Ryan Filippi adds fire to Mount Sinai in win over Comsewogue
Mt. Sinai celebrates its win over Comsewogue in a Suffolk Division II boys lacrosse game on Wednesday at Comsewogue. Credit: George A. Faella
Ryan Filippi was scoring goals for Port Jefferson last lacrosse season, 48 of them to be exact. Then his family moved to Mount Sinai over the summer, so there was a new threat in town to try to help the Mustangs rise again after a four-win, 12-loss descent.
“Listen, Ryan’s a great kid,” coach Harold Drumm said, standing on Comsewogue’s turf early Wednesday evening. “I think lacrosse-wise obviously he’s a very good player, but I think more than that, he’s a very good leader.”
The senior midfielder had just led Mount Sinai out of a three-goal halftime hole. After scoring none in the first half, Filippi went on a four-goal run, giving the Mustangs the lead. Comsewogue tied it, but sophomore attackman/faceoff man Tommy Massaro untied it with 3:24 left.
And Mount Sinai emerged with an 8-7, Suffolk II victory over a Class B county semifinalist the past two seasons to move to 2-1.
“The kids worked really hard in the offseason,” said Drumm, who saw his Mustangs claim a Class C county title in 2022 and fall in the 2023 final before last year’s struggle. “They worked really hard in the preseason. We’re just ready to compete each day.”
Filippi is happy to be competing among them.
“Everyone on the team really brought me in with open arms,” he said. “A really great group here. It was such an easy transition because of who I was around.”
The Florida Southern commit wasn’t around to play in the Mount Sinai-Comsewogue clash last season, a 12-0 Mustangs loss at home, which hurt.
“Very disrespectful to our town, in front of our whole community,” Massaro said. “We showed up to their field this year and just had the fire.”
Andrew Krieg tied it for Comsewogue at 7 with his second goal. Massaro, who won 12 faceoffs, followed with his lone goal, converting from in close off a feed from Dontae Spadaro.
“Tight game, had to make big plays,” Massaro said. “Big players show up when it’s big times.”
Comsewogue, playing its opener, led 6-3 at halftime.
“We’re not a team that’s just going to quit,” Filippi said.
Then he went on his run with two in the third and two to start the fourth — 7-6. Three goals came in man-up situations.
“We’ve got to avoid the penalties; too many penalties,” Comsewogue coach Pete Mitchell said. “Credit to them. They did a good job. They outplayed us.”
