Oceanside builds off last year's success

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With a myriad of three-year varsity players on its roster, Oceanside enjoyed a big 2014 with 10 victories and an appearance in the Nassau Class A boys’ lacrosse playoff tournament as the No. 3 seed.

Though the Sailors suffered a hard-fought quarterfinal defeat to Hicksville, coach Jim Gillis is looking for them to mesh into contenders and return to the postseason.

“We bring back a handful of kids who got serious playing time last year, along with some others with a little varsity experience under their belt,” Gillis said. “It’s a diverse group of athletes. It might take a little time to find our niche, but we’re excited.”

Oceanside is seeded fourth in Conference A-I behind Massapequa, Syosset and Port Washington. “We like the pressure of being seeded in the top four,” Gillis said. “The goal is to get to the playoffs and take things from there. Once you’re in, anything can happen.”

Leading the playoff push is senior attackers Brennan Segelken and Shane Clark, who earned All-County and All-Conference honors, respectively, last spring. “They’re both captains and coming off great years,” Gillis said. “They complement each other well. Brennan’s primarily a righty shot, and Shane’s lefty.”

Segelken’s non-stop movement makes him difficult to defend. “He’s real shifty and is constantly working to get into position to score,” Gillis said of the 33-goal scorer. “He’s tough to cover off the ball.”

Clark, who topped 20 goals and 20 assists, thrives in tight spots and isn’t afraid to take on bigger defenders. “Shane is a balanced attacker who brings his hockey mentality to the lacrosse field,” Gillis said. “He’s a hard-nosed player with a lot of skills.”

Sophomore Jack Egan, up from JV, is big and physical and shoots well, Gillis said, and is pushing for the final starting attack spot. Senior Tom Russo, who brings size and aggressiveness, is also in the mix. Both will be factors regardless of what the starting lineup looks like, the coach noted.

Moving junior Dakota Johnson, an attackman last spring, to the midfield will help the Sailors threaten more from the top of the box. Johnson joins junior Kevin O’Keefe, a key on face-offs and in transition, and senior Mike Checco, a top-notch defender, in the middle.

Senior Blake Igoe is the lone returning starter on close defense. “He’s got excellent stick skills and does a great job with clears,” Gillis said. “If the ball is in reach, he’ll get it.” Sophomore Danny Marshall looks the part of a gritty one-on-one defender, while senior Dan Panzarino and junior David O’Sullivan both move well and are active with the sticks.

The last line of defense is senior goaltender Joe Rugolo, a captain and first-year starter. He served as a backup for two seasons and it’s now “his time,” Gillis said. “We’ve always had confidence in Joe’s ability,” Gillis noted. “He’s solid in all areas.”

The Sailors will meet East Meadow, Baldwin, Hempstead, Hicksville, Farmingdale, MacArthur, Port Washington, Syosset, Uniondale and Massapequa in conference play.