KEVIN COLLELUORI
Bethpage, Attack, Junior
Bethpage coach Erwin Dill realized in hindsight he should have promoted Colleluori from the junior varsity before he did so late in 2002. The junior had 62 goals and 34 assists to lead Bethpage to the top seed in Class B and its first Nassau final appearance since 2000. Colleluori scored four goals in both the Nassau semifinals and final. "He has really grown," Dill said.

BRIAN CONNORS
Manhasset, Midfielder, Senior
Only Manhasset's best player can wear No. 32, which Connors did. The Manhasset staff selected Connors to wear the number worn by 1976 graduate John Driscoll, whom coach Alan Lowe considered his best player in his 30 seasons. It was a number Connors' older brother, Mike, displayed last season. "I have a lot of kids who are pretty equal, but he has been on top all season," Lowe said. The North Carolina recruit had 31 goals as Manhasset repeated as the Class C Long Island champ.

DAN D'AGNES
Chaminade, Midfielder, Senior
The CHSAA regular-season title and bragging rights over an archrival rested at the X. D'Agnes, a two-year starter, then won the faceoff, drove through two defenders and finished to give Chaminade a two-goal lead with two minutes left en route to a regular-season finale decision over St. Anthony's. D'Agnes opened eight games with goals off faceoff wins. "He has a tremendous competitive spirit," Chaminade coach Jack Moran said. The two-year starter had 42 goals, 24 assists and an 80 percent faceoff success rate. He is bound for Georgetown.

NICK FILIPPONE
Northport, Midfielder, Senior
Not one individual from the 2002 team that barely missed a state-title repeat returned for Northport this season. But Filippone continued the Northport tradition in leading the third-seeded Tigers to their third Suffolk Class A final appearance in the past four years. Filippone scored three goals in a 12-10 loss to West Islip in the title game to increase his season total to 31. One of Suffolk's top faceoff specialists is bound for Rutgers.

DAN GALASSO
West Islip, Midfielder, Senior
West Islip relies on the fast break. Its fast break relies on Galasso. The two-year starter sparked West Islip's offense with a 72-percent faceoff success rate and changing speeds in transition. West Islip coach Scott Craig said, "He runs right by people. I have not seen anybody that can stay with him on top." Galasso (41 goals) helped West Islip win its first Suffolk and Long Island Class A titles.

KENT LUCAS
South Side, Attack, Senior
Maybe Lucas' scoring success stems from his first varsity stint as a freshman playing goalie. "We thought he was going to be the goalie of the future," South Side coach Joe Baccarella said. Instead, the Delaware recruit became better at scoring goals than preventing them. The three-year starter became South Side's second all-time in leader in points (208) through the Cyclones' first-ever Long Island title. Lucas had 50 goals and 21 assists in helping South Side advance past the Nassau semifinals for the first time in the program's 15-year history.

BOB McAULEY
Hicksville, Midfielder, Junior
Hicksville's offense literally revolved around McAuley. On isolations from the restraining line, on faceoffs and in transition, McAuley led Hicksville to the Nassau Class A final. McAuley scored three times in a one-goal loss to No. 3 Farmingdale to increase his season total to 28. His unmatched speed should make McAuley Nassau's top returning player and one of the nation's most-sought recruits.

JOHN MECIONIS
Comsewogue, Defender, Senior
To understand the Syracuse-bound Mecionis' checking and cunning, one statistic stood out: only three total minutes spent in the penalty box in 18 games. Other numbers: 3 goals, 8 assists and 125 ground balls. The three-year starter earned All-American status. He helped Comsewogue capture the Class B state title in 2002 and helped the top-seeded Indians advance to their ninth straight Suffolk final. "He might be the best defenseman we ever had," Comsewogue coach Pete Mitchell said.

ANDREW MILLER
Floyd, Midfielder, Junior
Floyd coach Vic Guadagnino watched the play in slow motion, and he still couldn't believe his eyes. Miller absorbed a slide as he dodged through three defenders before putting a momentum-changing shot into an upper corner on his back in sixth-seeded Floyd's first-round Class A playoff win over No. 11 Connetquot. The fourth-year starter had 57 goals and 30 assists in his second season at midfield and was named an All-American. Miller has 134 goals and 68 assists in his career. He was an All-Long Island football selection. "He is such a natural athlete," Guadagnino said.

CHARLIE PAAR
Huntington, Goalie, Junior
Paar's experience splitting time in the cage and at close defense last season benefited the swift and nifty netminder in his first full starting season. Like when the honorable mention All-American made 21 saves against Comsewogue in an 8-6 regular-season loss, despite trailing 6-0 in the first half. Or when he had 15 stops in a 10-6 win over Babylon. "He kept us in most games," Huntington coach Paul McDermott said. "He was the heart of everything we did."

STEPHEN PEYSER
Cold Spring Harbor, Midfielder, Senior
Peyser was the force that nearly drove No. 2 CSH to its first Nassau Class C title since 2002. CSH lost to state finalist Manhasset twice in overtime this season, including in this year's final. Peyser had five goals and won all 10 of his faceoffs in the Seahawks' semifinal win over No. 6 Locust Valley. The Johns Hopkins-bound Peyser scored 30 goals and won 84 percent of his regular-season faceoffs. "He was never worried about points," coach Dennis Bonn said. "He was going to have to sacrifice points and personal accolades to win games. He was willing to do it.''

JEFF STRITTMATTER
Rocky Point, Attack, Senior
Strittmatter endured an emotional career loaded with personal losses off the field (losing both parents), but the four-year starter channeled his emotions to avoid losses between the white lines. "He's tough and very resilient," Rocky Point coach Mike Bowler said. Strittmatter, bound for a New Jersey prep school, registered 60 goals and 58 assists this season to increase his career total to 313 points (182 goals). Strittmatter led No. 3 Rocky Point to the Suffolk Class B semifinal round.

KEVIN UNTERSTEIN
Shoreham-Wading River, Midfielder, Senior
Through the black paint surrounding Unterstein's eyes, Shoreham coach Tom Rotanz could feel the All-American's intensity through a stare. Rotanz mistakenly asked if the All-American needed a breather and Unterstein refused to leave the game. Until he demonstrated his ground-ball savvy off a faceoff before feeding a teammate to cap a 9-0 third quarter in No. 2 Shoreham's Class B semifinal win over Rocky Point. Unterstein won four Suffolk, two Long Island and a state title in his four-year career. He had 31 goals and 19 assists this season. "[But] he prides himself on the ground ball," Rotanz said.

JOE ZUCCHERO
Farmingdale, Defensive Midfielder, Senior
Zucchero emerged from Farmingdale's pack following a comeback win in the Nassau Class A final and 35-year coach Bob Hartranft delivered a message. "We don't do this without your leadership," Hartranft told him. Zucchero switched to the pole position from a short stick after the opening game and helped No. 3 Farmingdale capture its third straight county crown – despite losing eight players to Division I programs following a 2003 state final loss. Zucchero had a 60-percent faceoff success rate and often shut down the opponent's top dog. "I don't ever remember changing a guy's position and the kid has such an impact," said Hartranft, whose team suffered a one-goal loss to West Islip in the Long Island final. "He never had a bad game."

COACHES OF THE YEAR
JOE BACCARELLA
South Side (20-1)
There was Baccarella talking on his cell phone and preparing for the state final at West Point's Michie Stadium hours after his semifinal victory. There was Baccarella selling T-shirts to raise money for the Nassau Boys Lacrosse Coaches Association. There was Baccarella taking South Side way beyond places it had ever traveled. The fifth-year coach took South Side to its first Nassau final, Nassau title, Long Island title and state final, all in Class B. South Side entered the state final with a 16-game win streak. South Side's battle cry this season: No Respect. Baccarella earned it this season. "It has been exciting," he said. "It is something the kids have talked about. We weren't even sure how good we were going to be. This has been a good show for us."

SCOTT CRAIG
West Islip (22-1)
It was a season of firsts for West Islip. A first Suffolk title, a first Long Island title and a first state final appearance highlighted a season in which the Lions became a legitimate Class A powerhouse. West Islip won in its fifth final appearance, its third straight and fourth in the last five seasons, adding credibility and stature to the program. Credit 17-year coach Craig for the success. Following a 10-goal win margin during the regular season, Craig's poise and emotion helped West Islip earn wins by three, two and one goal to become Suffolk's lone Long Island champ and undefeated program through the state semifinals. "I thought this was the time we were going to solidify ourselves," Craig said. "Now that we got over the top, winning a Long Island championship is going to add a confidence level to everyone involved."

HOW THEY WERE PICKED: The All-Long Island Boys Lacrosse Team and coaches of the year were selected after polling coaches and Newsday staff members. Staff writer Chris Antonacci wrote the player and coaches capsules.

Front row, from left: Kevin Unterstein (Shoreham-Wading River), Jeff Strittmatter (Rocky Point), Joe Zucchero (Farmingdale), Kent Lucas (South Side), Kevin Colleluori (Bethpage), Dan Galasso (West Islip), Brian Connors (Manhasset), Nassau coach of the year Joe Baccarella (South Side). Back row, from left: Suffolk coach of the year Scott Craig (West Islip), Andrew Miller (Floyd), John Mecionis (Comsewogue), Dan D'Agnes (Chaminade), Nick Filippone (Northport), Brian Burke (St. Anthony's), Charlie Paar (Huntington). Not pictured: Bob McAuley (Hicksville), Stephen Peyser (Cold Spring Harbor). (Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan)