HAUPPAUGE N.Y. (LISN) — The Captain, Ciaran Pollard, is back for his senior season as the West Islip Lions look to return to the playoffs in 2024-2025. West Islip won three of their first six games, including an upset victory over Smithtown-Hauppauge and picked up another point in the standings in an overtime loss to Northport-Huntington. West Islip won just one out of their next 14, a 1-0 overtime win against Longwood.
Thanks to the heroics of Pollard, West Islip stayed in the playoff race until the very end. The Captain was all over the ice in a 5-4 overtime loss against Ward Melville, scored twice in a 2-2 tie against Kings Park-Commack, and netted a hat-trick in a 6-5 overtime loss against crosstown rival East Islip. The Lions have a strong core group, but will only go as far as their captain can take them.
Forwards
The Captain, Ciaran Pollard, scored 18 goals in 15 games in his junior campaign. The Long Island Gulls product, who is a longtime teammate of Bethpage Eagles star Marko Lisica, made the move to the P.A.L. Junior Islanders over the offseason. It isn’t an overstatement to say that West Islip will go as far as Pollard takes them.
Senior William Shields is coming off a breakout campaign in which the Lions forward scored 9 goals and finished with 15 points in 19 games. The Lions power forward plays a heavy game, and represented West Islip at the 2023-2024 SCHSHL All-Star game last year.
Sophomore James Barbieri scored 4 goals and finished with 10 points in 12 games. Barbieri scored the game winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Longwood last season to keep West Islip in the playoff race.
Senior Nick Perpall is a hard nosed, two-way center who scored 2 goals and had 5 points in 19 games.
Senior Jackson Allen scored 1 goal and added 4 assists in 19 games. Allen is a two-way winger, who was credited with 3 assists in a breakout performance against EI in the final weeks of the season.
Senior Finn Wood scored 2 goals and added 1 assist in 17 games.
Senior James Johnson is a physical winger who scored 1 goal and added 2 assists in 16 games.
Senior Charlie Salamone is a defensive-minded winger who had 1 assist in 20 games.
Senior James Rogler appeared in 15 games for West Islip.
Spencer Jordan appeared in 14 games for West Islip.
Senior Ryan Flynn had a balanced 4 goals and 4 assists in 15 games for West Islip JV.
Senior Michael Durso scored 3 goals and added 6 assists in 17 games for West Islip JV.
Senior James Mattel scored 2 goals and added 2 assists in 18 games for West Islip JV.
Seniors Jake Gasparek and Matthew Luchetti round out the roster for West Islip.
Defense
Senior Andrew Mervyak is the new #1 defenseman for West Islip after the graduation of Liam Henshaw in the spring. The Lions blue liner, who had 4 assists in 14 games last season, is a physical two-way defenseman who uses his size and speed to create havoc on both ends of the ice.
Senior Chris Castellano is a strong skater who excels at using his speed to suppress scoring chances in transition. Castellano, who had 1 assist in 11 games, has the speed and skill necessary to create offense from the blue line this season.
Junior Thomas Albertelli scored 1 goal and 1 assist in his varsity debut last season. Albertelli is a smooth skater and underrated puck handler who can really make things happen out there.
Senior Lucas DeRienzo, a speedy defenseman, had 1 assist in 18 games for Ward Melville JV.
Senior Anthony Isopo is a physical defender who had 1 assist in 16 games for West Islip JV.
Goaltending
Sophomore Tyler Sapoff, the youngest goaltender in the varsity division last year, is back for his sophomore year. Sapoff had a 5.29 GAA and went 2-7 in 9 starts during his rookie campaign. The big, athletic netminder is a big piece of the Lions core this season and moving forward.
Junior Colin Hovanec went 1-10 and had a GAA of 7.62 for West Islip JV. Hovanec is a big netminder who can make the big save when called upon.
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Jonathan Isopo is joined by assistant coaches Marty Henshaw and Kyle Caron.
