Alec Notaro helps South Side boys lacrosse set up rematch with Wantagh for Nassau C title
The South Side boys lacrosse team celebrates after defeating Seaford in a semifinal at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium on Thursday, May 28, 2026. Credit: Errol Anderson
South Side-Wantagh had a sudden finish in the 2025 Nassau Class C boys lacrosse final — overtime goal for Wantagh, painful end of the road for South Side.
“We’re extremely motivated from last year especially, because of that overtime loss,” said Alec Notaro, the Cyclones’ junior faceoff man. “We want to get our revenge this year.”
The second-seeded Cyclones beat No. 3 Seaford, 13-7, Thursday night in the semifinals at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium to secure a rematch against No 1 Wantagh.
The final is set for 7:30 p.m. on Monday on this same turf. Wantagh, an 11-10 winner last year, broke free from a 5-5 halftime tie and beat South Side 14-6 in April.
“They’ve got all the guys with their big accolades,” Cyclones coach Steve DiPietro said. “We’re going to give it our best crack at them. But you’ve got to be in it to win it.
“So they’re obviously a really talented team and they’re the favorite. But our guys just continue to grind.”
Kieran Vetter scored four goals and had one assist for South Side (12-6). His brother, Brendan, scored three times, as did John Hawthorne, who also had an assist. Jack Muscarella delivered two goals and two assists.
And then there was Notaro, the prolific possession provider. The Marquette commit went 21-1 at the faceoff X.
“He’s been great all year,” DiPietro said. “He was at 71% coming into the game. So we count on him every game.”
It was 3-3 at halftime.
Then Hawthorne sandwiched goals around one by Kieran Vetter. It was 6-3 2:28 into the quarter.
Brian Falk, who has switched from committing to Army for lacrosse to Villanova for football, countered with one of his five goals. But Brendan Vetter raced from the left to the front of the cage for a goal and Muscarella fed Kieran Vetter, making it 8-4 after three.
It got no closer than three from there. On to Wantagh.
“I like the group of guys we have here,” Kieran Vetter said. “We could easily do it. We’ve just got to bring that second-half mentality into the game on Monday.”
The Vikings ended up at 8-10.
“It was a success for us, I think,” coach Brian Horner said. “ . . . We played in this power conference for Nassau . . . We’re competing with some of the better teams, and we’re just getting a little better every year. So I’m nothing but proud of this team.”
