Long Island Lacrosse All-Star Game showcases unselfishness

This wasn’t like All-Star Games in some other sports where style points seem to count more than actual points.

In Friday night’s Rising Senior game that was part of the annual Long Island Lacrosse Showcase, teamwork as much as talent was on display in Suffolk’s 12-8 victory over Nassau before a crowd of more than 300 at Farmingdale State.

“We all know each other from summer leagues and other All-Star Games. Everyone was unselfish,” said Luke Eschbach (Smithtown East), who scored two goals. “It was like we had played together for years.”

Kevin Cutinella (Shoreham-Wading River) scored two goals, including a rocket that put Suffolk ahead for good at 7-6 with 6:20 left in the third quarter. William Snelders (Comsewogue) also had two goals.

Joe LiCalzi (South Side), who played well on defense, scored two transition goals for Nassau. Attack Sam Brown (Long Beach) and Dominic Scorcia (Carey) also had two goals as Nassau rallied from an early 5-1 deficit to tie it at halftime.

“Our guys were ticked off and fired up that it was 5-5,” Suffolk coach Dez Megna (Floyd) said. “They went out and kept looking for the extra pass. There weren’t a lot of unassisted goals. This was an unselfish group.”

On the opening faceoff of the second half, Kevin Snyder (Commack) scored unassisted and later earned congratulations from Maryland coach John Tillman, one of several dozen college coaches who attended. Snyder has committed to play for the Terrapins.

SEE PHOTOSRising Seniors All-Star Games

One of the prettiest goals of the game was from Suffolk defenseman Joe Bartolotto (Miller Place), who finished a nice tick-tack-toe passing sequence with a stick fake and goal in the second quarter. “I’ve played with everyone on the field at least once,” Bartolotto said. “That’s why we played so well together.”

Of his goal Bartolotto said, “I incorporated that into my game this year. I played in some man-up situations and I love to run. It felt good to score the goal.”

After Cutinella’s goal that made it 7-6, Garret Moya (Huntington) raced coast to coast for another artistic goal, just beating the third-quarter horn. Eschbach went top shelf and Snelders went low to make it 10-6 as Suffolk took control in the fourth quarter.

The ball-movement — on both teams — most impressed Megna. “I think it’s because 90 percent of the kids have already committed [to college],” he said. “So they weren’t out here to try and impress coaches with fancy stuff. They were just out here to play lax.”

In the Rising Juniors game, Dylan Laube (Westhampton) scored three goals to lead Suffolk to a 14-5 rout.

In the Rising Sophomore game, Christian Mule (Half Hollow Hills West) scored his third goal in the final seconds to give Suffolk an 8-7 victory.