Greeley Flips Script, Wins 1st Boys’ Lax Title; P’ville Girls Do Likewise

Quakers Dethrone Yorktown; Panthers Uncrown Bronxville; Somers Ends 16-Year Title Drought; Y’town Girls Stun Greeley; Foxes, Tigers Excel on Diamond

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

Monkeys were shed, title droughts were officially satisfied, and a slew of Examiner-area teams advanced to the NYSPHSAA boys’ and girls’ lacrosse tournaments during a bevy of mid-week Section 1 championship rounds at Yorktown (boys lax) and Lakeland High (girls lax).

Both the Class B Horace Greeley boys’ lax squad and Class D Pleasantville girls’ laxers won the first Section 1 titles in school history, and the Class C Somers boys’ club quenched a 16-year title drought.

Oh, and the fifth-seeded Yorktown girls’ lax coalition, which is no stranger to championship-caliber play, emerged from an ordinary regular season and knocked off top-seeded Fox Lane and No.2 Horace Greeley en route to its 13th Section 1 championship in perhaps its most satisfying title triumph.

Lax took center stage last week and the locals dropped the mic throughout Northern/Central Westchester, all while Class AA Fox Lane – which snagged its first NYSPHSAA regional since since 2003 – and Class B Putnam Valley – which copped its only Region 1 title – stormed the NYSPHSAA baseball diamonds. Lots to unpack here #LadiesFirst.

 

GIRLS LAX

CLASS D

Winning the Section 1 championship was one thing, taking out nine-time reigning champion Bronxville was another, but that was the task accepted and acquired when top-seeded, state-ranked (No.3) PLEASANTVILLE recovered from an early 3-0 deficit to pounce on an 18-13 title triumph of the third-seed Broncos last Tuesday at Lakeland.

“It’s special because this community of girls lacrosse in Pleasantville deserves it,” said P’ville Coach Hannah Tiso, a star herself at Somers back in the day. “From our youth program coaches, to our youth program players, to our girls in our high school program now, they deserve it.

“This is an amazing group of girls who work extremely hard every day,” she added. “I have to say, being first timers in the sectional championship, versus an experienced program like Bronxville, who has dominated for the past decade, give a huge credit to their coaches and the culture they have built. I knew nerves would play a role in this game. We went down early but we’ve been there before. There was this sense of confidence in this group that they would be alright, and that’s a huge credit to what this group has done all year long, never quit.”

That never-quit attitude led to Saturday’s Region 1 championship where the Panthers (17-3) finally met their match in a 21-5 setback to Long Island-based Cold Spring Harbor, ranked co-No.1 in NYS with South Jefferson.

Against B’ville, Panther freshman Maddie Becerra (2G, 6A) scored the 100th point of her prodigious career while finding open seams for Ella Collins (6G) and Sam Schultz (4G). Seven different Panthers found the back of the next – Faith Brown (2G, 1A), Ella McCourtney (1G, 1A), Julie Karaqi (2G, 1A) and Lindsey Mathews (1G, 1A) – to support senior G Eva Berkowitz, who made several key early saves to keep the Panthers afloat, which they will be for several years to come.

“Although we did lose in the regional final, we were able to make history as a team and bring home our first girls lacrosse section title,” said Brown, the program’s all-time leading scorer with 300+ points and counting. “It felt amazing to win our first title, and our team has worked so hard this season to get to that point. It meant even more knowing how many times Bronxville had ended our season, so it was amazing to finally get that win. Nothing beats the feeling!”

 

CLASS B

Nobody was talking about YORKTOWN, which the fifth-seeded, state-ranked (No.7) Huskers (12-8) used to their advantage while toppling top-seeded FOX LANE in the semis and second-seeded HORACE GREELEY, fourth-ranked in NYS and reigning Section 1 champs, in Wednesday’s sectional finals.

Yorktown clung to a 6-5 halftime lead against the Quakers (14-5) before unleashing the kind of defensive fury built by legendary former Husker coaches Pete Duperrouzel and Ellen Mager. Over the years, the Huskers have been taught to stick check better than any team in Section 1 and it showed during an 8-1 second-half run, which led to a 14-6 Section 1 title triumph of the Quakers at Lakeland High.

“It is such a surreal experience,” Yorktown Coach Heather Raniolo exclaimed! “These girls have been working so hard since we lost last season. We have used that feeling to fuel our fire heading into this season. We played a strong schedule that helped prepare them mentally and physically. Being ranked as the fifth seed and not being a thought, really fired them up even more to want to prove to everyone and the section what this team is about. They all really wanted it, bringing great energy every day and giving it everything they have.”

The Huskers did the same but came up short in Saturday’s Region 1 championship where they met their match in a season-ending 18-5 setback to Section 8 powerhouse Garden City, ranked No.1 in NYS. The Trojans (19-2) led Yorktown 7-3 at the half and finished on an 11-2 run to advance to the NYSPHSAA Final 4.

It didn’t take long before Husker Lily Diaz (2G) let Greeley know they meant business, scoring at 10:12 of the first for a 1-0 lead. Greeley All-American Rowan Edson tied the game at 6-all before the Huskers unleashed their barrage behind Brienna Gaccino (3G), Sydney Sateriale (3G, 1A), Ava Ryan (2G), Sophia Boucher (2G), Ava Cunneen (1G), Annie Cunneen (1A) and Mia Capellini (1G).

Yorktown will graduate eight seniors who will all be playing at the next level, but the Huskers have a lot of young talent, some who have already played in big roles, returning.

“This experience will be helpful for years to come,” Raniolo said.

Truth be told, the 13-time Section 1 champion Huskers will likely enter the 2026 campaign as section favorites, so they’ll need to find other motivation next spring.

 

BOYS LAX

CLASS B

There are monkeys, and then there are great apes #KingKong like primates, which are tough to shed. HORACE GREELEY knows a thing or two about a colossal gorilla, which Coach Ben Potash’s Quakers finally shed in Tuesday’s 17-15 Section 1 Class B title win over 42-time champ YORKTOWN. The Quakers followed the only righteous path they could, hoisting the sectional championship hardware at Charlie Murphy Field where Yorktown has owned Greeley in the past, having eliminated the Quakers (16-4) in six previous championship settings.

Greeley senior M Jameson Blakeslee would have no more, dialing up a game-high eight goals and three assists as Yorktown tried to lock off fellow senior Matt Byrne.

“They keyed in on Byrne, so we had to make them pay,” said Blakeslee, who went on to declare an All-American nod, along with Byrne. “Our defense came out firing in the second half and it was over. Constant hustle plays from our defense, like Spencer (Kalish) diving towards the end line for possession. Bringing that title home to Greeley means everything. We were all tired of the old narrative. It feels good to finally flip the script. We’ve been waiting our entire lives for this.”

Quakers Luke Dessi (3G), Jake Gashi (2G, 4A), Tighe Dolan (2G, 2A), Byrne (2G, 1A) and

Jason Kim (2A) all filled the stat sheet.

Give Yorktown a ton of credit for playing one of its best games of the season before squandering a four-goal lead. All-Section Husker M Chad Bowen won 28 of 36 face-offs, which is often a recipe to victory, but a flurry of unforced turnovers and missed GB opps proved costly. Still, when sophomore Frankie Ofrias (4G) spotted the Huskers an 11-7 lead at 5:54 in the second quarter, Yorktown was in control, until Dolan and Gashi swiped the momentum by beating the Husker defense, which then allowed Blakeslee back-to-back cranks for a 13-12 lead at 2:56 of the third, and then permitted Byrne to score into an empty cage at 2:02 of the fourth for a 17-13 lead.

Huskers Gianluca Marchini (4G), Ryan Fastiggi (2G, 1A), Brady Sheridan (2G, 1A), Jack Simone (2G) and Jayden Tyndal (1G) found the back of the net to support G Hunter Mezzatesta (12 saves).

Unfortunately, state-ranked (No.1) Section 8 powerhouse Garden City (19-2), as it has done to the vast majority of Section 1 teams it sees, ended Greeley’s historic run in Saturday’s 14-7 NYSPHSAA Region 1 title setback.

Quaker freshman Luke Dessi (6G) had a day and will take the torch from the Greeley seniors who put the program on the map, according to Coach Ben Potash, who saw this team rise from a quarterfinal loss in 2022, to a semifinal loss in 2023 before losing to Yorktown for the sixth time in the 2024 finals. Gashi (1G, 1A), Byrne (5A) and Blakeslee (1A) were the only other Quakers to put up numbers in front of G Luke Kaplow (6 saves).

 

CLASS C

Don’t tell Somers sophomore Cameron Violante there’s no such thing as divine intervention. When word trickled down that Cameron’s uncle Rob had been part of a sudden, tragic two-car crash along the Taconic State Parkway, which killed four, including the beloved Rob Violante, the longtime head football coach and dean of students at New Jersey’s Bergenfield High School, young Cameron was on a mission.

That mission led to one of the finest performances in Somers lax history. In a game young Cameron dedicated to the memory of uncle Rob, he put up six goals and an assist in the state-ranked (No.3) Tuskers’ 12-7 win over top-ranked Rye last Tuesday at Yorktown High, ending a 16-year sectional title drought at Somers. It was the Tuskers’ first championship since the JoJo Marasco-led Tuskers won it all at White Plains High under former Coach Lew Janavey in 2009, and seventh title overall.

Prediction: Somers, which is building from the ground up with dual-sport studs (lax, football, soccer etc.), will never experience another title drought resembling anything close to this again.

Back to Vio: “My uncle was the kind of person that pushed you to the best of your ability and beyond,” the All-Section Violante said. “He was always there supporting me, whether it was telling me something to fix and work on or sending me a text before a game. He made me into the best person I can be. He cared more about his nephews more than anything and that shows who he is as a person.

“The entire day leading up to the game I knew this game was going to be huge and I knew my uncle was going to be watching over me the entire time,” Violante added. “Right before the game I knew I wasn’t just playing for the community and my team, but for him as well. I knew he was going to be watching over me and guiding me throughout the entire game and it showed. After the game, all I could think about was him and how I dedicated that game to him, for everything he has done for me, I couldn’t be more thankful.”

Neither could the Tuskers, who, after knocking off the five-time reigning sectional champion Garnets, rode that sectional title wave to Saturday’s 21-14 NYSPHSAA Region 1championship win over state-ranked (No.4) Section 8 champ Wantagh, which sets up a state semifinal showdown against Section 4 champion Maine-Endwell (No.12 in NYS) at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.

That is where Somers senior All-Americans Miguel Iglesias (3G, 5A vs Wantagh) and Matt Mayfield (#Astounding 51 wins on 60 draws last 2 games, 95% cli[ against Wantagh) will put their Tuskers on display in an attempt to reach the first state title game in school history.

“It’s cool to be able to create some new history and represent the section well,” Somers second-year Coach Jordan Hirsch said, “but from my estimation this game was a chance to show a broader lacrosse world our team and what a special group they are. They work tirelessly, they’re connected and they love Somers lacrosse. Our players deserve all the credit and more.”

Mayfield has been nothing short of the best faceoff man in the playoffs, so effective that Wantagh was backing off and giving freebies to the Tuskers, who saw Tristan Iglesias (5G, 1A), Dylan Jimenez (5G), Mason Kelly (4G), Violante (1G, 2A), Bret Kennedy (1G) and Mayfield (1G, 2A) all support G Hudson Ruby (14 saves).

“I can’t say enough about (Mayfield),” Coach Hirsch said. “He’s tough as nails, has an unlimited motor and obviously has a skillset that not many players have. Having possession of the ball is crucial all the time, especially in playoff games and most especially against a team like Wantagh that has such an explosive offense. What makes Matt unique is not only his ability to win the draw, but to create offense and play offense from the dot into the offensive box. It gives us a lot of flexibility in how we are able to create systems and enables us to create and stop scoring runs. In my opinion, Matt is one of the most impactful players in the state and certainly at his position.”

Miguel Iglesias bagged a pair of goals in the opening minutes as the Tuskers amassed a 10-2 advantage before the Long Island-based Warriors knew what hit them. Long Island did take the other three classifications (A, B & D) from Section 1 behind Half Hollow Hills, Garden City and Cold Spring Harbor, respectively.

 

CLASS D

Bronco hotshot Nick Martinelli scored a walk-off goal in overtime Wednesday, giving second-seeded Bronxville a 12-11 win over top-seeded PLEASANTVILLE in the Section 1 Class D championship at Murphy Field where the Broncos (14-5) won their sixth sectional title, avenging a 2024 title setback and a 14-10 2025 regular season loss to the Panthers.

The opportunity was there for Pleasantville to three-peat, but the Panthers (14-5) lost the lead four times, many coming off unforced errors. Aside from the mistakes, leading scorers Nick Reich and Aidan Cotter (3G, 1A) both suffered fourth-quarter leg cramps that had them sidelined for prolonged periods. Braden Feeney (3G, 1A) helped keep the Panthers in it until they weren’t.

“It truly was a very disappointing loss and not what we wanted,” Pleasantville senior A Reich admitted after scoring three goals (48 for the season) and setting up a fourth. “But with that being said, I truly tip my cap to Bronxville. Their defense played great in the second half and all the credit to them. We played well, I believe, but we couldn’t pull it out, especially our keeper, Declan Curry (11 saves), who played one of his best games.”

 

BASEBALL

CLASS AA

Despite not winning a sectional title since 2006 and nary a NYSPHSAA regional title since 2003, FOX LANE has remained among the most respected programs in Section 1 under veteran Coach Matt Hillis.

That sentiment held true after Saturday’s 4-3 NYSPHSAA regional title win over state-ranked (No.5)  Section 8 host Garden City at Hofstra University where sophomore RHP Jackson Carroll overcame some early technical difficulties to post the win, courtesy of a Will Rudolph save against a Trojan club that had previously knocked off No.1 East Islip, the Section 11 champ.

Rudolph, the senior closer, eased through 1.2 innings of near flawless ball after senior SS John Czernyk lofted a would-be sac fly to right, which was dropped, to plate OF Sean Singleton with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh. Fox senior Danny Spolansky, maybe the top No.9 hitter in the state, added an RBI single for insurance, plating Cooper Furst, who dropped a picture-perfect bunt to set up first-and-third.

“Finally coming through in the big moment, and drop or no drop (on the sac fly), it got the job done and it meant everything,” Czernyk admitted. “I will say, even if I didn’t hit all year, my glove is my pride and joy, but finally pulling through was really awesome because of just how hard this team has worked.”

The victory pushed the state-ranked (No.6) Foxes (20-7), who cut their prom night short Friday, into the state Final 4 for Saturday’s 10:00 a.m. semifinals against state-ranked (No.2) Section 3 champion West Genny at Union-Endicott High School. The winners will advance to Sunday’s 10:00 a.m. state title game at SUNY Binghamton to face the Section 4 Horseheads/Section 5 Webster Thomas winner, ranked No.3 and No.8, respectively.

CLASS B

After a nearly four-hour drive to Onondaga Community College, visiting PUTNAM VALLEY wasted no time in its 12-2 NYSPHSAA regional title mercy shellacking over Section 3 host Solvay (17-7), which saw Coach Joe Natalie’s Tigers (20-4) plate four first-inning runs just five batters in.

Winning PV hurler Dom Benedetto (6 K’s) danced around some third-inning issues (4 BB, 2 runs) by striking out the side with the bases juiced and went the distance for the win.

“Of course we are going to be ready for the next round,” said Benedetto, who assured he’ll be good to go in whatever capacity pitching coach John Millicker needs him at the Final 4. Behind him are several competent arms, including sophomore Eli Pierce, who is 7-0 with a 0.55 ERA.

“We have been manifesting this all season, and if we all do our part, and I can iron out some mistakes made today, we will be just fine. We aren’t done yet!”

Benedetto’s minor issue in the third was followed by a bases-clearing, three-run triple, which senior SS Jay Constantino (2-3, 3 RBI) covered for an 11-2 fourth-inning lead. Jake Peterson doubled, scoring one run. Peterson and Louis Peduto each collected multiple hits. Aaron Pierre (2 steals) was a menace on the basepaths. Leather, muscle, speed… PV flashed it all, but will need to find an even higher level of play at the Final 4 where three of the state’s top five teams are in the field of challengers.

“It feels awesome, it’s the best feeling ever,” Constantino said, “and of course we aren’t done yet, we got two more wins to get, we’re coming for it all.”

PV catcher James Sanford went 3-3 with three RBI for the state-ranked (No.4) Tigers.

The Tigers advanced to the first state Final 4 in school history to face Section 4 champion Oneonta, ranked No.5 in NYS, Friday (7 p.m.) at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton. The semifinal winners will advance and turn around quickly to face either state-ranked (No.1) Babylon or No.8 Mechanicville in Saturday’s 1:00 p.m. state title tilt.

 

PHOTO CREDITS: DONNA MUELLER/DAVID TABER/CHRIS SMAJLAJ/RAY GALLAGHER/MICHELLE DUNNE PHOTOS