Yorktown Trims Panas; Lakeland, Somers Win, Meet in Quarters

Greeley, Carmel Among Slew of Locals to Survive, Advance Opening Round

By Tony Pinciaro

Kaitlin Regan and her fellow seniors walked off the field for the final time at Yorktown with a major achievement. Yorktown, the fifth seed, defeated No.12 Panas, 2-0, in the opening round of the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championship. It was the first sectional win for Yorktown in nine years, according to Yorktown Coach Courtney Hyndman.

Yorktown, now a program-best, 13-3-1, will play at No.4 John Jay-Cross River, today (Tuesday), in a quarterfinal game. The quarterfinal winners play in the semifinals, Thursday, at the higher seed. The semifinal victors will play for the Class B title, Saturday, noon, at Lakeland.

“This win feels great for the team,” Regan said. “We have worked so hard, from the beginning of the season, for this. Coming from my point of view as a senior, it’s crazy how much this program has evolved since I was a freshman, so to be able to be a part of that change, and watch us get this victory, it means a lot.”

Willa Hanley and Sammy Robustelli supplied the goals and Kaitlin Regan and Brie Gaccino registered assists. Maeve Ryan had another excellent game with three saves.

Regan said the team came in prepared to continue its season.

“Our team really worked hard the entire game and wanted this win so badly,” Regan said. “Knowing it could have been our last game, it gave us huge motivation to play with. We communicated well, worked together, and cheered loud for everyone.”

John Jay handed Yorktown one of its losses, 4-0, this season. Despite the loss, Yorktown learned from it and knows John Jay will not be facing the same team it beat.

“We have grown tremendously as a team since that game and we have never wanted to win a game more than now,” Regan said. “Every game is different and we will be prepared to give our best effort.”

As a result of its excellent regular season (9-3-4 record), PUTNAM VALLEY earned the second seed in the Section 1 Class C Field Hockey Championship.

This is Putnam Valley’s highest seed since winning the Section 1 Class B title in 2008. That year, Putnam Valley, led by center midfielder Ashley Morgan, defeated Rye in a semifinal and Lakeland in the title game.

Putnam Valley also was the 2005 Section 1 and New York State Class B champion, under the guidance of current Coach Tracy Parchen. In 2005, Putnam Valley and goalie Kim Kastuk did not allow a goal during sectional and state play.

The Tigers hosted No.7 Valhalla in a first-round game, Monday. A victory would send the Tigers into the semifinals against the No.6 Pleasantville-No.3 Hastings winner.

The semifinal winners will play for the championship, Saturday, 2 p.m., at Lakeland. Defending champion North Salem is the top seed.

The only thing that has halted Putnam Valley’s mounting momentum was a first-round bye.

“It’s been hard not having a game for a week since we love competing, but the bye has given us more time to prepare for the postseason,” Ava Harman said.

Putnam Valley faced a Valhalla team that it beat, 3-2, during the regular season. However, the Tigers made the game closer than it should have been.

“We felt that the game didn’t show our true abilities,” Harman said. “We have to finish and finish early.”

A win over Valhalla secures a semifinal game at home, which Putnam Valley would welcome.

“We felt we ended the regular season playing at the top of our game so we are excited to continue to compete,” Harman said. “The key to our postseason success will be our consistency in finishing and finishing early. We’re not ready for the season to end and neither are our seniors.”

LAKELAND earned the top seed in the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championship and the Hornets opened with an 8-0 victory over No.16 Nanuet.

The Hornets (15-1-1) are riding a 13-year Section 1 Class B title streak. They will host No.8 Somers, a 2-1 victor over No.9 Pearl River, in a quarterfinal, today (Tuesday).

The Section 1 Class B semifinals will be held Thursday. A Lakeland victory over Somers will have the Hornets facing the winner of No.5 Yorktown-No.4 John Jay-Cross River in a semifinal, Thursday. The semifinal winners will play for the title, Saturday, noon, at Lakeland.

Even though Lakeland has a loss (to Mamaroneck) and a 2-2 draw with fourth-seeded John Jay-Cross River, senior and goalie Celeste Pagliaroli noted Lakeland is focusing on Monday’s practice.

“We always want to take it one game at a time,” said Pagliaroli, who registered her 50th varsity shutout in the first-round win. “Nothing is guaranteed so we do what we need to do, and we will have the outcome we want. We try not to worry about who we may see, but who we will see in the next game we play.We want to go into the next game with what we have to do with another day of practice. So let’s set the tone!”

Gabby Santini led Lakeland with a hat trick and one assist. Emily Yazzetti and Alyssa Petrilli. Keira Gallagher and Charlotte Sabert also had goals.

Eighth-grader Riley Waters had a memorable varsity debut, scoring a goal and assisting on a goal.

Third-seeded HORACE GREELEY opened the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championships with goals from four players in a 4-0 triumph over No.13 Ursuline.

The Quakers advance to host No.6 Pelham in a quarterfinal, today (Tuesday). The winner will move into the semifinals, Thursday at the higher seed.

Abigail Dolan, Phoebe Warshaw, Aidan Lane and Eve Rutman scored while Alyssa Rose, Nina Byrne and Dolan collected assists. G Meredith Dalrymple did not face a shot.

SOMERS, the ninth seed, raced out to a quick lead and went on to a 2-1 victory over No.9 Pearl River in a Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championship first-round game.

Somers’ reward for its win, a quarterfinal-round matchup with 13-time defending Section 1 Class B titlist and top seed, Lakeland, today.

“We have a very talented group of girls,” Somers’ Coach Amy Magaletti said. “My girls are going to play hard and stay focused. They will leave everything they have on the field, Tuesday.”

Emily Esposito and Julia Vecciarelli scored for Somers (8-7-2) and Teagan Ryan had an assist. Kamryn Seeger was excellent in goal with 12 saves.

CARMEL lost a regular season match to John Jay-East Fishkill, but the 10th-seeded Rams had the final say. Carmel defeated No.7 John Jay-East Fishkill, 3-1, in the first round of the Section 1 Class A Field Hockey Championship.

The Rams played at No.2 Mamaroneck in a quarterfinal, Monday. The winner would advance to the semifinals, Thursday, at the higher seed. The Class A final is Saturday, 10 a.m., at Lakeland.

“The game was very well-played by both teams,” Carmel Coach Aislinn Breslin said. “My team was very pumped up and ready to go. They hustled from the first whistle to the last. They are thrilled with the win, especially after losing by one goal to John Jay in both regular-season games.”

Addison Rosenquest scored twice and Laila Rosenquest added a goal. Jill Santaroni handled five shots.

Even though No.12 PANAS dropped a 2-0 verdict to No. 5 Yorktown in a Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championship first-round game, the Panthers took a tremendous step forward this year.

After winning two games in 2021, Panas went 6-9-1 during the regular season and earned a sectional berth. The Panthers accomplished this under the leadership of Coach Leah DiSisto and assistants, Cassie O’Mara Lian and Marissa DiSisto.

“Our team, especially our seniors, played a great game against Yorktown and truly went out fighting,” said DiSisto, the starting goalie on Lakeland’s 2006 N.Y. State Class A championship team. “It was such a huge year for growth for us and although our senior class will be missed tremendously, we are excited for the opportunity to improve throughout the offseason.”

Leah DiSisto and Lian were also starters on the Lakeland 2007 N.Y. State Class A runner-up. Williamsville North upset Lakeland in the final, 2-1.

HEN HUD first-year Coach Alyssa Picariello faced a crossroads before the 2022 season started.

“With the real fear factor of not having a season, the team was able to build up enough interest and create a strong foundation for years to come,” said Picariello, a former Hen Hud field hockey player. “We had a new, positive transition in staff and used that to encourage dedication and positive mindset on and off the field. We started the season off with some losses as the team was still working on building skills with new players to the game. Through hard work and commitment, our team became a competitive team in the league. With our season ending with a sectional loss against Harrison, our players still have shown how hard they’ve worked and grown through their stats this season. We are looking forward to continuing to build our program and competing next season!”

Hen Hud went 8-7-1 during the regular season and was seeded 10th in the Section 1 Class B Field Hockey Championship. However, No.7 Harrison defeated Hen Hud, 2-1, in the first round.

Junior Rowan Dapson scored Hen Hud’s goal and Emily Hunt made five saves.

Eighth-seeded MAHOPAC and ninth-seeded Arlington needed double overtime to decide their Section 1 Class A Field Hockey Championship first-round game.

Following a scoreless first 60 minutes, then the first 10 minutes of sudden-victory, 7 v. 7 overtime, Arlington scored in the second overtime for a 1-0 victory.

Arlington played at No.1 Scarsdale in a quarterfinal, Monday.

“We’ve been struggling to find the net this year, and after dominating 90 percent of the game, we weren’t able to stave off an intense Arlington attack,” veteran Mahopac coach Dona DiMaggio said. “We finished with a record of 7-7-3. I’m proud of the fight in our team and was truly anticipating a victory. This season was extremely competitive with most of our losses at a 1-0 margin. We are losing 13 seniors to graduation, but I’m extremely proud of this special group of girls.”

FOX LANE, the fourth seed, earned a bye in the Section 1 Class A Field Hockey Championship and hosted the No. 5 Suffern-No. 12 North Rockland winner in a quarterfinal, Monday.

PLEASANTVILLE was seeded sixth and played at third-seeded Hastings, Monday, in a Section 1 Class C Field Hockey Championship quarterfinal.

The victor advances to a semifinal to play the winner of No. 7 Valhalla-No. 2 Putnam Valley, Thursday, at the higher seed.