Class B field hockey championship: Yazzetti goal holds up as Lakeland beats Greeley 1-0

SHRUB OAK — Every year, fans of most good high school teams enter a season wondering whether this will be their team's time to win a section-championship.

But for fans of the Lakeland field hockey team, the opposite is true.

Accustomed to the team's incredible success,, some no doubt wonder, "Is this the year the team's long section championship winning streak ends?"

It will, of course.

Someday.

But Sunday was not that day.

The top-seeded Hornets, who over the years have collected 13 state titles, scored only once. in their Section 1 Class B final against No. 2-seed Horace Greeley.

But that goal proved to be enough as they defeated Greeley 1-0 to win their 15th consecutive Section 1 crown.

The goal came in the third quarter on a hard right-to-left, slightly-bad-angle shot by Emily Yazzetti, who'll play next year for Dean College.

The four-year varsity player noted, with Greeley goalie Meredith Dalrymple taking away the near post, she aimed far-post, hoping for a goal or a tip in by a teammate.

"It was the best feeling," she said of seeing the ball go in.

What it means

Greeley, whose fine fall included a 0-0 tie against undefeated Section 1 Class A champion Mamaroneck, finished the season 18-2-1. Its only other loss was also to Lakeland, 3-0, during the second week of September.

Lakeland, now 15-3-1 (which includes a one-goal loss to Mamaroneck and two losses to out-of-state teams) will play the Section 2 Class B winner in a state regional semifinal Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Guilderland High School.

Key plays

Both Greeley and Lakeland excelled defensively Sunday.

Starting Hornet keeper Maeve Dineen-Herzog saved the one shot she faced and Jenna Yazzetti, who came in to play the second half didn't face any shots despite the Quakers crossing multiple times into Lakeland territory.

She was in net when Greeley seemed to come within a hair of knotting the score in the fourth quarter, just missed redirecting a crossing pass inside the far post.

Dalrymple was credited with only five saves but a couple were excellent.

She would have faced more shots but her defenders had, like Lakeland's defenders, huge performances.

In part, sophomore Eve Rutman had a tremendous game with multiple pickoffs and steals. She also carried the ball for 10, 15 and even 20 or more yards, helping generate offense.

Multiple other Quakers also came up big defensively, including Dani Halperin and Nina Byrne.

But Lakeland also countered with its own stops and takeaways. After Rutman made what seemed to be a huge steal with 2:50 to play, for instance, Lakeland's Gabby Santini took the ball back moments later.

And throrughout the game, Greeley had a tough time getting around players like Emma Numme, Bella Basulto and Gabby Santini.

With Greeley pulling out all the stops to try to get down the field to net the tying goal, Emily Daniel stole the ball for Lakeland with about 90 seconds remaining.

Santini later killed off better than 30 seconds, essentially playing keep-away with two Greeley players.

They said it

It might have been a surprise that some teams went as far as they did in the playoffs. But Greeley's run was no surprise.

Neither was it a surprise to coach Sukhi Sandhu that his 2023 Quakers were as strong as they were throughout the season.

Class A field hockey championship: Mamaroneck stays undefeated, beating Clarkstown 4-0

"I knew we were only losing two seniors (from last year). I thought we'd have a good, strong crew," he said.

The fact the final was as close as it was also didn't surprise him. He said Greeley and Lakeland were very similar teams.

"I think we walked in with so much energy," Rutman said. "Our mental part was great. We were fighting hard. ... It (losing) was no one's fault. I think we played really well today."

While many fans are cognizant of the Lakeland section title streak, the senior Basulto said her team wasn't affected by it.

"This team just tuned it out. I don't think we were focused on the (streak). We were focused on wanting to win as a team," she said. "We wanted it like we were first getting it."

Basulto added she'd watched Mamaroneck celebrate its Class A championship prior to the Lakeland-Greeley game and had said, "I want that feeling at the end of this game."

Wish granted.

Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Section 1 Class B field hockey: Lakeland edges Greeley in title game