LI Lacrosse Journal
March 8, 2026
2 min read
No. 12 Ranked Sachem North Flaming Arrows Team Preview
March 8, 2026
2 min read
The 2025 season felt like the planting of the flag for Sachem North, who notched double-digit wins for the first time in nearly a decade. The 13-5 record and playoff appearance was a major step in the right direction for sixth year Head Coach Anthony Muratore and his program. Last season wasn’t just a blip on the radar, either. The Arrows have a full warchest of skilled returning starters all over the field, putting them in great position to repeat last year’s success – and beyond.
There aren’t many better tandems, if any, than senior Stephen Castellano (Eastern Connecticut) and junior Johnny Calabria on the Arrows’ attack. Castellano (61 G, 27 A) was goal-scoring machine in his junior season, finding all sorts of ways to bury the ball especially in the transition game. Calabria (35 G, 51 A) is a Bryant commit and was extremely dynamic in 2025, acting as the Arrows’ quarterback with his 51 helpers, which ranked fourth on all of Long Island. LIU commit Henry Saro (21 G, 13 A) and UMass commit Lucas Bouchard (34 G, 14 A) also return after eclipsing over 30 points apiece, rounding out an extremely efficient offensive attack. Sachem North will welcome back a few starters on the defense as well, with junior defenseman Luke Larocca (Syracuse) and senior long stick midfielder John Licata (LIU) back into the fold for 2026. Senior goalie Patrick Gandley had a very respectable 2025 season in the cage with 156 saves and just might take it to another level in his final year with the program. The Arrows have all the right tools to keep building as they enter the season, and after a 19-4 loss to Northport in the County quarterfinals still fresh in their memory, you know this defense has something serious to prove. Coach Muratore just might have his best team in his coaching tenure on his hands. With Division I players littered over the field and a tight chemistry keeping this crew together, this could be the year for the Flaming Arrows. Sachem North will greet the Connetquot Thunderbirds at home for the first game of the season on March 26th.
