There are three Hicksville, and two Floral Park, Island Trees, Jericho and Plainedge High School players among Nassau County’s Top 10 points-scorers leaderboard. The Red Devils are red hot, sitting at a perfect 9-0 in Division II, while the Comets are currently 8-1 and the Jayhawks are close behind at 7-1. The Bulldogs are 7-2 in Division II and the Knights are 4-4 in Division I.
Results are as of May 27.
NICK O’SHEA: 57 points
The Sewanhaka senior midfielder has scored a county second-best 37 goals and racked up 20 assists so far this season. He’s recorded a game-high 12 points twice this season, securing seven goals and five assists in a 17-10 win over Freeport May 14, and five goals and seven assists in a 16-6 victory at Great Neck North May 7. The senior also tallied 10 points — on six goals and four assists — in a 12-3 win at New Hyde Park May 17 and 10 points on a season-high 10 goals in a 14-11 loss to Hicksville May 22.
“It feels great to be the top scorer in Nassau, especially after all the hard work I’ve put in,” O’Shea said. “Contributing to my team the way that I do feels great, because now the younger guys look up to me and they see what’s possible in this program.”
O’Shea, who has been on the varsity team since he was in eighth grade, said while he looks to score when out on the field he’s also looking to feed his teammates as much as possible. The senior has scored most of his goals up top, but also likes to come around the back of the cage.
“There’s a lot of things that help me to get goals and assists, but I think the No. 1 thing is my mentality and confidence on the field,” O’Shea said. “m so grateful to be back on the field for my senior year. Especially since I lost my whole junior year due to COVID-19. Lacrosse is just such a fun sport and especially since I’m playing it right now with my lifelong friends it’s even more fun to go to war with my brothers I’ve known since elementary school.”
MAX SHAPIRO: 55 points
The Hicksville junior attack who also competes for the Recon Lacrosse club has tallied 33 goals and 22 assists to-date. He scored a game-high eight points twice this season, putting up four goals and four assists in a 20-6 win at Valley Stream May 17, and a hat trick and five helpers in a 15-14 victory over Jericho the game prior, May 14. Shapiro has put up at least five points in every game this season.
“Me and my teammates worked hard in the offseason trying to improve our game, and it’s all just coming together,” said Shapiro, who added he likes to create opportunities off dodging anywhere on the field. My teammates really get in good positions to help me get some of those assists.”
He and his teammate CJ Harris, another leading point-scorer, are close friends that worked together over the summer to perfect their skills.
“We put a lot of time into shooting together, so we have a good connection and seem to find each other a lot on the field,” Shapiro said. “We were hungry going into this season, like every other team was, and it really means a lot to just be at where we’re at right now with everything going on. I’m just happy we get the chance to play.”
BRADEN DONNELLAN: 50 points
The Plainedge sophomore attack has collected 30 goals and 20 assists so far this year. He has recorded five goals three times and six points in a game four times this season. In a May 11 19-3 win against Clarke, he came away with a season-best nine points on five goals and four assists. In the team’s 16-5 win at Malverne/East Rockaway May 22, Donnellan racked up five goals and two assists. In the most recent victory, 15-9, at Island Trees May 27, he tallied a game-high four goals and two assists.
CJ HARRIS: 50 points
The Hicksville senior midfielder and attack has amassed 34 goals and 16 assists so far this season. He’s recorded a season-high nine points on seven goals and two assists in a 19-6 win over Baldwin May 25 and a 17-6 victory at Uniondale May 8. Harris has scored at least six points in six of nine games played this year.
“I let the game come to me. I don’t like to force anything,” Harris said. “I like to be calm and composed at all times to create the best opportunity to score, whether it’s me or my teammates around me. It feels good helping lead my team to wins, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without the support from my teammates and my coaching staff.”
JASON KOZAK: 50 points
The Floral Park senior attack and midfielder has 20 goals and 30 assists to-date. He’s racked up nine points twice this year, in back-to-back games earlier this month. In a 13-10 loss to Locust Valley May 3, the senior had a hand in all but one goal, coming away with a season-best nine assists in one game. Kozak followed up the showing with four goals and five assists in a 13-7 victory over Lynbrook May 7. In his team’s most recent win, 11-3, over Wheatley/Carle Place May 26, he earned five goals and three assists.
CADEN MORRA: 50 points
The Plainedge sophomore attack has secured a county-best 40 goals to go along with 10 assists. Morra recorded eight points twice this season. He finished a 14-8 win over Friends Academy May 17 with a season-high seven goals and one assist and a 19-2 win over Glen Cove May 15 with six goals and two assists. Morra also grabbed seven points, along with two other teammates, on four goals and three assists during a 19-3 victory over Clarke May 11, and six points on five goals and one assist in the 15-9 win at Island Trees May 27.
“It’s an honor to be a county leader in points,” Morra said. “All the hard work that I put in during the offseason payed off. My teammates help me be successful by getting me good shots and finishing when I pass to them.”
The sophomore said he likes to dodge to create space and opportunities for himself or his teammates.
“I just try to let the game come to me and not force anything,” Morra said. “I try to see what the defense is giving us and how we can get the best to score.”
LUKE CITRON: 49 points
The Jericho senior midfielder and attack has racked up 17 goals and 13 helpers. Citron recorded his most points in the first game of the season, on two goals and a season-high seven assists in a 14-3 win over Baldwin May 3. The very next game, just two days later, he put up eight points on two goals and six assists in an 18-4 victory over Valley Stream. The senior most recently secured seven points on two goals and five assists in a 15-3 win over Sewanhaka May 25.
The senior said he likes to bring his man to “X” and isolate himself.
“My first step is usually faster than a lot of defenders,” Citron said. “And I always look for a teammate that’s on the crease, because his man usually slides to me and he will be open.”
He said he also likes when he has a long pole defender on him, because that’s when he looks for a midfielder to set a screen so he can switch to a short stick.
“I’m very excited to be right up there with some of the best players on the Island,” Citron said. “My teammates and coaches make me better every time we’re on the field. They are supportive and I’m lucky to be a part of the Jericho lacrosse program.”
RONAN SANCHEZ: 46 points
The Floral Park senior attack and midfielder has recorded 32 goals and 14 assists so far this season. He came away with a season-high seven points in a May 7 win over Lynbrook, 13-7, securing four goals and three assists. He finished three games with six points three times this season. In a 10-9 win over East Meadow May 14, Sanzhez racked up four goals and two assists. His final goal, 72 seconds into overtime, earned the victory for his team. Sanchez secured a hat trick and added three assists in a 9-6 win at Hewlett May 18, and four goals and two assists in his team’s most recent win, 11-3, at Wheatley/Carle Place May 26.
ARI CHANANYA: 44 points
The Jericho senior midfielder has amassed 35 goals and nine assists. Chananya turned in a season-high nine points on eight goals and one assist in a 14-1 win over New Hyde Park May 19. He racked up eight points on four goals and four assists in the May 5 victory over valley stream and seven points on six goals and one assist in the recent win over Sewanhaka.
Citron said he’s typically looking for Chananya making a cut out on the field.
“It’s been great playing with him for all these years,” Citron said. “We both like to isolate each other because we know we can do damage in space. He’s a great teammate and friend and I’m happy to be sharing the success with him.”
ANDREW BORUM: 43 points
The Hicksville senior attack has racked up 31 goals and 12 assists so far this year. He recorded five points in the first three games of the season. Borum tallied seven points on five goals and two assists in the 15-14 victory over Jericho on May 14 and six points the day prior, on a hat trick and three assists, in the game prior, a 16-5 victory over Bellmore JFK May 12.
“I love to score on either the doorstep of the crease or 10-to-15 yards out. I always look to see if there are any gaps in the defenses for me to either take it to the cage or give a quick pass to a teammate that has a better opportunity,” he said. “What helps me a lot is taking things slower and analyzing the field before I do anything.”
Borum said he and his teammates, like Shapiro and Harris, have been working their way up to this moment.
“I feel like we have a great team this season, so my contribution in terms of goals are only as good as the guys I have assisting me,” he said. “We have been really working together and I think it shows on the field.”
KIAN MCCOY: 43 points
The Island Trees midfielder has earned 34 goals and nine assists to-date. He recorded a season-high seven goals and one assist in a 19-0 blanking on Glen Cove May 8, and five goals and two assists in a 14-2 crushing of Division May 14. McCoy tallied six goals the game before he reached seven, in a 17-7 defeat of Clarke May 5, and racked up a hat trick and two assists in a 16-0 blanking of West Hempstead May 19.
NICK SARAGOSSI: 43 points
The Island Trees sophomore attack secured 24 goals and 19 assists to lead a balanced attack this year. He reached a personal-best seven points four times this season. Saragossi earned a hat trick and added four assists in a 15-2 takedown over Lawrence May 25, secured five goals and two assists in a 12-3 victory over Malverne/East Rockaway May 11 and four goals and three assists during a 19-0 shutout of Glen Cove May 8.
JADEN TSANG: 43 points
The Mepham senior attack has recorded 26 goals and 17 assists to-date this season. He hit a season-high six goals twice this year, in the season-opening 18-2 victory at Hempstead May 5 and during a 16-3victory at Great Neck South May 17, where he hit a season-best nine points on six goals and three assists. Tsang amassed five points in three other games this year.
Morra added it’s been an honor to have some sort of a season this year, and enjoys being a role model to younger kids as the game continues to grow.
“I was very grateful when i heard the news that we could play,” he said. “Since I started playing lacrosse in second grade I’ve always loved the sport and looked up to the varsity players, and now that I’m one of the guys that the younger kids can look up to, it is a great feeling.”
