College lacrosse insider: Mercy could make case

Mercy College is loaded with Long Island talent and the team from Dobbs Ferry has great expectations as it nears the biggest game in the program’s second season. It comes this afternoon when Mercy hosts two-time defending national champion C.W. Post.

“We’re thinking about saying ‘We’re taking the Island back,’ ” goalie T.J. DiCarlo of Farmingdale said. “We beat already, so if we could beat Post and then Dowling . . . ” DiCarlo is good friends with Post goalie Mike Giordano, another Farmingdale High School graduate.

The game’s outcome will have way more importance than bragging rights. “We have to win all the rest of our games; so does Mercy to solidify the guaranteed spot,” in the NCAA Tournament, Post coach John Jez said. “It’s certainly a pivotal game.”

Mercy is 10-1 and is the talk of the East Coast Conference, which is usually dominated by L.I. teams. Mercy went 5-10 in its inaugural season. “I think we were considered a big W on everybody’s schedule,” coach Steve Manitta said. Manitta is one of a few non-Long Islanders associated with the team. His assistant, Jordan Levine, is from Bethpage and Mercy has 17 players from the Island.

“We beat Tech and I think everybody said it was a fluke,’’ Manitta said. “Now all of a sudden, we’re 10-1 and you don’t become 10-1 as a fluke. We’re willing to be called flukes ’cause every time someone calls us that, we can go out and win another one.”

Second-ranked Post will be ready. “We knew they had some young guys from last year that could play,” senior midfielder Mike Messina said. “We knew it wasn’t just going to be a team we could walk over. Every game is a tough game. Everyone wants to take down the two-time champ.”

DiCarlo said, “I never knew anything about Mercy College,’’ when he was being recruited. “I came up one day, looked at the school, it was a nice little campus.” He has allowed only 6.61 goals a game. Sal Spinelli of East Islip leads the team in scoring with 23 goals, and teammate Mike Marzocca of North Babylon has 21. Comsewogue’s John Lionetti has 21 ground balls.

Bonanno’s impact felt at Stony Brook

Russ Bonanno’s lacrosse career essentially started in his senior year of high school at Seaford, where he spent one season after transferring from St. Anthony’s. He had a nice senior year, but one season wasn’t enough to interest four-year schools, so Bonanno went to Nassau CC.

Bonanno scored 48 goals in two seasons at Nassau. “Nassau is great, it’s a steppingstone,” Bonanno said. “Coach Richie Speckmann was a great motivator. He helps every student-athlete transform into that next level.’’

For Bonanno, the next level was Stony Brook University, where he has become a key offensive player in his first season of eligibility. He has 14 goals and eight assists. He has a supporting role to offensive stars Kevin Crowley and Jordan McBride.

“With Crowley drawing double-teams all the time, I’m going to be there ,” Bonanno said. “And all I have to do is pass the ball to Jordan and he puts it right in the net.”

Bonanno practiced with the team in 2010 and was in the stadium for the exciting quarterfinal with Virginia. “It was unreal,’’ he said. “I just looked up to the crowd, couldn’t believe how many people were there. Obviously we were put on the map with that game.”

Nine months later, Bonanno scored the tying goal with three seconds left against Virginia in the season opener at Stony Brook. With Crowley and McBride graduating, expect Bonanno to have a bigger piece of the offense next season. “I’d love to have a big role on the team, that’s when I feel I play my best,” he said. “We’re going to finish up a great season here but I’m definitely excited for maybe my role to change next year and have an even bigger impact.”

Player of the week

Rob Pannell, Cornell, junior attack. Pannell, who attended Smithtown West High School, had two goals and five assists in an 18-5 victory over Brown. Pannell also scored three goals in the Big Red’s recent upset over then-No. 1 Syracuse. He leads Cornell with 32 goals and 36 assists. He is the reigning Ivy League player of the year. The All-American is also a top candidate for the 2011 Tewaaraton Award, given to the nation’s top player.

Games to watch

Wednesday
Kean (9-4) at Farmingdale State (10-6): Farmingdale is one victory away from the Skyline championship game Saturday, when it would seek its first bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ryan Oswald, who leads the Rams with 33 goals, scored four against Kean in a 10-6 victory during the regular season.

Saturday
No. 1 Notre Dame (10-0) at No. 4 Syracuse (12-1), 7 p.m. ESPNU: The regular-season game of the year puts the onus on the Fighting Irish — the only undefeated team in Division I — to prove its ranking against a powerhouse in the Carrier Dome. Notre Dame has offensive standouts from L.I. in Holy Trinity’s Sean Rogers (15 goals, six assists) and East Hampton’s Zach Brenneman (11, four).
Penn State (7-5) at Hofstra (11-1), 7 p.m., FiOS: Hofstra is jockeying for seeding position in the Colonial Athletic Association. A victory assures it of finishing in at least second place, which would guarantee hosting a game in the conference tournament. Hofstra has it sights set on the NCAA quarterfinal, which it will host May 21. Jay Card and Jamie Lincoln each have 27 goals for the Pride.

Countdown

Days to:

NCAA men’s quarterfinal at Hofstra: 24.

NCAA women’s Division Il Final Four at Adelphi: 24.

NCAA women’s Final Four at Stony Brook: 30.