Q&A: Bethpage's Lindsay Cafiero

MSG Varsity The Magazine had its spring preview photo shoot at Newsday on Wednesday night and we did some quick interviews with the athletes who’ll be appearing on the magazine cover next month.

Representing girls lacrosse is Bethpage senior Lindsay Cafiero. Here's the Q&A:

The story behind her No. 4 jersey: “When I was in third grade, I signed up for travel soccer and my coach asked me what number I wanted. I didn’t have a number at the time, but my mom told me that her favorite number was 4. My parents met on November 4, so that number was special to her. So I picked it and I’ve stuck with it. Now it’s my favorite number.”

After losing in the first round of the playoffs last season to Jericho, Bethpage returns with 13 seniors, creating a “now or never” feeling, and the belief is that now is their best opportunity to make a postseason run: “This year is very important. We’ve been playing together, most of us, for at least three years on varsity. This is our last chance to be all we can be and compete for a championship.”

Cafiero played soccer in the fall, then spent winter preparing for lacrosse season: “I’m at the gym every single day. I ran three miles every day and I’m doing P90x. I probably work out 2-3 hours every day.”

Golden Eagles coach Kate Danowski said she plans to fully utilize Cafiero’s versatility and will have her playing attack and defense: “I’m cool with it,” Cafiero said. “I play defense in the summer with my travel team (Long Island Liberty) and I’m going to be a defender in college. Playing attack is fun, getting to shoot, but I like defense a lot more... It’s fun when you score and get that glory, but the feeling I get from preventing a goal, I like that better than scoring one.”

Bethpage has the tough task of playing in Nassau Class B, where in the playoffs loom juggernauts like Garden City, Manhasset and Wantagh. Knowing that going in, what’s the mindset? “Most of the time in the playoffs, you’re playing one or two games before you face one of those teams. We’re trying to get to the point where we have the opportunity to face them. Even though they’re so good, we want to be able to compete with them, and anything can happen.”

Attending Dowling in the fall: “I decided in August. I saw it as the best fit – it’s closer to home and my family can come see me play, which is important to me. And it’s a very good Division II program.”

Soccer or Lacrosse? “Lacrosse, no doubt. Ever since I started playing in fifth grade, I’ve loved it... When we’re winning, it’s amazing. When I walk off that field after I win, I’m thinking, ‘That was fun!’”

How did you get into lacrosse? “As a kid my mom asked me if I wanted to play lacrosse or softball, and my friends played lacrosse, so I went with it."