Manhasset has made a statement with its 11-2 win over Darien Saturday: They’re here to play.
Faceoff specialist Cal Girard secured possession nearly every chance he could for his Indians, three different players recorded hat tricks, the defense forced key turnovers and goalkeeper Matty Im made monster saves as Manhasset’s boys lacrosse team bounced out to a 4-0 start.
“This is a massive win for us,” said senior midfielder PJ Flood (Hamilton). “This is our first true test so far this year, and I think that it was a great all-around effort by everyone. We’ve been working our butts off both in the offseason and since this season started knowing we have to step up. I think we’re in a good spot now, but we definitely have more we want to accomplish.”
It was such a feat for the team knowing No. 11 Darien had just come off a 12-11 win over USA Lacrosse-ranked No. 1 Brunswick. Manhasset currently sits at No. 9, expected to make a jump up the ladder after a couple of recent wins.
Senior midfielder Matt Cargiulo took matters into his own stick, having a hand in all four of Manhasset’s first goals, recording a hat trick in the process. He was quick, though, to give credit to Girard (Duke) and his continued dominance at ‘X.’
“Last year we didn’t win as many of these big games, so coming out and getting our first one here feels amazing,” said Cargiulo (University of Massachusetts). “We didn’t want to lose these big games, so we’ve been watching film and working hard in practice — doing everything we can do.”
“He really controls the game,” the senior said. “We came out strong and that shifted the momentum.”
Cargiulo came away with his third score inside the seven-minute mark, with a shot to the top right corner over the shoulder of Darien goalie Carter Hagen, and hit his target just seven seconds before senior midfielder Liam Connor recorded his second of the game. Cargiulo found him first at 9:40 to help Manhasset go up 2-0.
“Being an offensive player having a guy like Cal is all you can ask for,” Connor said, also pointing to his FOGO for setting up the Indians for success. “He is one of the best faceoff guys in the country and he proves that every game. He makes it so much easier on all of us and we are so lucky to have a guy like him on our team.”
The senior secured his third goal just 13 seconds after, putting Manhasset up 5-0, on a shot front and center off a feed from Jack Peterson on the left side.
“I think as a team we are trying to find our own identity, and I think we did a very good job of that today,” Connor said. “We were unselfish on offense and really solid on defense. Losing key contributors from last season is obviously a challenge, but we have had a lot of new guys step up in bigger roles and that showed today.”
Cargiulo said with a defensive unit like Manhasset has, practice under pressure has also been key. What helps the team, too, though, is knowing that if an opponent does get the ball and the defense doesn’t make a stop, junior goalkeeper Im is ready and waiting.
He sandwiched Hagen’s stop with two of his own before Connor’s goal off the Peterson assist. He made another right after to help Manhasset take a 6-0 lead into the half.
“He’s been playing out of his mind this year,” Cargiulo said of Im.
Im even intercepted a pass for a turnover, and his unit in front of him outhustled the Blue Waves to the end line multiple times after wide shots to give the Indians the ball back.
“I think that the defense is definitely providing something this year that wasn’t as prevalent last year,” Flood said. “It brings some relief seeing Matty make big saves after a long defensive possession and being able to push the ball the other way. Now, we can rely on our defense more to make stops and saves, which I’m sure takes some stress off our offensive player’s shoulders.”
Senior lefthanded midfielder and attack Aidan Haggerty hit a laser shot to open the third stanza, and Connor recorded his third after a defense check for a turnover.
“So far our man-to-man defense has been solid this year, and that’s what we’ve run with and gotten stops with, but we also have a zone in our back pocket just in case we need to use it,” Flood said. “We’ve been owning matchups and sliding pretty well this year, so that’s gotten the job done so far.”
Those goals came before Darien’s Mac McGahran put his team on the board off an assist by Porter Barnett, but any momentum was thwarted when junior midfielder Mikey Mondiello recorded back-to-back goals, the second on a shot down low on the run after a pass fake, to secure his own hat trick and a 10-1 lead.
“Throughout practice all week we’ve been playing hard — the defense has been pressuring us — and that’s what Darien came out and did to us,” Cargiulo said. “So, we were able to deal with the pressure and overcome it, and we found the open man. Holding them to two is great.”
Girard scooped up the ball on the ensuing faceoff and despite losing it, regained possession and took it all the way for a score from the right side. Darien’s Ben Bilodeau scored the final goal of the game.
“I’d say we’re in a good spot for now, but we’re gonna have to keep working to get to where we want to go and to win some big games later in the season,” Flood said. “Still, I’m absolutely confident in this team. We’re just getting started.”
Cargiulo took it a step further, even with matchups against Cold Spring Harbor (3-1), Garden City (4-1) and Chaminade (4-1) still to come.
“With this team,” the senior said. “I don’t think anyone can beat us right now.”
