For the first time since the 1990s, the Knicks aren’t the only New York team on the cusp of a championship victory.
At Sachem North High School, the excitement is palpable as the boys’ lacrosse team gears up for the Long Island Championship, a feat they haven’t achieved since 1995. Meanwhile, the girls’ softball team is also making waves, reaching the championship for the first time since 1993.
“Things seem to happen in threes,” remarked boys’ lacrosse coach Anthony Muratore during a conversation with The Post, noting the contagious enthusiasm among his players.
“It’s amazing to be competing for a championship the same year the Knicks are,” shared senior midfielder Henry Sarro, reflecting the campus-wide excitement.
The exhilaration has been building ever since the lacrosse team triumphed over top-seeded Northport with an 11-7 victory in the Suffolk County championship, and the softball team edged out Commack 4-3.
“Teachers are constantly congratulating me with high-fives and fist bumps,” said senior pitcher Dani Brennan, capturing the supportive spirit on campus.
“Everyone, my friends, they try to get everyone to come to the games. Everyone is hyped, everyone wants us to win. They want us to succeed.”
’90s Party
Lacrosse players are showing up at softball games, and vice versa, as both programs shared a special sendoff to their respective county titles, giving both teams even more momentum be the Long Island champs.
“We’re going through the same kind of thing. It’s really cool to share with them,” Sarro said. “It would be incredible for us both to win on Saturday.”
As if things weren’t epic enough, both teams will face Massapequa, which narrowly lost last year’s LIC 15-14 in lacrosse to Half Hollow Hills, but won in softball 2-1 against Riverhead on an extra-inning walk-off.
But the Arrows have their sights set on the Chiefs, regardless of the vastly different histories between the schools.
“It’s going to be high energy, and we’re just fighting for another week of practice with the boys,” said junior attacker John Calabria.
Lacrosse has found its stride in its core upperclassmen, like Sarro and Calabria, along with attacker Steven Castellano and goalie Patrick “Pork Chop” Gandley, who wanted to rewrite the script of past playoff futility.
“Especially even going into the county championship game, no one was really believing in us,” Gandley said.
“We’ve got a whole bunch of great young talents on this team, and we really want just to bring Sachem back,” added Grandley, who wants to pig out with a trophy this weekend to change the culture.
Bases loaded with laughs
Softball’s approach on the diamond has been much lighter and more comical as they vie for a wind of change.
“We all have collective jokes that we just make during the games. We have ‘all gas, no brakes,’ we don’t mean gasoline — we mean farts,” Brennan chuckled.
“We have just jokes that bond us with each other, and it really helps us push through and not get mad at each other. This team has a really close bond, which carries us through.”
Ken Sasso and his coaching staff have left a lasting impression on Brennan and the rest because of their much more sincere intentions than the girls’ high school humor.
“I think the reason why we got this far is because they don’t really yell at us,” she said.
“They understand what we’re going through. If we have a long day at school, they understand. They’re always there for us,” Brennan added while fighting back tears.
Senior shortstop Bella Kriklava says that “family connection” is why the 2026 team is different than any in the past three decades.
“This means so much to me, and I’m so happy we made it this far in my last year.”
Unlike the Knicks, Sachem’s lacrosse and softball teams won it all during their runs in the 1990s, which the school is taking as a good luck omen heading into the faceoffs against Pequa.
“It would mean everything,” added Kriklava.
Mass-ive moments
Massapequa wants to show Sachem who’s boss and keep the Arrows’ most recent titles in the days of dial-up internet.
Kevin Catalano’s lacrosse team wants to avenge its 2025 shortcomings and use Massapequa’s playoff experience against the Arrows this weekend.
“Just our confidence and our poise,” Catalano said after winning the Nassau title 19-5 over Syosset.
“When there are moments in the game where things get a little crazy, just making sure we’re controlling our emotions.”
He’s all about keeping things technical to finish the job this year as “we just keep talking about being efficient.”
“Making sure we’re sharing the ball, making sure we’re playing deep into the shot clock, and just making sure we own our possessions as much as we could.”
Softball’s road back to the Long Island title was much more dramatic, as coach Christina Castellani’s squad came back in its best-of-three county championship series vs. Oceanside.
“After losing three straight games to them in the regular season, and then to win Games 2 and 3 of the series, I think that makes this championship a little extra special,” she said.
After a third straight rendition of both teams in the Nassau title — Oceanside won in 2024, and then Pequa back-to-back — the Chiefs are confident they can take on the world.
“These girls have worked hard this season to get back to this spot,” said Castellani.
“I’m not worried about our offense at all. We’ve had really solid offense throughout the entire season, and my pitching staff is ready to go.”
Massapequa is also having a banner spring with baseball, girls lacrosse and girls track all taking Nassau County titles — and Castellani can feel the pride from the stands.
“The energy is off the charts,” she said.
