Lakeland vs. Greeley Scoreless Tie: Possible Prelude to Field Hockey Title Tilt

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

Perhaps the game of the week was on the field hockey green this week when a pair of Section 1 title challengers got after it, so let’s start there and then scoot around the Ex region.

FIELD HOCKEY

All things being cyclical, you have to wonder whether or not LAKELAND will ever come down from its lofty perch, which includes 16-straight Section 1 titles. That said, coach Sharon Sarsen’s Hornets lost a ton to graduation and while they will reload rather than rebuild, Lakeland got all it could handle in last Monday’s scoreless tie with 2024 sectional runner-up HORACE GREELEY, which has the look of a legit title contender under veteran coach Sukhi Sandhu. The Quakers were still feeling the burn of last year’s championship setback at the hands of the Hornets, who won in a shootout after regulation time and two 10-minute overtimes.

Lakeland G Jenna Yazzetti (9 saves) was the difference between winning or losing. She was quite busy while Quaker keeper Darby Robertson (3 saves) was not, which bodes well for Greeley should the two see each other in the Section 1 Class B playoffs, which is almost a given.

(Apologies to both clubs and readers for misreading the schedule last week and previously stating the Hornets and Quakers would not face each other in the regular season)

Yazzetti (4 saves) posted yet another shutout in Lakeland’s 4-0 win over Bronxville. Gianna Santini (1G, 2A), Aditi Parambath (2A), Maddie Wohlberg (1G), Gabby Goldstein (1G) and Riley Waters (1G) were in it to win it.

Behind uber-talented sophomore Sienna Tavolacci (4G, 2A) the Quakers rocked Pawling by an 8-0 count. Kate Paskowitz (1G, 1A), Isabel Concha (1G), Luisa Vieira (1G), Maya Vohra (1G), Eve Rutman (1A), Phoebe Warshaw (1A), Olivia Parekh (1A) and Harriet Moraes (1A) filled the stat sheet.

YORKTOWN is having one of its finest seasons and added to that with a 6-0 win over RCK.  Ava Ryan (2G, 1A), Lily Diaz (1A), Izzy Wilson, Riley Grieve and Annie Cunneen scored for the Huskers.

MAHOPAC improved to 4-2 last week with three wins over Arlington (3-0), Irvington (4-0) and reigning Class C champion PUTNAM VALLEY (3-1).

Irvington had no answer for Mahopac junior Kayleigh Pontillo, who banged the boards twice. Senior captain Anastasia Villani added a goal as did junior Reese Harney (1A). Junior forward Shay Massett set up two goals and senior F Gabby Bartholdi dished an assist.

Against Arlington, a long clear by Villani (1G, 1A) led to a Bartholdi goal at 6:06 of the first quarter and a 2-0 lead.  The Wolf Pac never flinched after that, positioning themselves perfectly in a dominant league win. Villani, Bartholdi and Pontillo each scored a goal while G Sam DiMilia needed just three saves in the win.

In the win over Putnam Valley, Massett notched her first varsity goal while Harney and Bartholdi (1A) also banged the boards for the winners. Pontillo added an assist and DiMilia needed just one save to turn the shutout against the defending Section 1 Class C champion Tigers, who saw Maggie Caputo score from Lillian Johnson.

Put Valley bounced back in a 1-0 win over PLEASANTVILLE, which played quite well but could not stop the combination of Kate Mulqueen (1G) and Serena Rexhepi (1A).

 

FOOTBALL

CLASS A

Three-time defending NYSPHSAA champion SOMERS wasn’t about to start the 2025 campaign at 0-3, especially since they were visiting rival YORKTOWN Friday night while the Huskers nobly honored first responders throughout the region.

After taking a 55-yard pass from the flat to the end zone, All-NYS Somers RB/WR Dean Palazzolo admitted the 0-2 start wasn’t on the Tuskers’ bingo card.

“Yes, we are still in the right head space,” the senior said. “It didn’t start out the way we wanted it to, but we are bouncing back.”

Any win over Yorktown (0-3) is a bounce-back but a 30-3 win is more than convincing, and it sets up this Friday’s showdown with MAHOPAC (2-1), which posted an equally convincing 27-6 win over host BREWSTER (2-1) Friday.

Palazzolo has been a persistent thorn in Mahopac’s side, and Wolf Pac coach Dominick DeMatteo will have to figure out a way to contain the speedster if Mahopac is to have any crack at victory, which has been vexing given the current circumstances.

Against Yorktown, Somers QB Tristain Iglesias hit on 8 of 10 pass attempts for 184 yards and two touchdowns, telling us that he is ready to take the mantle from his brother, Miguel, now excelling at Notre Dame (lacrosse).

Iglesias also ran for 54 yards and a score on seven carries. Nate Mitchell added 34 yards on eight carries and Luke Balancia had 18 yards and one TD on five carries. Cam Violante and Gavin Kelly each had one interception.

Yorktown DB Tyler Galante led the Huskers (0-3) with nine tackles and picked off a pass, but the offense couldn’t muster up much. They will see if they can get it going this Friday against LAKELAND.

Rye knocked off FOX LANE, 35-7, as the Foxes fell to 1-2.

Carmel needed overtime to defeat Lakeland 24-21 when John Jasbarian split the uprights for a game-winning 21-yard field goal, his first. He also went 3 for 3 on PATs. Carmel QB Colin Sullivan hit on 7 of 16 attempts for 111 yards and rushed for 39 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. Ryan Sinnot notched a sack and forced a fumble that big King Mercer hauled in for his first TD. The King also made four tackles, three for a loss to lead a Carmel defense that did not allow a second-half point despite allowing Hornet QB C.C. Savastano to connect on 17 of 30 passes for 236 yards and two touchdown passes. Young Sav also had a pick-six to figure in on all the scoring drives for the Hornets (2-1).

CLASS B/C

PLEASANTVILLE coach Tony Becerra has to be exhausted after the first two weeks of the season. The veteran mentor known for his prowess on both sides of the ball has seen his offense run roughshod over two opponents, scoring a combined 101 points, including more than half in last week’s 56-40 win over John Jay CR, but the coach is at his wit’s end defensively.

“We’re not used to this kind of football, it’s not in my DNA,” coach B joked.

However, Panther QB/RB David Hundzynski found paydirt five times, continuing to establish himself among the all-time Panther greats in a hybrid wildcat formation that has created fits for opposing defenders. He needed to be an all-time great given the fact John Jay (0-2) had put up 80 points to start the season and remains among the most dangerous offenses in Section 1.

Hundzynski responded in kind, rushing for 76 yards on 15 carries, four for tuddys while adding four catches for 52 yards and a score. If the P’ville defense, eventually, responds accordingly, the Panthers (1-1) – winners of five Section 1 titles between 2013-’22 – will be back on championship track.

“Hundzynski has become our go to guy for sure,” coach Becerra said. “He’s a senior captain who we trust in big spots. He also has a high football IQ, so when he comes off the field and suggests something we definitely consider it. The evolution of our wildcat has gone from Picart to Sdao to Hundzynski.”

QB Mason Rizzi has turned into a gem, leading the passing attack by going 19 for 30 for 236 yards and four TD passes, including two to Jesse Strauss (7 catches, 88 yards) and another to Nathan Baretto (3 catches, 48 yards).

In WESTLAKE’s 42-14 win over BYRAM HILLS, Wildcat coach John Castellano recorded his 250th career win when Slick Nick – QB Nicholas DiNapoli – hit on 3 of 5 passes for 53 yards and one touchdown. He added 62 yards rushing and two more tuddys on nine carries. Harry Hudd rushed for 74 yards and a TD on just four totes. James Meyer added 36 yards and a score on five carries. He also made headlines with an 84-yard kick return to the house. Matthew Pippo hauled in both touchdown passes and K Anthony Nigrelli went 6 for 6 on PATS.

HEN HUD RB Justin Parkes had a career day, going for 238 rushing yards and six, yes, six, touchdowns on 22 carries in the Sailors’ (2-1) 40-28 win over Rye Neck.

Pearl River bested a banged-up VALHALLA club 41-0 that was minus All-NYS RB Luke Foisset (injured). The Pirates are pretty good and emerged as the Class B favorites after taking out the defending Class C champs with such precision.

 

GIRLS SOCCER

PLEASANTVILLE continues to be the toast of the town defeating Ardsley 9-0 behind the twin terrors – Sam Schultz (5G, 2A) and Faith Brown (2G, 2A). G Willa King secured the shutout, the Panthers’ third in a row, including a 5-0 win over WESTLAKE. The freshman Schultz (2G, 2A) was at it again.  Mary Kate Winn (2G) and Natalie Viviano also tickled twine.  Faith Brown, Emma Murray, Maddie Perry and Kate Moscato each set up a goal for the undefeated Panthers (7-0), who opened the week in a 7-0 win over Hastings, Schultz (4G, 2A) and Brown (2G) accounting for six goals.

Brown found Schultz for two more tallies in a 2-2 with Pearl River to end the week.

FOX LANE hosted MAHOPAC and lost 3-2. In the first half, Fox Lane’s Natalie Mazzuca(Senior) scored the first goal, and then shortly after freshman Lauren Spolansky scored a goal assisted by senior Amanda Mazzuca. Mahopac senior Fiona Kelleher scored by penalty kick. In the second half, Mahopac junior Kayleigh Dolan scored Mahopac’s second goal, its third came soon after off the foot of senior Fiona Kelleher.

The Foxes did manage a convincing 6-1 win over Arlington B to open the week when Elizabeth Fortune (1G 2A), Spolansky (1G, 1A), Mazzuca (2G, 2A) and  Jillian Kurchack (2G, A) all scored multiple points, which they could have used in a 6-1 loss to Ossining, which they rebounded from in 3-2 win over Brewster. Amanda Griffin (1G), Mazzuca (1G), Fortune (1G), Spolansky (2A) and Nora Dooley (1A) all found the score sheet. Mazzuca (2G, 2A) scored four points in Saturday’s 5-0 shutout of Port Chester behind G Berit Rose (5 saves).

BYRAM HILLS had the superior side to Eastchester in a 2-0 win behind goals from  Abby Rondeau and Lila Altman, off assists from Ava Schoenhaut and Amelia Amenendo.

LAKELAND defeated rival PANAS, 6-2, Kayleigh Mula and Gianna Pace each went for two goals and an assist. Caroline Daly (1G, 1A) also had a multi-point effort. Mula (3G) and Pace (2G, 3A) connected early and often in the Hornets’ 5-3 win over Pelham.

HORACE GREELEY’s 6-1 win over White Plains Saturday was impressive to say the least. Rachel Glick (1G), Esme Weiss (1G, 2A), Parker Ginsburg (1G), Hailey Stern (2G), Gillian Raniolo (1G), and Gianna Limongello (1A) provided a great cushion for G Lauren Singer (7 saves).

 

BOYS SOCCER

PLEASANTVILLE has it going on this fall on the soccer pitch, boys and gals. The boys posted three more wins last week, all shutouts against Keio (2-0), Dobbs Ferry (3-0) and Blind Brook (3-0). Jonah Aghen had two assists to lead Pleasantville (7-0) over Keio while Nick Tassier and Garvin Kayizzi tickled twine.

Against Dobbs, Danny McInerny and Aghen each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers and James Winn added a goal while Tassier had an assist.

In the win over Blind Brook, McInerney had a goal and dished two assists while Garvin Kayizzi and James Winn each added a goal and Aghen another assist.

SOMERS tied North Salem 2-2. Trevor Keimig and Randy Contreras had the goals for Somers, which is starting to look like Somers again after a 5-1 win over HEN HUD. Harper Ritson and Trevor Keimig each scored twice and Eddie Ruiz added a goal for Somers. Hen Hud’s Victor Garcia scored.

In YORKTOWN’s 1-0 win over Ossining, the Huskers became just the seventh team to beat the Pride at home since 2018. The Huskers also posted a decided 4-1 win over WALTER PANAS in the finals of the Yorktown tournament, in which Huskers Colin Worden and Ryan Dean each had two goals and an assist. Haniel Flores added two assists and Antonio Spiniello (3 saves) and Joe Popovic (2) split duties in net.

Yorktown fell short, though, in a 2-1 loss to FOX LANE, the Class AA runnerups in 2024. The sides were pretty even throughout and might be a prelude to a late postseason rematch. Lucas Ormazabal and Dex Osherow scored for the Foxes while Steady Fredy Contreras dished an assist and keeper Drew Bagley made six saves for Fox Lane, which also played a 1-1 draw with HORACE GREELEY when Ryan Joseph scored for the Foxes. Bagley had six saves.

Dante Gulla scored five goals in BREWSTER’s 8-1 win over Nanuet.

MAHOPAC is pretty hot right now after a 3-2 win over PEEKSKILL and a 1-0 shutout of Nyack. In the Peekskill match, Mahopac goals were scored by Michael Oteng, Chris Flanagan and Aidan Paris-Devane. Assists went to Jeremy Fuentes (2A) and Paris-Devane. Peekskill goals were from Eddy Farfan and David Saavedra, assists to Erick Lojano and Luis Carchipulla.

Fuentes scored the lone goal against Nyack off a feed from Nick Portanova, and Wolf Pac G Connor Sterbens made five saves for the shutout. This is the best Mahopac has looked in many moons.

Andy Kozlowicz notched a hat trick to lead CARMEL to a 4-3 win over LAKELAND. Juan Pinzon Diaz and Casey Maggiolo each had an assist and Jackson Palmieri made seven saves.

Collin Lyden and Nico Scanapieco each scored a goal for WESTLAKE in its 2-0 win over Sleepy Hollow. G Jozsef Varadi had a shutout. Lyden scored three goals last week, including the GWG against Roosevelt and Sleepy Hollow.

PHOTO CREDITS RAY GALLAGHER/DAVID TABER PHOTOS