No. 5 Ranked East Islip Team Preview

Now down to the top 5 in the LILJ top 25 preseason rankings, it’s last year’s Class B County Champions East Islip coming in at number 5. They proved to be the team to beat in the B’s in Suffolk in 2024, appearing in the Long Island Championship game where they were narrowly defeated by South Side. This year they are back with a team that is filled with returners in the senior class as they look to win the counties for a second consecutive year. They are coached by Thomas Zummo who is now in his fourth season with the team, and he shared what excites him as they go into the new season. “We are very senior heavy. All of the seniors were part of a championship team last year and multiple years of varsity level lacrosse. Couple that with the young talent, we have to fill some depth. I’m really excited about the team and what we have here with the championship pedigree.”

On the offensive side of the field they once again look to be explosive after averaging over 13 goals per game last year which was the second most in all of Suffolk County. In the senior class they return Ethan Benardos (Sacred Heart), Jack Kalinowski (Stony Brook), Ryan Parker (Rutgers), Brayden Black (Cortland), and Jake Berlin. Benardos is the team’s leader in points among their returning players, coming off of a 32 goal, 13 assist junior season for 45 points. Kalinowski connected for 24 goals with 17 assists for 41 points, and Parker totaled 31 points with 23 goals and 8 assists. In the sophomore class is Sean Hannigan who had a huge impact as a freshman with a 44 point season, dishing out 25 assists along with 19 goals. At the face-off X looking to get the ball to their offense is senior Chase Canfora (Western Connecticut).

Defensively they return long poles Brendan McCaffrey, Billy Bast (Oneonta), and Glendon Kinnear (Lynn) all in the senior class.  Additionally the defense welcomes in junior Grant Weiss who transfers back from St. Anthony’s. In goal they have top flight goaltending with senior Villanova commit Drew Walendowski who stopped 215 shots which was the fifth most in Suffolk County with a save percentage over 60%.

Coach Zummo shared what some of the keys to success will be this season.

“Being consistent, playing offense efficiently and defensively making the stops that we need to play fast between the lines. In addition, we need to develop our depth to continue to have the strength that we had in the past.”

East Islip will open up the regular season with a non-league matchup against another county champion from last year the Wantagh Warriors on March 29th, followed by their first league game against Shoreham-Wading River on April 2nd.