Back in 2017, Mike Rescigno coached Yorktown’s tackle football team to a victory over Somers on a cold November night at Mahopac High School in the Section 1 Class A championship game on the way to the state finals.
Nine years later, Rescigno added a flag football title to his trophy case as second-seeded Yorktown, ranked No. 5 in the state in Class B, defeated top-seeded Tappan Zee, ranked No. 3 in the state, 18-14 in the Section 1 Class B championship game on a rainy May 23 afternoon at Lakeland High School.
The sectional championship was Yorktown’s first in its three years as a program, all under Rescigno.
The Huskers (18-1) will now play in the regional title game against the Section 9 champion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 at Goshen High School. A win there would send Yorktown to the state final four at Homer High School, June 6 and June 7.
“It’s universal, when you are coaching a team and you are doing it for the kids and you’re trying to give them the best chance to feel what it’s like to win a championship,” said Rescigno, who won 100 games as Yorktown’s tackle coach. “I was fortunate enough to win one (in 2017). I feel so blessed to be able to do it with these girls, it’s surreal. It’s a surreal feeling.”
Yorktown senior Eva Monaco, the Huskers’ leader in touchdown catches with 18, has been with the program for all three seasons, earning All-Section honors in each of the first two years.
“It feels amazing,” Monaco said. “I’ve watched all the girls on the team grow from, when we first started playing the sport when no one knew what they were doing and now we’re sectional champs. I’m just so proud of everyone.”
Second-year Husker defensive stalwart, senior Sydney Soliz, also said it was an amazing feeling to win the sectional title.
“We worked so hard and we got what we wanted,” Soliz said.
Yorktown sophomore quarterback Sophia Marcello was happy to win it for the seniors.
“It feels great, knowing these seniors have been here for it all,” Marcello said. “It feels amazing to win with them, because it’s their last year.”
Tappan Zee took a 7-0 lead by scoring on its 66-yard opening drive, that was finished with a 10-yard quarterback touchdown run but the Huskers’ stingy defense allowed just 7 points the rest of the game.
“We made a couple of adjustments in between downs, based on what they were doing to us,” Rescigno said. “Even offensively, we made a bunch of adjustments as well, seeing what they were doing and our kids responded. I am so proud of them, we had practices that went late. It’s a scramble to have a day and a half to get ready for a game and these girls answered the call at practice every single day and putting in extra time and when a game plan works, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Yorktown cut Tappan Zee’s lead to 7-6 when Marcello connected with Monaco on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 9:37 remaining in the second quarter.
“We saw the back corners being open on the field and we saw a weak point in their defense, and our amazing quarterback, Sophia Marcello, was able to throw it to me,” Monaco said.
Tappan Zee threatened late in the opening half but two sacks by Soliz prevented the Rockland County squad from scoring.
“It felt amazing to make [those sacks],” Soliz said. “We were focused the entire game, especially with all the practice we put into this game.”
Yorktown took a 12-7 lead when Marcello found Jordan Vought in the middle of the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 5:36 remaining in the third quarter.
“Jordan made a great catch getting open and it was a great play called by my coach,” Marcello said.
Two big catches by Erin Duffy, one down the sideline for 29 yards and one on fourth and six from the Tappan Zee 26, set up Yorktown’s final score.
“Erin is an amazing receiver,” Marcello said. “I always know I can rely on her. She just got open and made very good catches.”
Marcello sealed the win afterwards with a 6-yard touchdown run with 6:43 remaining in the game, putting Yorktown up 18-7.
“My coach called a good play for an endzone run and my teammates had amazing blocking that allowed me to get through the defenders,” Marcello said.
Chloe Quiles, Gabby Coppola, Mackenzie Meola, Kiera Mooney, Corinne Negrelli, Stephanie Douglas, Saige Randall, Liv DelGaudio, Mia Spiniello, Mia Chee, Sofia Gentile, Maddy Reilly, Sophia Miralles, Izzy Walling, Bridget O’Sullivan, Kayleigh Hung, Heilee Leonardo, Jeff Cerar (assistant coach), John Bronzi (assistant coach), Jack Mooney (manager), Mike Nardone (JV head coach) and Danielle Stabile (assistant JV coach) also were members of the Huskers’ sectional championship team.
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