Third annual Kingston High alumni competition to be held Sunday – Daily Freeman

Goaltender Brandon DeLisio is pictured in the back during the 2023 Kingston High boys lacrosse alumni game at Dietz Stadium. (Photo provided).

PORT EWEN, N.Y. – More than 50 former Kingston High boys lacrosse players will compete in Sunday’s third annual alumni game, starting at 11 a.m. at Robert Graves Field in Port Ewen.

Ethan Mass, captain of the 1999 Tigers lacrosse team, will captain one of the alumni squads. Current Kingston High boys lacrosse coach Casey Westermann will captain the opposing team.

Before the game, there will be a moment of silence in honor of former Kingston High lacrosse player Jack Noble, who was killed along with Tigers pitcher Dillon Gokey in a car accident in Mount Tremper on Jan. 8.

There has been an increase in the number of players participating in the competition this year. Last year’s match at Dietz Stadium attracted 42 players. The game is open to the public.

“Since its inception, the alumni game has grown in participation year after year,” Mass said. “It’s a way to keep our local lacrosse community connected. Lacrosse is a proven way for our children to develop into stronger and healthier adults, both on and off the field. With the unfortunate passing of Jack Noble, our game can be used as a time for the players to heal. We will play hard in honor of him and all the alumni players and coaches who are no longer with us.”

Kingston started playing lacrosse at the club level under co-coaches Tony Tocco and the late Bob Slate in 1991 and debuted as a varsity sport a decade later.

The Tigers found immediate success, capturing Section 9 titles in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 under Tocco. Kingston won its last Section 9 Class A championship under Westermann in 2022.

“The Kingston lacrosse community is stronger than ever before, and that is thanks to all the players, coaches, parents and volunteers who have come before us,” Mass said. “We are confident that this year’s competition will be well attended and a very talented competition.”

The alumni game is divided into two teams with white (Team one) and dark (Team two).

At the attack position for Team One are Mass, Mason DeLisio, Hunter Niles, Tyson DeLisio, Chad Keyser and Eric Sauer; in midfield are Joe Alecca, Dom Marino, Jordan Taylor, Chapman Parker, Brian Cotter and Simon Kiluba; on defense will be Dylan Zambito, Shonqwelle Winchell, Christian Drakontaidis and Austin Benjamin; and in goal are Nick Breithaupt, Brandon DeLisio and Zac Ware.

In team two, the attack position is played by Kevin Collins, Jack Uhl, Robert Helmbold, Andrew Ferrigan, Hunter Meijas and Brian Kotsol; in midfield are Justin Longo, Tyler Longo, Keegan Buffa, Westermann, Tanner Blum and Mike Fuoco; on defense will be Zander Vogt, Thomas Grega, Justin Kern and Cat Rodriguez; and in goal will be Griffin Klan and Jim Kerr.