No. 14 Ranked Massapequa Team Preview

As we now get inside the top 15 of the LILJ top 25 preseason rankings, it’s Massapequa at number 14 who enter the new season as the reigning two-time Class A Long Island Champions. Coached by Brendan Gaghan who is in his second season at the helm, this year the team will be aiming for their fifth straight appearance in the LIC and their second straight championship with another opportunity at a trip to up to Cortland. Many of their core players that were instrumental in their run to New York State Semifinals are back for another opportunity to bring home more hardware. During the offseason Massapequa took part in the LILJ High School Winter League helping them get set for the spring.

The offense for Massapequa sees the return of the two Jacksonville bound seniors Paige Garguilo and Micaela Gillis as part of their starting attack. Garguilo was the team leader in points last season with 46, scoring 31 goals with 15 assists, while Gillis added 14 goals and 8 assists for 22 points. In the junior class as one of the top 2026s on the island lefty Savanna Appleton who had a breakout sophomore season with 31 goals and 14 assists, and is in for another huge season. Among their returning midfielders includes senior Loyola commit Isabella Grosso who was last year’s hero, scoring the game winning overtime goal in the Long Island Championship game. Also among their returning players on offense includes seniors Cassidy Morrow (Siena), Jaime Petrullo (Pace), and Katie Ogurick, juniors Kali Humann (LIU), and Grace Hoffman (Hopkins) and sophomore Natalie Byrns. This year the offense will be without 2024 graduates Addison and Cameron Labriola who combined for 70 points last year.

Defensively Massapequa returns senior defenders Reilly Cereghino (Sacred Heart), Kiersten Farrell (Merrimack) and Molly Solnick (Mercy), but will have a new face in the net as their starting goalie.This year it’s freshman Emily Fitzgerald who is next in line as the starter taking over for 2024 graduate Kiera Durnin and this winter Fitzgerald saw all of the reps this winter, totaling 30 saves.

This winter also saw Massapequa play a number of underclassmen that will be names to look out for in the program over the next few years especially in the 2027 class, including Ava Clark and Molly Hoffman at attack, Olivia Morgan and Olivia LoGiudice at midfield and Peyton Wildes, Brook Donnellan and Riley Donahue on defense.

Coach Gaghan shared with the LILJ his excitement about the team’s quest to ultimately bring home their first state championship.

“We have a great mix of senior talent lead by Paige Garguilo and Micaela Gillis that look to win another Nassau and LIC championship with an end goal of our first state championship. Underclassmen Emily Fitzgerald is taking over in cage as a freshmen and looks to lead a defense with returners Kiersten Farrell and Reilly Cereghino. Offense is shaping up to be top notch lead by Appleton (Clemson) who was 2nd team All LI last year and Garguilo (Jacksonville) will be a dominate force this season.”

The quest for a third straight Class A Long Island Championship begins with three consecutive non-league games against Plainedge on March 24th, Kellenberg March 25th, and Shoreham-Wading River March 29th. Their first league game in the power conference is a matchup against Syosset on March 31st.