Floral Park boys lacrosse's Connor DiMeo makes 12 saves in varsity debut, lifts Knights past New Hyde Park
Floral Park goalkeeper Connor DiMeo lines up his save during a Nassau III-A boys lacrosse game against host New Hyde Park on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Connor DiMeo could feel that sense of anxiety running through him before he went on guard duty in front of the cage on the New Hyde Park turf.
“Before the game, I was a little nervous, just jitters,” the Floral Park freshman said. “But once I got in and made a couple of saves, I was in the zone.”
The young goalie was making his varsity debut on opening day Tuesday for this lacrosse team. DiMeo indeed settled in and played a very steady game, stopping 12 shots.
Jack Gallagher, Collin Murphy and Eric Naronis also did their part with two goals apiece, and the Knights began with a 9-3 Nassau III-A victory.
“It’s very special in my life,” DiMeo said. “First varsity experience and win is great.”
DiMeo is symbolic of this team. There are a lot of new elements out there. Only three starters return from a group that went 4-12. So those players, the returning reserves and the JV grads like DiMeo are looking to meld together and make a run at one of the eight playoff tickets in Class C.
“We play everybody that’s kind of in the middle of our Class C bracket,” coach Matt Povolny said of the seeding. “We play everybody from four all the way down through 11 . . . As long as we take care of business, I think we’ve got a shot.”
New Hyde Park coach Marcelo Sandoval, who had guided West Babylon the past seven seasons, got hired on Feb. 27. The schedule has been upgraded from last season. The Gladiators fell to 1-2, but Sandoval said they will be fine.
“We’re trying to build a whole new program, basically, a new culture,” Sandoval said. “We’re bringing in a whole new coaching staff . . . We’re trying to teach 13 seniors to play our way when they’re used to playing a different style.”
After Lukas Rinaldi tied it for them early on, John Nelan gave Floral Park a 2-1 edge in that first quarter, putting a rebound past Nick Cush, who did make 13 saves.
Murphy’s two goals came in the last 2:51 of the half, good for a 5-1 lead. Gallagher and Naronis scored in the third, bringing it to a six-goal advantage.
The game got chippy at times. Each side had a player disqualified.
As Povolny said, “The controlling of the emotions and stuff is something obviously that we’re going to have to discuss.”
