LI Lacrosse Journal
March 10, 2026
2 min read
No. 7 Ranked East Islip Team Preview
March 10, 2026
2 min read
The East Islip community has had a full year to relish in their team’s Suffolk County championship win over their crosstown rival West Islip a season ago. It sweetens the outcome of last year’s Long Island championship outcome, in which the team suffered a 15-11 loss to powerhouse Garden City. Any time you lose in the postseason it feels like the carpet was pulled right beneath your feet, and this group got a taste of that in 2025. A 15-4 record with a county plaque brought back home is never something to sneeze at, but the players and coaches inside the building are motivated to make this year’s road that much longer than the year prior. Fifth year Head Coach Tom Zummo has steadily improved his program over the last half decade, and his tool kit to work with this season could very well continue their upward trajectory.
It’ll be a tall order replacing some of last year’s offensive production for East Islip, but not impossible by any stretch. The program graduated top scorer Ryan Parker as well as other lead contributors like Brayden Black, Ethan Benardos, and Jack Kalinowski. That’s 236 combined points that just hit the exits, and as talented as junior Sean Hannigan (Boston U) is down on attack, he’s going to need some help backfilling last year’s castmates. That’s where East Islip’s sophomore duo come in to play, Owen Madden and Connor McIntee. These two young guns were excellent in their first varsity seasons, notching at least 38 points apiece, and they’ll be essential in capitalizing on Hannigan’s heavy defensive attention throughout the year. They could quietly be the catalysts to this scoring attack in 2026. Leading the East Islip defense is senior long-stick-midfielder Grant Weiss, who was excellent as a junior after transferring from St. Anthony’s. Weiss has one of the craftiest sticks in all of Suffolk and he uses it soundly, picking off passes and pushing transitions in the middle of the field. It’s still not quite clear who’ll be getting the starting nod in goal after Drew Walendowski graduated, with both goalies from last year’s position room no longer enrolled. One of the larger decisions of Coach Zummo’s young career awaits him as he’ll have to choose which young goalkeeper will be chosen to command his defense. If East Islip gets it right in between the pipes, it could very well set the tone for them on their road back to the county playoffs. With a number of new faces making their way to the scene, East Islip’s veteran leadership will be crucial in steering this year’s ship. The program has enjoyed collecting some hardware for their trophy case these last two seasons, and they’ll aim to add a few more in 2026. East Islip begins their journey against a notable opponent, reigning Nassau County Class A champs Massapequa, on the road on March 19th.
