Lacrosse game raises funds for two charities — and cements community bonds in Manhasset

The love of lacrosse runs so deep in his town, said Kurt Kiess of Manhasset, that his late son Ryan forged lifelong bonds on the elementary school field.

So, it’s no surprise the community turned out in force Friday evening for the second annual Munsey Park vs. Shelter Rock charity lacrosse game, which pits fifth-grade players from those two Manhasset elementary schools against one another — for a good cause. The event raised more than $15,000 for the Farrell Boy Foundation and the Ryan Kiess Memorial Fund, which honor the legacies of three Manhasset lacrosse players killed in a Quogue crash last year.

“It makes me feel really, really good,” said Aiden Flynn, 11, of Shelter Rock Elementary School. “I love lacrosse and it’s a great cause that we're doing this for.”

“Lacrosse is kind of life in this town,” added his friend Alexander Dalessio, 11, of Munsey Park Elementary School.

A speeding Nissan Maxima driven by Justin Mendez, 22, of Brookhaven, collided head-on with a Toyota Prius on Montauk Highway in Quogue on July 24, killing Mendez and four of the five people in the Prius.

Michael Farrell, 20, his brother James Farrell, 25, and a childhood friend, Ryan Kiess, 25, all of Manhasset, died in the crash as did their Uber driver, Farhan Zahid, 32, of Bay Shore. Kiess’ girlfriend Brianna Maglio, 22, of Garden City, was critically injured.

The Manhasset trio were star lacrosse players during their high school years, with James Farrell going on to play at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a team captain his senior year, and Kiess playing for the University of Scranton.

The Farrell Boy Foundation Inc., created after their deaths, provides funds for charitable and educational purposes and scholarship grants, according to the foundation’s website.

Money raised through the Ryan Kiess Memorial Fund will be used for scholarships, community-based need projects and other similar events, according to Kurt Kiess.

The elementary school players sold raffle tickets and solicited donations to benefit the respective foundations. Keeping with the community spirit, the game had no winner and ended in a 3-3 tie.

“I think they all are proud to be playing for something other than just a W in the column,” said Sondra Goettelmann, whose son Cooper participated in the game. “It’s such a great vibe and atmosphere and lesson for these kids.”

Kurt Kiess, who also played elementary lacrosse at Shelter Rock, acted as an assistant coach during the game. He said the final score, 3-3 in a game honoring three young men, was symbolic.

“That was perfect,” he said. “Manhasset is a family, not just a team.”

With Steve Pfost

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.