Boys lacrosse spotlight: Sayville off to a hot start; Dominic Passannante a leader at LuHi

Christian Doller is thinking that he has a contender to claim a Class C crown in Suffolk.

Two reasons: “The experience and the quality,” the longtime Sayville boys lacrosse coach said.

The Golden Flashes have flashed positive signs early on, going 4-1 following a 10-6 season that came with no postseason. The 2025 highlights so far have included scoring 21 goals three times and beating Smithtown West 14-6. The loss was against Port Washington from Nassau’s power league, a 6-5 decision in OT.

“We’re playing well,” said Doller, the coach dating to the program’s first varsity season in 2001. “Tons of room for improvement. Still gauging where we are. I knew we were returning everyone on offense. We were very young the last few years, and they’re all still there.

“… We’re still trying to get our bearings to see exactly where we land. I think we’re close to the top and can compete with anybody. But these next couple of weeks are going to really tell us where we need to be and what we need to improve on to get to that final game at the end of the year.”

Their aggressive midfield certainly is a strength with senior Tommy McCann, junior Tristan Vitale and sophomore Javen Taff.

Doller called them “a three-headed monster when it comes to shooting.”

The Drexel-bound McCann (12 goals, 10 assists) and Taff (13 goals, seven assists), coming off a 33-goal, 19-assist freshman season, have been the top two point producers. Vitale, a Salisbury commit, has 12 goals and two assists.

Sophomore attackman Jamison Holt, a player on the St. Anthony’s JV as a freshman, owns 13 goals and six assists. Senior attackman Aidan Meyer, a St. Leo commit who scored 40 times last season, has 12 goals and four assists. Senior Jake Hall, another St. Leo commit, also is a standout as a long stick midfielder.

McCann was the standout named to Newsday’s 2025 Top 100 list. He posted 31 goals and 36 assists in 2024.

“He’s a huge part of [our success],” Doller said. “… He can feed as well as shoot and dodge. Every midfield we see, he’s probably the most dynamic and fastest kid on the field.”

Scouting LuHi’s leader

Dominic Passannante has achieved Eagle Scout status, the highest rank there is among the scouts.

So what does this have to do with lacrosse?

“Definitely leadership,” Passannante said.

He’s in his third season as Long Island Lutheran’s starting goalie. The Wagner commit also is the captain of a team with 18 players who are either sophomores or eighth graders. He said he has been in the scouts since age 8 or 9.

“From growing up in Boy Scouts and becoming an Eagle Scout,” Passannante said, “it definitely helped me become a better leader by helping me become more of a team player and communicating with my fellow teammates and people inside my group.”

After Passannante made 13 saves in an 8-6 home win over Long Beach Monday, second-year coach Todd Higgins expressed an appreciation for his leadership skills.

“We have 10 eighth-graders on our roster, so we’ve been going all year and Dom’s been the leader from the beginning,” Higgins said. “It’s a tight-knit community with this school and he’s been, on and off the field, the leader to the young kids, and it’s been invaluable.”

The Crusaders went 3-7 last season. They have improved. They were off to a 3-2 start after the Long Beach game.

“The lacrosse program was a little depleted last year,” Higgins said. “We’re actively recruiting kids and trying to put LuHi on the map as a lacrosse destination outside of being an excellent educational [school].”