Long Island's Joe and Joey Spallina, father and son, now on opposing sides in Premier Lacrosse League

California Redwoods general manager Joe Spallina did all he could to trade up to get the first overall pick in the Premier Lacrosse League draft in April.

“We made a couple monster offers to get to the top,’’ Spallina, whose team owned the sixth overall pick, told Newsday last week before the PLL and the first-year Women’s Lacrosse League visited Long Island this weekend.

Spallina, who doubles as coach of the women’s lacrosse team at Stony Brook University, was trying to get the No. 1 pick in order to draft his son, Joey Spallina, a senior attackman at Syracuse who was the co-leader in NCAA Division I this year with 87 points (35 goals, 52 assists).

Ultimately, the elder Spallina couldn’t convince the Utah Archers to give up the pick.

After Utah passed on Joey, opting to take short stick defensive midfielder Aidan Maguire at No. 1, the Boston Cannons, picking second, didn’t bite either. When the Cannons also passed on Joey, the Maryland Whipsnakes took him at No. 3.

Though Dad may have been disappointed, both Spallinas now say things worked out for the best.

“I think I ended up in the best possible spot for me,’’ said Joey, who played high school lacrosse for Mount Sinai before going to Syracuse. “I get to learn from some incredible guys that I’ll be playing attack with — a guy like Rob [Pannell] that I kind of grew up around and a guy like T.J. [Malone] who is an absolute pro’s pro.’’

Being on the Whipsnakes means Joey, 23, is on the same attack line as Pannell, whom he’s known since he was 10 years old. When Joe Spallina coached the old New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, Pannell was the star on that team.

The two were set to play together Saturday night at Hofstra on the same field where Pannell played for the Lizards with Joey hanging out on the sideline and in the locker room.

Joey, who played with Syracuse at Hofstra when the Orange punched their ticket to the NCAA Final Four in the quarterfinals each of the last two seasons, was looking forward to it.

“Being out on the field with Rob, at a place that I kind of grew up on . . . it’s gonna be special,’’ Joey said. “It’s gonna be an incredible moment.’’

Pannell, who went to Smithtown West, said he always knew Joey would be a professional someday. He could tell just from how much Joey loved being around the Lizards that he wanted it badly enough, and from just playing catch with him when Joey was a boy, he knew he had the skills.

Playing with him now, though, is something Pannell, 36, said he couldn’t have imagined all those years ago.

“To be able to share the field with him is a tremendous opportunity for the both of us, and also just something I never would have thought would have happened,’’ Pannell said.

“It certainly makes me feel pretty old. [But] I think it also excites me and makes me feel a little proud at the same time, knowing that I’ve been able to play at a level and keep myself in great shape, and to be able to still compete for 13 years later from when I first met Joey playing for the Lizards.

“And so yeah, there’s definitely a lot of emotions that come into play when being on the field with him and being roommates with him.’’

Joey moved back home to Mount Sinai a few weeks ago, after college, and while he and his dad work out together, along with his siblings, there are some awkward moments because they work for different teams.

“It was actually kind of funny,’’ Joey said. “I had our Whipsnakes [Zoom] call on Tuesday night, you know. So I had to go outside for it.’’

Joe said he used to pick Joey’s brain on certain things but can’t anymore.

“In the past, it’d be like, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about this move. What do you think of that?’ ’’ Joe said. “Or even preparing for the draft, you know, like, ‘Hey, you went against this guy. How is he? What are your thoughts on this player?’ ’’

Saturday’s game was Joey’s third as a professional. He hasn’t faced his dad’s team yet. That will happen July 17 when the Whipsnakes take on the Redwoods in Fairfield, Connecticut.

“We watch a lot of film together,’’ Joe said. “That week will be a little different. It’ll probably be the one game probably in the last seven or eight years that we don’t prepare together for.

“But we’re both super-competitive too, so I know you know we’ll be getting after it,’’ Joe said. “And I’ll be sitting in the stands hoping he does well but the California Redwoods take care of business and get a much-needed win.’’

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.