YORKTOWN, N.Y. —In its third season as a program in 2024, Lakeland finished 15-3 and as the No. 2 seed, lost to visiting No. 3 Tappan Zee 21-12 in the semifinals of the Section 1 Division 2 Tournament.
Lakeland’s top returnees this season are seniors Gabby Santini (wide receiver/cornerback) and Haley Santucci (wide receiver/linebacker).
Santini is a two-time All-League player, who was All-Section last season. The state player of the year in field hockey, Santini will play that sport at the University of Vermont next year.
“Gabby is one of the best student-athletes I have ever coached,” said Lakeland fourth-year coach PJ Nyberg. “She is a true leader, competitor, and absolutely wants to win at all costs.”
Nyberg said that Santucci is a true pleasure to coach.
“She is determined, focused, and doesn't accept failure,” Nyberg said. “Haley led Section 1 last year in tackles with 133 and pass deflections with 57. With that, she was awarded All-League and All-Section honors and was runner-up for the Section 1 Defensive Player of the Year. Haley is going to the University of Delaware next year and I would not be surprised if she ends up playing on a travel club flag football team or even just dominating intramural teams.”
Lakeland has a few new players who are showing serious promise.
“It is very early to tell where exactly they will fit in, but I am very excited for senior Amanda Franco (quarterback/safety) joining us,” Nyberg said. “Amanda has been a vital player for Lakeland's girls basketball team the last four years and flag can have direct correlations to playing on the court.”
Lakeland’s goals are to make the playoffs, be league champions, and to get back to the sectional title game, which the Hornets won in 2023.
“We are a very young team for the most part, but if we can get the younger players along quickly and keep the pedal to the metal, I think we will be successful,” Nyberg said.
Santini, Haley Santucci, Emily Daniel (senior center), and Mia Lucia (senior rusher/tight end) are Lakeland’s captains.
“Haley, Emily, and Mia have been a part of Lakeland's flag football team every year from the beginning and Gabby stepped right in, never missed a beat and it feels like she has been there since it all started,” Nyberg said. “The leadership between the four of them is excellent. It is very clear we have some vocal leaders and leaders who want to win.”
Lakeland’s opener is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 27 at Fox Lane.
Yorktown
Yorktown’s maiden voyage was a successful one, finishing 14-1-2, as league champs, and as the No. 2 seed, where it lost to visiting No. 3 New Rochelle 20-18 in the semifinals of the Section 1 Division 1 Tournament a season ago.
“Last year was our inaugural year and we lost to New Rochelle in a heartbreaker,” said Yorktown second-year coach Mike Rescigno. “We had some tough breaks in the worst times during that game. However, as a team, as a family, we did something in very little time that I am extremely proud of. Our girls took our words as gospel and put themselves dead last as individuals while literally hoisting up their sisters and coaches.”
The Huskers developed a foundation that they can build upon for many years to come.
“Athletics is an amazing medium to bring out the best in a person,” said Rescigno, who won 100 games in his 15-year tenure and the Section 1 Class A title in 2017 as coach of the boys football squad.. “Our girls realize that they perform their best when their actions reflect the team and nothing about themselves. Our flag-football team is now a program. We have a JV team that aspires to be a part of this brand-new amazing energy. In one year the seeds of a program were planted.”
Juniors Eva Monaco (All-Section, slot receiver), Stephanie Douglas (All-Section, linebacker), Maddy Reilly (All-League, running back/corner back), Kiera Mooney (All-League, center/linebacker), Sofia Gentile (linebacker/wide receiver), Mackenzie Meola (corner back), Mia Chee (slot receiver/cornerback), and sophomore Chloe Quiles (running back/corner back) are the Huskers’ top returnees.
In addition to the returnees, Rescigno is looking forward to seeing the newcomers emerge this spring.
“We are also excited about some of our new faces and names that took the risk to try this great sport,” Rescigno said. “We are confident that there will be some brand-new impact players on both our JV and varsity level as we have more than 60 girls trying out. So be patient, but I suspect we will be talking about some new contributors this year.”
Besides the obvious one of winning, Yorktown has three goals.
“Always first is be here for each other,” Rescigno said. “Never leave a teammate standing alone in any way, shape, or form, on or off the field. The girls know that if they cannot get on board with this then this is just a club.”
The second one is practice in a manner that looks like winning.
“That means fly around,” Rescigno said. “You will hear these words at our practices.”
The third is win every single down.
“If I am consciously trying to ‘be where my feet are’, then I will be exhausted from my own effort on every down,” Rescigno said. “If this is the standard, the championships will come.”
Yorktown opens the season at home at 5 p.m. Friday, March 28 vs. Fox Lane.
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