Massapequa boys lacrosse builds big lead by halftime, then holds on to beat Wantagh
Tyler Byrnes #21 of Massapequa, right, gets pressured by John Gendels #24 of Wantagh during a Nassau boys lacrosse game at Massapequa on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Credit: James Escher
By the time halftime arrived in Tuesday’s Power League game, Massapequa's boys lacrosse team had put on a powerful show against defending Nassau Class C champion Wantagh, scoring nine of the 10 goals.
“We were playing some of the best lacrosse that we’ve been playing all season,” said junior attackman Tyler Byrnes, who posted all three of his goals and his lone assist in the first half. “Seeing that score — [we were] not really taking a lot of looks at it until halftime — it was a little eye-opening, showing what this team can do really to our full potential.”
Wantagh rallied, but standout senior goalie Michael Jannotte delivered 14 of his 22 saves after the intermission, and host Massapequa held on for a 10-7 win.
“We have a young group,” said Kevin Catalano, Massapequa’s first-year head coach after eight running the JV. “We make silly mistakes. But we have a ton of talent. It’s just we’ve got to put together four quarters this time of the season.”
Still, his team is 6-1 (3-1 in the league) after opening the season with five straight wins. Byrnes sees a championship contender. Last season, Massapequa fell in the A final to Farmingdale.
“That’s what we’ve been saying ever since that game last season,” Byrnes said, “that we want to be back in that stage with a different outcome.”
This talented Wantagh team has dropped three straight after opening with three victories, and it’s 1-2 in the league.
“There are a lot of teams [in the Power League] that have a bull’s-eye on their back and we’re one of them,” coach James Polo said. “There’s a lot of talk on the outside of what Wantagh is. The reality is, you’ve got to be able to respond and rise to the occasion … The kids are frustrated.”
It was 6-0 in the second quarter. Byrnes provided the 9-1 halftime advantage. The UMass commit converted from in close with 3.6 seconds left against Gianni Passaro, who made 17 saves.
Then Wantagh cut it to 10-4 after three. Devin Paccione, who had three goals, scored twice in a 22-second span inside the first minute of the fourth and Dylan Martini made it 10-7 with 7:41 remaining.
But Jannotte got in Wantagh’s way a lot during that second half.
“[The defense was] pushing toward the alleys and I was seeing the ball very well,” Jannotte said. “Overall, I think without the defense that I have, it would be harder to make the saves I’m making.”
