Boys Lacrosse Falls Just Short of Glory

Spencer Spallone ‘26 scores a playoff goal against Brooklyn Tech. *Photo: Van Young*

By TYLER KATSURA and NATHAN BARENBAUM

The Boys Lacrosse team ended their season in heartbreaking fashion, falling just short of the finish line to the unbeaten number one seed Tottenville Pirates in the PSAL 2A final on May 19 by a score of 16-6.

Despite the loss, the team had a lot to be proud of this season, going 8-3 and finishing as the number three seed in the city.

“This was still a successful season, still a step in the right direction,” said Coach Zach Alexander.

The season was landmarked with many highs, most notably a 10-2 landslide victory in the Battle of Bedford against James Madison.

“It’s definitely good to beat your rivals, and the guys were happy about it, as they should be,” said Mr. Alexander. “We had lost the previous two games, so we needed to win that game to get back on track and get a good seed in the playoffs.”

The team went one step further than last season, where they lost in the semifinals to Tottenville. This improvement came despite dealing with the loss of a 60 point scorer, Dom Hetes.

“The seniors last year set high expectations,” said Mr. Alexander. “The guys have worked hard to fill the holes that were left by the [graduating] seniors.”

The team was able to reach another gear with the addition of Mr. Theodore Nusbaum, father of Leo Nusbaum ‘25, who brought his valuable experience and knowledge to the team. Mr. Nusbaum was a former college lacrosse player as well as a former coach for Brooklyn Tech.

“In the beginning, it was kind of an adjustment period for myself and the players just having another voice in the huddle, but he knows so much about lacrosse and he's helped the team tremendously,” said Mr. Alexander.

The addition of fresh new faces on the squad also added a sense of hunger.

“[The new players] bring a lot of good energy to the team, and they’re developing as players very well," said Spencer Spallone ‘26.

Dillan Mesidor ‘24, one of the new faces, instantaneously felt at home. “Feels like a family,” he said. “We all enjoy the game.”

“We make jokes and that kind of stuff all the time, but we know when to buckle down and lock in when it counts,” said Peter Olivier ‘24. “We are supportive of each other. Younger players know they can come to an experienced player for anything. It’s a brotherhood.”

The squad's morale starts with team captains Nusbaum, Olivier, Spallone, and Benjamin Weiss ‘25, who demonstrated vital leadership along the way.

Despite being only a sophomore, Spallone was one of the city's top players, with a combined 53 points throughout the season, proving to be a pivotal member of the squad.

“Spencer was named a captain because of his experience, expertise, and ability to help coach the newer players,” said Weiss. “Experience and knowledge of the game are more important than seniority when it comes to positions like captain.”

Nusbaum had another strong campaign, with a PSAL-high 44 assists and 34 goals throughout the season. Olivier was also dominant, with 44 points during the year. Spallone, Nusbaum, and Olivier all made the first team All-PSAL squad this year.

Team goalie Weiss only started playing the sport a few years ago but came on strong for the team with a 0.61 regular season save percentage.

“After freshman year I decided lacrosse was something I wanted to take seriously,” said Weiss. “Since sophomore year I’ve put in a lot of work to become a better goalie. I’ve practiced a lot in the off season and on the weekends, watched other goalies, and tried to learn the game.”

Overall, the boys had an excellent run in the playoffs, getting revenge over Brooklyn Tech 11-7 in the quarterfinals and then narrowly edging out South Bronx Preparatory 11-10 in the semis before their defeat in the finals.

“It’s an amazing feeling, being able to play every game we could’ve, and putting in all the effort we could to get there. It was a rewarding experience,” said Nusbaum. “Bringing the Midwood lacrosse program back to the glory of the finals is the pride of this group. We fight each game for each other, and I am extremely proud of our season.”