Greeley Dethrones Yorktown for Section 1 Class B Chip

Fox Lane, P’Ville, Somers Fall in Semis

By Tony Pinciaro

Consecutive losses in its previous two games against Yorktown, including the 2023 Section 1 Class B Girls’ Lacrosse Championship game, made HORACE GREELEY a wiser, hungrier team.

As a result, the third-seeded Quakers dethroned the top-seeded Cornhuskers, 10-8, in the Section 1 Class B final at Lakeland High School.

This is the first section title for the program.

The Quakers return to Lakeland, Thursday, 4 p.m., for a New York State Public High School Athletic Association regional semifinal against Section 9 champion Minisink Valley. The winner advances to the regional final, Saturday, 5 p.m. at Queensbury High School against the Section 2 victor.

The state final four will be held at SUNY-Cortland, Friday-Saturday, June 7-8.

The score was tied at 8-8 entering the fourth quarter. Grace Richards provided the decisive goal with nine minutes remaining in the game, then Rowan Edson added an insurance tally.

“After last year, we were devastated and determined to win this year,” said senior and captain Taylor Rice of the 15-12 loss in the 2023 sectional final. “We really wanted it and nobody was going to stop us. Every single person on the team had a role and was determined to take home the title.”

The Quakers then opened the current season with a loss to Yorktown. Which added to the frustration. However, senior and fellow captain Bae Bounds viewed the loss as a pivotal learning experience.

“We were coming off weeks of practice without a game or opponent while Yorktown had a couple of games under their belt and were just getting started,” Bounds said. “Our coaches provided us with a very good scouting report which surveyed our mistakes from that game and provided a baseline for us for the final. That, coupled with our want to win ultimately made us very successful.”

The game was decided in the fourth quarter as the Quakers did something not many Yorktown opponents could do, short-circuit the Cornhuskers’ potent offense thus holding them scoreless.

“Our defense was locked in,” Bounds said. “We had struggled with finding our groove earlier in the year, but we really have been about to come together when we really needed it. Everyone had a role and the defense really fulfilled it in this game.

“Our goalie, Tatum, also really stepped up when we needed her which only hyped us up more. We had great communication and as the game went on, we only became more confident.”

Edson led the Quakers with five goals in the final and also added four draw-controls. Bounds added a hat trick and also had four draw-controls.

Horace Greeley Coach Margaret Sharp beamed with pride following her team’s first sectional title.

“To watch this team win our program’s first section title is an unbelievable feeling,” Sharp said. “The girls came together in a full-team effort against a well-coached and talented Yorktown team who battled the entire game. We are excited to have the opportunity to keep playing.”

YORKTOWN was playing at a high level, primed to add a second consecutive Section 1 Class B Championship.

After dispatching Ursuline in a semifinal, the top-seeded Cornhuskers faced third-seeded Horace Greeley, a team they beat in the regular season.

The Quakers shocked the Cornhuskers, holding the defending champion scoreless in the fourth quarter in an eventual 10-8 title-game triumph.

The score was even at 8-8 entering the final quarter.

“Throughout the game and especially in the fourth quarter Horace Greeley had executed in possessing the ball and making crucial shots,” Yorktown captain and University of Maryland-bound senior Reileigh McEnroe. “I thought they also maintained a strong defense and capitalized on our offensive mistakes.”

Despite the final result, McEnroe and her classmates had excellent careers, highlighted by the 2023 Section 1 Class B championship.

“Reflecting on the season and the careers of us seniors on the team I believe it’s important to look at the overall growth and achievements,” McEnroe said. “As a team, we have reached some of our goals like winning our league and making it to the sectional final. But, most importantly, we all contributed to building a strong team culture that can serve as a foundation for future players.”

FOX LANE had an excellent season for coach Jaime Williams.

The Foxes won 13 of 14 games, including nine consecutive, going into the Section 1 Class B Championship where they were seeded second.

Following a first-round bye, Fox Lane, seeded second, won its quarterfinal game and faced arch-rival and third seed Horace Greeley. The Quakers, who beat the Foxes in a regular-season tilt, did it again – 16-9 in a semifinal.

Fox Lane finished with a 14-4 record.

“We started the season off slow with losses early to Pleasantville and John Jay-Cross River,” Williams said. “We were still trying to figure things out as a team and how to play together as a team. As the season progressed, we started to work together and get better as a team. After a loss to Greeley in the regular season, we won nine straight games.

“We’re a young team and only have two seniors and we should return 18 players. I’m very excited about the future of our program.”

Michaela Kaltsas scored three goals against Horace Greeley and Zoe Stonecipher was held a season-low two goals. Cora Moore netted a goal and added five draw controls.

PLEASANTVILLE took another step forward this season for coach Hannah Tiso.

The Panthers went 14-4, including a victory over Class B semi-finalist Fox Lane, earned the second seed in the Section 1 Class D Championship and reached a semifinal.

Unfortunately, third-seeded and eventual champion Bronxville, also the 2023 Section 1 Class D winner, held off Pleasantville, 6-5.

“This group of girls pushed themselves and worked harder than ever before,” Tiso said. “I am so proud of their determination and grit throughout the season. Losing to four great teams – Harrison, Greeley, Somers and Bronxville – shows us that we need to work even harder during the offseason, to push either further next season, as we are growing each season.”

Faith Brown and Maddie Becerra each had two goals against Bronxville. Jess Beck and Brown collected five draw-controls apiece and Ella McCourtney scored a goal.

HEN HUD won its first-round game in the Section 1 Class C Championship only to play second-seeded and eventual champion Rye in a quarterfinal.

The Garnets, who defeated top-seeded and one-loss Nyack in the final beat the Sailors, 19-6.

Kayla McCarthy and Paige Montgomery each had a hat trick as Hen Hud concluded with a 9-9 record under first-year coach Rob Porter.

Montgomery finished the season with a team-best 61 goals and 29 assists and also surpassed 200 varsity points. McCarthy was second on the team with 54 goals and 28 assists, including her 100th varsity score.

“Although we are losing a lot of experience in our defense with Lexi (Robinson) and Rowan (Dapson) to graduation, we have several juniors who can step in and help fill that major void,” Porter said. “In addition, we are rich in younger players coming up.”

Gianna Gagliardi, who netted 47 goals, and Caitlin Pignataro, excellent on defense, also were prime contributors.

Porter also cited freshmen Carliegh Ortiz (36 goals, 16 assists, 70-plus ground balls) and Oona McManus as rising pivotal players.

SOMERS won its first two Section 1 Class C Championship games before an 11-5 loss to top-seeded and Nyack in a semifinal.

“We had a slow start, but won the second and third quarters,” Somers’ coach Deb Daly said. “Our goalie, Campbell Sternberg, was in the zone and had 15 saves and our defense made it very difficult to control their offense.

“Although the score ended with a loss, the game was close until the last three minutes with a score of 8-5!”

Molly Fink had a hat trick and Lyla Mancini and Sydney Ingraham each scored a goal.

 

ANDY JACOBS PHOTOS