Massapequa boys lacrosse reaches Nassau Class A title game after win over Syosset

Whether it’s with his leg or his stick, Michael Jannotte continues to save seemingly unsavable shots for the Massapequa boys lacrosse team.

And No. 1 Massapequa is advancing to the Nassau Class A championship game after holding off No. 4 Syosset, 9-7, at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium Tuesday afternoon. Jannotte made 14 saves, including numerous on the doorstep, to keep his side alive and ahead as Massapequa booked its return to the county championship.

“I put everything I can out there to make a save,” Jannotte said. “I’m going to put my body on the line, I’ll do anything to win the game. That’s just Massapequa lacrosse.”

Massapequa (14-4) will face the winner of No. 2 Farmingdale/No. 3 Port Washington 3 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.

Syosset scored just 1:03 into the third quarter to tie the score at 6, but Massapequa pulled away with four consecutive goals to hold a healthy four-goal lead into the final quarter.

“It feels awesome, I’m so excited to get back,” Jannotte said. “Last year we went home sad, and this year we’re trying to take revenge, honestly.”

Sophomore Nolan Wieczorek launched the third-quarter scoring run for Massapequa by executing a perfect swim move over a defender before ripping a downward shot into the far end of the goal. He kicked off the game with a goal and an assist in the first quarter and finished with two apiece.

“Usually, we come out slow against them, but we knew this time had to be different,” Wieczorek said. “We had to come out strong; it’s playoffs, it’s win or go home.”

Syosset scored two fourth-quarter goals courtesy of Ryan Rosenfeld and Brody Waxer, the latter of which couldn’t be stopped early. Waxer had two goals and an assist, all in the first 16 minutes of the game. Will Cawley played a nearly perfect game for Syosset (9-9), scoring two goals as a defenseman and forcing four turnovers. Josh Weisenfeld made 12 saves.

Massapequa’s defense, headlined by Brady Gilchrist, managed to hold Syosset scoreless for the final nine minutes along with the standout performance by Jannotte in goal. Braden Tucker starred with two goals and an assist.

Massapequa now has the chance to lift a title for the first time since 2019, possibly against the same Farmingdale program that knocked them out a year ago.

But Wieczorek’s laser focus that aided him Tuesday showed again after the game, calling it “just another game in the road.”

Call it what you’d like. But Wieczorek helped pave that road, and Massapequa will get to walk it to a county title game.