The love of lacrosse runs so deep in his town, said Kurt Kiess of Manhasset, that his late son Ryan forged lifelong bonds on the elementary school field. Shelter Rock charity lacrosse game, which pits fifth-grade players from those two Manhasset elementary schools against one another — for a good cause. The event raised more than $15,000 for the Farrell Boy Foundation and the Ryan Kiess Memorial Fund, which honor the legacies of three Manhasset lacrosse players killed in a Quogue crash last year. “It makes me feel really, really good,” said Aiden Flynn, 11, of Shelter Rock Elementary School.
“Lacrosse is kind of life in this town,” added his friend Alexander Dalessio, 11, of Munsey Park Elementary School. The Manhasset trio were star lacrosse players during their high school years, with James Farrell going on to play at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a team captain his senior year, and Kiess playing for the University of Scranton. Money raised through the Ryan Kiess Memorial Fund will be used for scholarships, community-based need projects and other similar events, according to Kurt Kiess. Kurt Kiess, who also played elementary lacrosse at Shelter Rock, acted as an assistant coach during the game.
With Steve Pfost