Riverdale, N.Y. (December 19, 2006)?Manhattan Men's Lacrosse will welcome 12 new student-athletes to the program when the new academic year commences in the fall of 2007, head coach Tim McIntee announced after recently finalizing the tenth recruiting class of his Jasper tenure.
“In May, we will be graduating our largest senior class ever, which with only two defensemen is an offense-heavy group,” said McIntee. “Our main focus was to fill the void that will be left by this graduating class, especially on the offensive end.”
Out of the 12 athletes to sign National Letters of Intent with Manhattan, a number of them will bring impressive offensive credentials with them to Riverdale, including three attackmen who have each already amassed at least 125 points heading into their senior seasons.
Brett Miranda (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining), who stands at 6-1 and weighs in at 210 pounds, has accounted for 212 points through only three seasons of varsity lacrosse. Miranda, who serves as a team captain, found the back of the net 145 times and has recorded 67 assists en route to earning All-Section 1 and All-League honors. In addition to being a three-year varsity starter in lacrosse, Miranda has started for Ossining in varsity ice hockey for the past five seasons and has been a varsity football starter for three years, experiencing success in both sports. On the ice, Miranda, a defenseman, has played his way to All-League honors and has been named team captain. The three-sport athlete was also a captain for Ossining on the gridiron, where he helped the team to a 9-1 record and the New York State Section 1 League 1A Championship en route to earning All-Section honors.
Joe Kelly Mahon (Spring Lake, N.J.), a three-sport athlete (lacrosse, basketball, and football) for Manasquan High School of New Jersey's Shore Conference, has scored 123 goals to go with 31 assists for a total of 154 points in three seasons of varsity lacrosse. One of the Shore's most prolific goal scorers in past years, Mahon has eclipsed the 50-goal mark in each of the past two seasons. During his sophomore campaign, Mahon found the back of the net 52 times and his 65 total points were fourth in the conference. As a junior, Mahon recorded the most goals in the conference with 58 en route to being named Shore Conference Attackman of the Year, First Team All-Shore, and Second Team All-State. As a starting wide receiver and team captain, Mahon helped Manasquan Football to an undefeated 2006 season, the South Jersey Group II title, and the No. 3 ranking in all of New Jersey.
The third big scorer of the group will be coming to Riverdale from Wilmington, N.C. Kyle Treman, a 6-1 190-pound attackman, has 125 points to his credit as a three-year varsity starter at Hoggard High School. Treman, who started for the East team at the 2006 North Carolina State Games, has scored 90 goals in his career to go with 35 assists. During his sophomore and junior seasons, he averaged four points per game. Treman has also started at middle linebacker the past two seasons for his school's football team.
Justin Jensen, a 5-11 170-pound attackman, is a senior captain in both lacrosse and football for Long Island's Bayshore High School. Jensen netted 25 goals and had two assists during his sophomore season. As a junior, Jensen notched 20 goals and 18 assists. As Bayshore's signal caller on the Gridiron, Jensen passed for over 1200 yards and threw 12 touchdown passes in 2006, while also being named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete.
Mike Llewellyn (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford), who will fit in at attack/midfield for the Jaspers, is a three-year varsity letter winner and will serve as a co-captain this season. Despite being hampered by injury throughout his sophomore season, the New York State Scholar Athlete in lacrosse has 30 career points on 11 goals and 19 assists. Standing at 5-10 and weighing in at 165 pounds, Llewellyn is also a varsity letter winner and NYS Scholar Athlete in cross country.
Sean Firth (Glen Rock, N.J.), a 5-9 175-pound midfielder, has been a three-year starter for Bergen Catholic High School, which is also the former home of current Manhattan seniors Brian Murray and Christian Schaefers. Firth, who has 69 career points on 43 goals and 26 assists, has several honors for his play. For his efforts this past season, he was named to the All-Suburban Second Team and the All-NNJIL First Team. In 2005, he was a selection on the All-NNJIL Second Team.
Also joining the midfield will be 6-3, 200-pound Chris Kaiser (Chesterfield, Mo.). Kaiser is a three-year varsity letter winner for DeSmet Jesuit High School in ST. Louis, MO., which also produced current Jasper junior Michael Wilcox. Over the past two seasons, Kaiser has tallied 16 goals and 14 assists in helping DeSmet become the Missouri State Runner-up in 2005 and a Missouri Semi-finalist in 2006. In addition to receiving the Scholar Athlete award in each of his first three seasons, Kaiser was named to t he 2006 Missouri All-Star Team.
Chris LoGiudice, a teammate of Llewellyn at Patchogue-Medford High School, has spent three seasons on the varsity squad and is expected to be the team's top midfielder in 2007. In addition to taking most of his team's face-offs as a sophomore, LoGiudice tallied 10 goals and 12 assists that season. As a junior, the 5-11, 170-pound midfielder netted 19 goals and led his team in scoring. A New York State Scholar Athlete, LoGiudice also played varsity football for two seasons as a running back and wide receiver.
Although offense was his focus, McIntee did not fail to add some key athletes on the defensive side.
Justin Mackin (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park), a 6-1, 180-pound defenseman, took part in the Blue Chip All-Star 225 camp this past summer. As a junior, Mackin was a groundball machine, picking up more than 60 of the free balls, while also notching a goal and three assists. Mackin, who also played varsity football, has played both long-stick midfield and base defense.
Danny Tardiff, who has a 5-10, 180-pound frame, has played varsity lacrosse the past three seasons and was also his high school's starting running back and linebacker on the Gridiron. After being the only freshman in his class to play varsity, Tardiff enjoyed a successful sophomore season in which he saw time at long-stick midfield as well as every position on defense. As a junior, Tardiff led the team in groundballs and takeaways en route to being named to the All-Innerstate Athletic Conference team and the team's defensive MVP.
Michael Pisciotta of Massapequa, N.Y. has been a three-year starter in both lacrosse and football for Massapequa High School, which produced former Manhattan standout Don Femminella '03. As a defenseman, Pisciotta, who will serve as a captain in 2007, saw his team win the Nassau County Championship in both 2005 and 2006. In football, the New York State Scholar Athlete helped his team to the 2004 and 2005 Nassau County final.
The lone goaltender of Manhattan's Class of 2011 is Long Island product Matt Solomito (Holtsville, N.Y.). Solomito, who is 5-9 and 180 pounds, will be Sachem East High School's starting goalie and senior captain in 2007. As a junior, Solomito played in four games.
“As a whole, this is a very dynamic class,” commented McIntee. “The athletic ability and skill level of this group is as good as any class I've recruited in my ten years at MC.”
