Brewster Cashes in on Strong Start, Valhalla Ties P’Ville
Sectional Champs Greeley, Lakeland Pick Right Up
By Ray Gallagher
Examiner Sports Editor
@Directrays
Normally, a Section 1 Field Hockey Notebook opens with 13-time NYS champion LAKELAND, winners of 10 of the last 11 state crowns, but we’ll open this week with BREWSTER after the Bears posted two impressive showings, including a 1-1 tie with 2019 Class A sectional runner-up SOMERS and a 3-0 win over YORKTOWN.
Against visiting Somers, Brewster senior Grace O’Gorman lit up Senior Night with a second-half breakaway goal to force a tie game. Somers took a first-half lead when sniper Bella DelVecchio banged the boards off an assist from Teagan Ryan. Both goalies were in it to win it with Tusker keeper Trinity Buckler thwarting seven shots and Brewster goalie Kate Vaughan notching six saves.
Brewster coach Jen Hershman was proud of her seniors and the whole unit for never giving up.
Her squad came out strong against Yorktown, too, when Ashley Goodliffe notched her first hat trick. She was fully in synch with Grace O’Gorman, who assisted on all three goals.
The Bears pushed the tempo and peppered Yorktown keepers Addy Araneo (12 saves) and Nicole Peters (nine saves). Bear keeper Kate Vaughan had one stop for the shutout.
“This program is continuing to build and our players are incredibly talented,” Hershman said. “I am happy that our high school girls have an opportunity to play the sport that they love! The Varsity and JV girls have impressive stick skills and an understanding of the game. I am proud of our girls and how they came back in September ready to learn, play, and bond with their teammates. We have demonstrated our collective effort and abilities. The teamwork and perseverance is evident when we play.
The Brewster (2-0-1) captains — Isabella Grana, Eva Cucinell, Ashley Goodliffe and Nora Tuohy — are stoked to be playing at such a high level to start the season.
“It was a hard adjustment at first, but our team quickly adapted to this new way of playing,” the quartet agreed. “The team is very close both on and off the field which has been a huge factor in our playing so far this season. I think everyone is just extremely grateful to be back on the field and playing together, especially since most of us missed our spring season last year and considering the fact that some sports did not have the same opportunity we do this fall season. We’re taking it one day at a time, but we’re so excited to see where this season goes. We are really happy to be a part of the team. This year we are working as one cohesive unit instead of individual players and it is paying off.”
Goodliffe went off Saturday, leading Brewster to a 9-1 victory over Our Lady of Lourdes with five goals and two assists. Grace O’Gorman was wheeling and dealing with four assists for Brewster. Sasha Kulo had a pair of goals and an assist. Emily Monaco had a goal and an assist. Eva Cucinelli tallied an assist and Lindsay Schmitt added her first varsity goal.
Somers opened the season with a 5-0 win over Panas when Ryan Mellor (1A) and DelVecchio (2A) both went for a pair and Ryan (1A) added a solo for the Tuskers, who kept the pressure on Panas freshman G Kate Astrab, who stopped 24 shots and faced 25 penalty corners.
So, Lakeland picked up where everyone expected in a 9-0 season-opening win over host Hen Hud. The Hornets may have lost a ton to graduation, but the Sailor G Caroline Coronel (14 saves) begged to differ when Hornet seniors Keirra Ettere (1A) and Emma Fon (1A) each bagged a hat trick. Lakeland’s midfield and defense dominated, holding Hen Hud to a single shot on goal. Hornets Nancy Pagliaroli, (1A), Emily McGovern and Mia Smith each scored once, and junior playmaker Jaden Ray had three assists.
CLASS A
GREELEY looked like a team with intentions of repeating as sectional champions during a 12-0 beatdown of Ossining behind Lily Schoonmaker’s five goals. Natalie Laskowski also scored twice for the Quakers.
MAHOPAC posted a 5-0 victory over visiting Ossining on senior night when a pair of juniors scored two goals apiece. Gabby Gonzalez and Ava Jennings combined for four goals and senior Krista Dietz added another. The Indians (1-1) also suffered a 3-1 loss to Fox Lane. Haley Giannettino beat Mahopac for a pair of scores while Samantha Reder added another. Fox goalie Ally DePalma stopped 10 shots as only Gonzalez slipped one past for the Indians.
CLASS C
Credit VALHALLA with a massive effort in a 1-1 tie with PLEASANTVILLE, which controlled the game but was hard-pressed to beat Viking goalie Carina Ciardullo (20 saves). Valhalla Kathryn Wolfthal’s rode a clear well and cashed in on an intercepted Panther pass for the Viking’s lone tally. Pleasantville junior Ryan Sullivan tied the score in the second quarter with a goal off a Mackenzie Ennis assist.
Field Hockey Coaches: Please send all results, stats, comments, etc. to Raygallaghersports@gmail.com by 6:00 p.m. Sunday for inclusion in our weekly notebook.
JPEG captions: BILL KENNEDY/BOBCASTNER/TONY HUMBERTO/RAY GALLAGHER PHOTOS
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
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