The past two years, top-seeded Yorktown, the No. 5-ranked Class B team in the state, and second-seeded Horace Greeley, ranked No. 15, have met for the Section 1 Class B title at Yorktown. The Huskers won the crown in 2024 before Greeley captured the title in 2025, the first sectional championship in program history.
Yorktown got its revenge by building a 7-1 halftime lead in this year's title clash June 3 and holding on for a 13-7 victory and the 43rd Section 1 championship in its storied history.
“It means everything,” said Yorktown’s JT Carney. “Our boys came back determined. Ever since that loss [last year], that terrible pain, we’ve been putting in that off-season work. It was all for this. I’m so happy to be with these boys and win a sectional title with them.”
The Huskers (15-4) now begin their quest for an eighth state championship when they face Section 9 champion Cornwall in the Region 1 Class B championship game at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, at Middletown High School.
Husker goalie Hunter Mezzatesta, who made 13 saves, earned the prestigious Con Edison Scholar-Athlete Award in May and will play next season at the University of Virginia, said the team definitely played with a chip on its shoulder.
“Coming into the season, that was definitely our main goal, to get back to where we were,” Mezzatesta said. “We knew that we had that game last year, fell short right at the end of it and we knew we could jog it back to where we are. We know the section championship belongs to Yorktown and coming into today, that was the main goal, bring the section championship back to Yorktown, and win it for this crowd, win it for this community, and win it for the alumni. Yorktown is the best.”
Yorktown coach Tim Schurr, who won his third sectional title as coach at his alma mater, was proud of his team's effort.
“You always want to have the opportunity to play again on the big stage in the big game,” Schurr said. “What facilitated this effort this year is our senior play. We have just a very bunch of good players, bunch of guys that really care about each other and their friends. We didn’t have a bunch of great players but we had a whole lot of good players and they played for each other and it was great.”
An unassisted goal by Tommy Carney, JT’s cousin, 2:28 into the game gave Yorktown a 1-0 lead before a goal by JT Carney (4G, 1A), assisted by Adian Concannon (1G, 2A).
JT Carney’s goal was set up by an outlet pass from Mezzatesta, which started the fast break.
“I trust my guys,” Mezzatesta said. “I know they are going to push in transition, wanted to get up and out, push for a goal, and as soon as I let that pass go, I knew it was going to be a goal right away. Again, I just trust my guys, they did a great job.”
Gianluca Marchini, off an assist from Concannon, scored with 32.9 seconds left and Ryan Fastiggi (1G, 1A) scored, unassisted with 1.2 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, giving Yorktown a 4-0 lead.
JT Carney scored unassisted 44 seconds into the second quarter before Greeley scored its first goal of the game. Frank Ofrias scored, assisted by Tommy Carney (2G, 2A), with 2:26 left in the second quarter before Tommy Carney scored unassisted off a fast break with 1:25 remaining before halftime, giving Yorktown a 7-1 advantage.
“A lot of that starts with the faceoff X with Tyler Caricati (13-19 faceoffs won),” Schurr said. “He sort of established some dominance there. Hunter played terrific in the goal. Their (Quakers) looks weren’t maybe the best for them and we played good team D and were opportunistic on the break. We got a lot of fast-break opportunities.”
Greeley answered by scoring the first 4 goals of the second half before the Huskers responded with goals by Concannon, unassisted, and JT Carney, assisted by Rowan Larsen, to take a 9-5 lead.
“They went on a little run, I felt like we got a little down on ourselves,” JT Carney said. “Thanks to our defense, it stepped up, got the ball back to us, and me and Aidan were able to finish shots, thanks to help from our teammates.”
Leading 11-7 in the fourth quarter, Yorktown got goals from JT Carney, assisted by Brady Sheridan (2G, 1A) and Vinny Marchini, unassisted, to seal the win and the title.
“[His goal] was big, because no lead is safe,” JT Carney said. “It was a great pass from my teammate (Sheridan). I’m just so happy to be here and so happy to win this championship.”
Kellen McGuire, Nick D'Andraia, Chase Reynolds, Eamon Coney, Evan Kurth, Danny Weissman, Matthew Hirsch, Michael Desiderio, Dom DeBellis, Jayden Tyndal, Sean Munnelly, Cooper Constantine, Anthony Cappelli, TJ Sammon, assistant coaches Tim Fallo, Colin Houlihan and Mike Salazzo, and managers Finn McEnore, Abby Scolarino and Ava Lerman also were members of Yorktown's sectional championship squad.
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