Hornets victorious over Nyack

No. 5 Lakeland opened section play in fine fashion, defeating visiting No. 12 Nyack 19-0 in the opening round of the Section 1 Class B Tournament.

“It felt great to have another game with all the seniors and continue our season,” said Lakeland sophomore quarterback Aditi Parambath. “We love playing with each other so it was definitely a great feeling [to win].” 

Lakeland went up 6-0 on its opening 66-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard touchdown run by Alexa Marrico (43 rushing yards).

“It was extremely important that we scored on the first drive to establish the lead and to encourage my team to continue to play and ultimately end up winning the game,” Marrico said.

Lakeland increased its lead to 12-0 in the third quarter when Parambath (141 passing yards, 24 rushing yards) threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Emily Hahn.

“My touchdown came from a perfect pass and read of the defense by our quarterback Aditi,” Hahn said. “It felt great to help my team secure the win by getting more points on the board.” 

Hahn (2 defensive interceptions) intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter, that set up Lakeland’s final touchdown.

She said that Coach PJ Nyberg “teaches the team how to read the quarterback’s eyes all season long.”

Hahn added “having an interception that late in the game and putting Lakeland back on offense was very beneficial to get the win.”

Shortly after, Lakeland sealed the win when Parambath connected with Kacey Chin on an 8-yard touchdown pass, then threw to Carina Cannizzaro for the 1-point conversion and 19-0 lead.

“At first I was looking for Caroline Leonard,” Parambath said. “But then I looked off the defender to see she ran to Caroline and left Kacey wide open. All Kacey had to do was jump up to get my attention and I threw her the ball.”

A 19-0 lead was more than enough for a Lakeland defense that was on lockdown against the RedHawks.

“Defensively, we stayed disciplined, communicated well and played aggressively as a team from start to finish to keep them out of the end zone,” Hahn said.

Caroline Leonard (defensive interception, 6 catches, 81 yards) also stood out for the Hornets.  

Lakeland (13-5) then traveled to No. 4 Brewster for a quarterfinal contest on May 16, falling to the Bears 24-0. Jackie Moore led the defense with eight tackles, followed by Caroline Daly (four tackles), Mackenize Latorre (three tackles), Chin (three tackles) and Ava Stabile (three tackles), while Hahn added a defensive interception on the opening drive of the game.

 Yorktown

No. 2 Yorktown (16-1) blanked visiting No. 7 Somers 22-0 in the quarterfinals of the Section 1 Class B Tournament.

“It felt amazing to win against our rivals and leave everything we had on the field,” said Yorktown senior Sydney Soliz. “We are extremely excited to advance to the semifinals.”

Yorktown, the No. 5-ranked Class B team in the state, set the tone with a 2-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, from Sophia Marcello to Kiera Mooney. For Marcello, it was her 35th touchdown pass of the season. For Mooney, it was her fifth catch for paydirt.

Defensively, Soliz, who entered the game as Yorktown’s leader in total flag pulls with 81 and sacks with 41, recorded a safety toward the end of the quarter, increasing Yorktown’s lead to 8-0.

 “I saw the opportunity during the first quarter to get a safety and made sure to get the job done,” Soliz said. “After scoring that safety it really motivated everyone and I for the rest of the game.”

 Yorktown doubled its lead in the second quarter when Maddy Reilly dodged numerous Tuskers on her way to a 32-yard touchdown run, with Marcello connecting with Erin Duffy for the 2-point conversion.

Marcello finished the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 2-yard touchdown pass to freshman Dana Nelson, which was her first touchdown catch as a varsity player.

“The main reason we were able to shut out Somers was because everybody always plays their part on and off the field,” Soliz said. “Our team has such a good family dynamic and we aren't ready to give it up yet.”