It was a dream matchup. Two schools from the same town, top-seeded Yorktown going against legendary No. 3 Lakeland, in the Section 1 Class B championship game Sunday afternoon at Nyack High School.
Yorktown was looking to claim its first sectional title in program history while Lakeland was aiming to return to its championship glory after losing 2-0 to visiting Horace Greeley in last season's semifinals.
Greeley’s win ended the Hornets’ streak of 15 straight official Section 1 titles (16 including the COVID-19 regional title in 2020).
A first-quarter goal by senior captain Gianna Santini was all the Hornets would need to earn a 1-0 victory and reclaim the sectional title, their 25th sectional crown, all coming under head coach Sharon Sarsen.
“Reclaiming the sectional title meant so much to us, especially after losing last year,” Santini said. “We worked really hard all season, and being able to come back and win it this year made all the hard work worth it. It was such a special feeling to win it with this team.”
The win for Lakeland also avenged a 3-2 regular-season defeat to the Huskers at Yorktown on Oct. 17.
“Losing to them motivated us 10 times more, we were hungry from the beginning to end, and this [section title] was a goal we all wanted to accomplish this season,” said Lakeland junior captain Meaghan Heyde.
Santini scored off the first of 11 Hornet penalty corners, with 1:58 remaining in the opening quarter.
“Riley [Waters, senior captain] found a foot in the circle which led to the offensive corner,” Santini said. “We had been working on our corner plays all season, and when the opportunity came, we were able to execute. I was in the right spot, got the shot off, and saw it go in. Scoring the winning goal to become Section 1 champions was an incredible feeling, especially knowing how much it meant to our team.”
Assisting on the goal was Heyde.
“My assist to Gianna felt great since me and Gianna have been practicing these all season long,” Heyde said. “My job was to get the ball out fast, and having such a great hitter on the team I knew I can always count on her to get it in.”
Lakeland registered the win by constantly being on the attack.
“We were able to earn 11 corners because we did a great job putting pressure on their defense and creating opportunities in the circle,” Santini said. “We moved the ball well, worked together to get into scoring positions, and kept attacking. Our corners were also something we had practiced a lot, so we were able to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Kendal Williams, Rachel Kelly, Nikki Santini, Cameryn Crisci, Aria Supino, Annabelle Straley, Leah Kuney, Brielle Fertucci, Gabby Goldstein, Allie Waters, Selena Vazquez, Ava Canniff, Aditi Parambath (junior captain), Alejandra Castro, Olivia O’Connor (senior captain, 1 save), Caitlin Gallagher (JV call-up) and Alyssa Marino (assistant coach) also made up the Hornets’ sectional title squad.
Even in a loss, Yorktown, which was led by 8 saves from Sam Conboy, made history as it was the first time the Huskers had competed in a sectional title game.
Yorktown senior captain Lily Diaz said that the Huskers are fortunate to have such a committed group of players who prioritize the team’s well-being and never hesitate to lift each other up.
“Reaching the title game for the first time in school history holds immense significance for each of us,” Diaz said.
The effort of her teammates had Diaz beaming with pride.
“I am incredibly proud of the entire team for their unwavering dedication and relentless effort in a hard fought game against a talented team,” Diaz said. “Our remarkable success throughout the entire season is a testament to the tireless work of our coaches, who genuinely give their all to the team’s success at every practice and game.”
From the moment this group of Huskers played the sport in middle school, they had high expectations.
“It’s clear that those expectations were met, both for each of us individually and for the team as a whole,” Diaz said. “The historic success of this season far surpassed the expectations that were once set by our younger selves. There is no group of girls I would rather have shared this momentous occasion with, making history for Yorktown field hockey.”
Lakeland defeated No. 2 host John Jay-Cross River 2-1 in its semifinal on Oct. 29.
The Hornets’ scoring against the Wolves was a family affair, as Gianna Santini registered a goal on a corner in the first quarter, assisted by her younger sister Nikki Santini, to put the Hornets up 1-0.
Allie Waters scored in the second quarter, assisted by her older sister Riley Waters, to double the Hornets’ advantage to 2-0. John Jay scored its goal in the fourth quarter.
O’Connor recorded a save for the Hornets against John Jay.
The Huskers were victorious in their semifinal contest against visiting No. 4 Greeley 1-0, on a second-quarter goal by Maddie Murray, with Conboy recording three saves in the Oct. 29 matchup.
The game was a continuation of one of the best postseason rivalries across multiple sports in recent times (list courtesy of the “Voice of the Huskers,” Brian Mundy).
’23 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Final
’24 Greeley beat Yorktown in Section 1 Final
’25 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Final
’26 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Quarterfinal
’24 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Final
’25 Greeley beat Yorktown in Section 1 Final
’26 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Final
’25 Yorktown beat Greeley in Section 1 Quarterfinal
Yorktown (17-3) blanked visiting No. 9 Ursuline 4-0 in the quarterfinals on Oct. 27, led by Ava Ryan (2G, 1A), Murray (3A), Alana D’Andraia (1G), Ella Robustelli (1G), and Conboy (2 saves).
Host Lakeland (17-2-1) won its Oct. 27 quarterfinal contest 5-0 versus No. 6 Pearl River, with Gianna Santini (3G), Parambath (1G, 1A), Williams (1G, 1A), Allie Waters (1A), and O’Connor (1 save) producing for the Hornets.
Lakeland will play next against Section 9 champion Our Lady of Lourdes at Pawling High School at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in a regional semifinal. A Lakeland win would earn it a trip to the regional finals at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Brewster High School against the winner of the matchup between Section 11 champion Harborfields and Section 8 titlist Manhasset.
As the Section 1 at-large team, Yorktown will play against Section 4 champion Vestal at Tioga High School at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 in a regional title game.
Should both teams win their regional titles, Yorktown and Lakeland would play each other for a third time in the state semifinals, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Arlington High School.
The state finals would be the next day, at 3 p.m., also at Arlington.
Diaz recently received the prestigious Con Edison Scholar-Athlete of the Week award, one she said meant everything to her.
“Growing up amongst such talented athletes in Yorktown, I’ve had the privilege of seeing athletes receive the award and I’ve always wanted to follow in their footsteps,” Diaz said.
Diaz said the award was a team effort.
“It’s a true testament to my teammates, coaches, family, and community as a whole who enable me to perform each and every day whether it’s practice or a game,” Diaz said. “It’s been such an incredible privilege to play on this team these past four years so receiving this honor only points me to be even more appreciative of all the people who’ve helped to shape my experience here.”
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