Mount Sinai's Joey Spallina getting closer to LI boys lacrosse scoring record
Mt. Sinai attack Joey Spallina moves the ball into the Bayport Blue Point zone in a Division II boys lacrosse game, Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at Bayport. Credit: George A Faella
It took West Islip’s Nicky Galasso five seasons and four state title runs to pass Elmont’s Jim Zaffuto as Long Island’s all-time leading scorer.
Galasso got his 500th career point in the Class A state title game in 2010, breaking the record of 498 that had stood since 1977.
The record looks to be in jeopardy as Mount Sinai’s Joey Spallina continues to rack up goals and assists at a mind-boggling pace. After a three-goal and six assist effort Thursday helped his team secure the top-seed in the upcoming Suffolk Class C playoffs, Spallina sits at 482 points.
If he stays at his current scoring pace this season -- a little over nine points a game -- the record should be in reach if the undefeated Mustangs reach the Suffolk title game.
Not only has Spallina put up these lofty numbers in only four seasons, his missed year came as a sophomore in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. That was one year after he put up 131 points as a freshman.
“It’s astonishing to me,” Mount Sinai coach Harold Drumm said. “We’re going to do everything we can to help him get that record playing team lacrosse.”
Spallina already passed Galasso for the most assists in Suffolk history this season and enters the playoffs with 216 goals and 266 assists.
“I didn’t really think about it but people have been telling me,’you’re getting close’ or ‘you’re at this point,’ Spallina said. “But it’s really all about the team and obviously we’ve been playing great and we just want to keep that going.”
SWR graduate Gray drafted second overall
Chris Gray’s monumental spring continued this week.
The 2017 Shoreham-Wading River graduate ended his collegiate career at North Carolina on May 1 with six points in a game against Duke to become the NCAA men’s lacrosse all-time leading scorer with 401 points.
On Tuesday, May 10, he found out where he’ll be beginning his professional lacrosse career when he was drafted second overall in the PLL draft by Atlas LC.
“Chris is just so special because he did it all,” Shoreham-Wading River coach Mike Taylor said. “He was great in the classroom and in the community too, he was that all-American kind of kid.”
Gray was a two-time Newsday all-Long Island selection and the Suffolk player of the year in 2017. He was also a first team all-Long Island football selection in 2017.
“He’s the prototypical quarterback on the lacrosse field,” Taylor said. “He scores but he can dodge and feed -- he’s a triple threat and can do it all. People wonder what type of success some guys will have after they’re that good in high school and I guaranteed that Chris would do it at the next level.”
Playoff seedings are set
The Suffolk regular season ended this week and playoff seedings have been released.
Northport, which went undefeated in Suffolk I and enters the playoffs on a 15 game win streak, is the top seed in Class A. Ward Melville is the second seed.
In Class B Smithtown West, after years in Class A, is the top seed. The Bulls picked up an overtime win over No. 2 Comsewogue earlier in the season, making for an intriguing rematch if the seeds hold.
Mt. Sinai clinched the top-seed in Class C with its win over SWR on Thursday. The Wildcats slot in at No. 2 and a resurgent Bayport-Blue Point team is a dangerous third seed.
Port Jefferson secured the top-seed in Class D and will be playing No. 2 Center Moriches for the title on May 21.
The Nassau regular season concludes this week and first round playoff games begin Friday, May 20, with first round games in Class B and C.
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
