muscarella.
The schedule will feature games against some elite competition. Some of their notable home games are against Syosset (3/25), Port Washington (4/21), and Manhasset (4/26). A few of their marquee away games are at Farmingdale (4/19), and Cold Spring Harbor (5/13).
Over the years the South Side Lacrosse program has seen a bevy of notable alumni that went on to have stellar collegiate careers. These players are as followed:
Mike Hughes- 1999, Brown
Joe McDermott- 2000, Johns Hopkins
Tim White- 2000, Rutgers
Mike Boudoin- 2002, Binghamton
Tom Wilmot- 2003, Binghamton
Kent Lucas- 2004, Delaware
Chris Gammello- 2004, Rutgers
Ed Ege- 2005, Herkimer/Adelphi
Bobby Hayes- 2006, UMASS
Danny Orlando- 2006, Hofstra
Colin Serling- 2008, Lafayette
Nick O’Reilly- 2009, Virginia
Gavin Ahern- 2010, Penn State
Greg Cove- 2010, Binghamton
Stephen Parker- 2015, Air Force
Joe LiCalzi- 2017, Georgetown
Nick LiCalzi- 2020, Navy
The program has a history of making the playoffs consistently with 12 semi-final appearances, two county final appearances (2006, 2008), and a New York State Championship (2004). This year the 2022 team will look to add to the program’s playoff success.
