Yorktown Seniors Setting High Standards, Put Valley Vastly Improved

By Tony Pinciaro

The YORKTOWN varsity field hockey team was looking forward to the 2022 season because it felt it had unfinished business after last year.

“I personally believe last year’s record was not a true indication of our play,” said senior Kaitlin Regan of Yorktown’s 5-8-4 record. “We had many close games that ended up in a loss or tie, that could’ve been a win. We had a tough schedule with a young team.

“With only two graduating seniors, we returned a core group to help welcome newcomers and accomplish this season’s goals.”

Yorktown is experiencing one of the finest seasons in program history as the Cornhuskers sport a 9-2-1 record. If the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championships began today, Yorktown would be in contention for a top-four seed.

Regan, along with fellow seniors Gianna Altimari, Adrianna Albano, Maeve Ryan and Georgia Christensen, comprise Yorktown’s nucleus. The underclassmen returnees, who saw significant playing time last year, have raised their games this season.

“Since we had a lot of returning talent, and a lot of talented newcomers, it gave us motivation and excitement for the upcoming season,” said Regan, a three-year varsity starter. “All of the players started this season with confidence which is helping us excel.”

Altimari agrees and saw this in preseason.

“The entire team gave me a positive feeling about the season,” said Altimari, a three-year starter. “Seeing everyone put in so much work to get to where we are has made it easy to trust each member of our team on the field.”

Yorktown had seven wins and two ties through its first 10 games. Even though the loss was to North Salem, 2-1, Regan said that was an eye-opener for Yorktown.

“That was a realization of our talent,” Regan said. “Although we lost 2-1, last year we lost 5-0 to North Salem. This showed we can compete at a higher level, and have improved as a team.”

Yorktown suffered its second loss of the season, to John Jay-Cross River to open the week. The Cornhuskers showed resilience with dominant wins over Croton (6-0) and Brewster (5-0) to close out its week.

This is something that an experienced, confident team will do. It also showed a significant team trait.

“Persistence in that everyone gives their all, all the time,” Alyimari said. “This pays off in the best ways possible.”

Madi Tobi led Yorktown to victory over Croton with two goals and two assists. Maggie O’Donnell also netted two goals and Altimari and Regan each had one goal. Sammy Robustelli had an assist.

Brie Gaccino, Olivia Flaim, Ellie Glicksman, Katie Keaveney and Regan scored against Brewster with each goal assisted.

The assists went to Clare Ryan, Ava Cunneen, Layla Mirkin, Gaccino and Altimari. Ryan made four saves for her second consecutive shutout.

Brewster goalie Maura McIntyre had 12 saves.

Yorktown still has four regular-season games remaining and then sectionals. Regan, Altimari and their teammates are planning on continuing to enjoy the ride.

“This season has been great for all of us, especially the seniors,” Regan said. “We had a great senior night, presented by our underclassmen, JV team and all of their parents. Also, we have become really close this year. I have had such a great time and I am enjoying all the moments with this team.”

PUTNAM VALLEY continues to establish itself as a contender for the Section 1 Class C title with two more wins – 6-0 over Croton and 4-1 against Pleasantville.

The Tigers are now 8-3-4 and have one game remaining in the regular season.

“Going into the last couple of games of the season we knew how important a win was,” Ava Harmon said. “These games were the time for our team to take all the corrections and put them into play before the start of the postseason.

“Some keys to our last couple of games were our amazing team defense and our passing ability. We are playing more like a team every time we step on the field. But, the most impressive thing about these two wins was how hungry our attack has become, which has helped propel us forward.”

Gaby Alvarez and Harman scored two goals apiece against Croton. Maggie Sampson and Ava Buerkle added goals, Harman had two assists and Sampson also had an assist.

Buerkle scored twice against Pleasantville. Izzy Cerrato and Harman finished with goals and Sierra Gabriel and Cerrato had assists.

LAKELAND opened the week with a 1-0 victory over Horace Greeley, then suffered its first loss of the season, 2-1, to Mamaroneck.

Lakeland is 12-1-1 this season with two games remaining.

Emily Daniel scored in the second quarter, assisted by Bella Basulto, against Greeley. Celeste Pagliaroli made seven saves.

Basulto scored for Lakeland in the first quarter, assisted by Keira Gallagher, as the Hornets and Mamaroneck traded goals. Mamaroneck scored the eventual game-winner in the second quarter.

Pagliaroli was excellent in goal, making 12 saves on a season-high 14 shots on goal by an opponent.

PLEASANTVILLE improved to 7-6-2 after sweeping Valhalla, 3-2 and 2-1, but lost to Putnam Valley, 4-1.

MacKenzie Ennis scored the decisive goal in Pleasantville’s 3-2 win.

Natalie O’Malley finished with a goal and an assist, Aisling Mulcahy added a goal and Abbey Gordon registered two assists.

Chloe Egan made 10 saves, but Pleasantville coach Kristen Coffey cited Lily Anderman for making two defensive saves.

Ennis also had the game-winner in the 2-1 victory over Valhalla to complete the sweep.

O’Malley had a goal and Gordon collected an assist. Egan handled six shots.

O’Malley scored, assisted by Ennis, the Pleasantville goal against Putnam Valley and Egan was excellent in goal with 17 saves.

WHITE PLAINS won on consecutive days, 4-1, over John Jay-East Fishkill and 1-0, over Ursuline. However, Suffern ruined the Tigers’ perfect week with a 4-3 win.

Mackenzie Kelly led White Plains with one goal and one assist against John Jay.

Vogue Friend, Sophia Emmert and Stella Goulkd also scored goals and Alivia Alexander and Tamar Brumberg had assists.

Emmert provided White Plains with the only goal it would need against Ursuline. Saumya Sawant made six saves to post the shutout.

Brianna Hanratty, Emily Garceau and Kelly had the Tigers’ goals against Suffern and Elizabeth Armogida and Hanratty recorded assists.

FOX LANE was hoping to rebound after consecutive losses to Section 1 powers John Jay-Cross River and Mamaroneck.

The Foxes did so with a pair of 3-0 victories over Ossining and Carmel.

“After two tough losses to John Jay and Mamaroneck, we focused on both our passing game and our mental toughness/grit to come back with two solid wins,” Fox Lane coach Adriana MacGregor said. “The key to our success in those wins was our ability to shift into a strong passing, offensive press, using the wins to move the ball up the field and minimizing the 1 v. 1 situations in the midfield.

“That, in tandem with working together and keeping a positive, focused mindset. It felt especially good to have a home victory on our senior night against Carmel. Our seniors have showed exceptional dedication and commitment this season and that win was especially sweet.”

Sidney Sicignano had the hat trick against Ossining. Zoe Stonecipher had an assist as did Georgia Webb, her first of the season.

Isabella Basquez stopped eight shots for the shutout.

Sicignano continued her scoring ways with the first two goals against Carmel. Both came on penalty corners and were assisted by Samantha Reder and Stonecipher, respectively. Reder closed out the scoring.

HORACE GREELEY played Lakeland tough in a 1-0 loss, its first of the season, but the Quakers bounced back to post victories over Ursuline, 2-0, and R.C. Ketcham, 3-0.

“Our players played great last week,” Horace Gtreeley coach Suhkwinder Singh said. “We had a lot of scoring opportunities that we missed on, but I think that comes from lack of experience since we have such a young team.

“This coming week we will be working a lot more on shooting and our offensive corners so we can score more goals. Despite being a young team, they work super hard and I’m proud of all of them.”

Greeley is 9-1-2 this season.

Dani Halperin and Nina Byrne scored against Ursuline and Eve Rutman had an assist.

Alyssa Rose had a hat trick against Ketcham and she was assisted by Phoebe Warshaw, Abigail Dolan and Lilah Tainsky.

Goalie Meredith Dalrymple did not face a shot in her shutouts.

SOMERS beat Brewster, 5-2, and Panas, 6-2, improving to 6-6-2 on the season with two games remaining before the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championships begin.

Lauren McCartin and Teagan Ryan each had two goals and an assist against Brewster and Emily Esposito had a goal.

Beth Haywood and Meghan O’Gorman scored for Brewster and Maura McIntyre registered 13 saves.

Caitlin Janecka had two goals for the Tuskers against Panas. McCartin and Ryan added one goal and two assists apiece and Lyla Mancini and Esposito also scored.

Nicole Rutigliano and Kylie Edwards had the Panas goals and Rutigliano also added an assist.

BYRAM HILLS/BRIARCLIFF lost a pair – to Nanuet and Rye. G Kiki Gavrill made 17 saves against Nanuet.

MAHOPAC is 6-3-3 after knocking off John Jay EF, RCK and rival Carmel for a three-game win streak with three to play, including two against Arlington and with CARMEL (4-8), who have lost two in a row.

Efforts to reach the MAHOPAC and CARMEL programs were unsuccessful.