After past heartbreaks, Albertus Magnus tops Rye Neck for Section 1 Class B softball title

GARNERVILLE - There was no punchline waiting to drop, or the cruel moment where Albertus Magnus wakes up just as the dream was starting to get good.

After suffering back-to-back nightmarish finals losses in each of the last two years, where the Falcons lost to Rye Neck in walkoff fashion both times, Albertus Magnus returned to the Section 1 Class B championship game to face off against the Panthers for the third straight year.

This time, the Falcons overcame those past heartbreaks and won in emphatic fashion, defeating the Panthers, 13-0, in Thursday's Section 1 Class B championship game at the Haverstraw Sports Complex in Garnerville.

"This was really special, because the past few years have been so heartbreaking," Albertus Magnus junior Maddie Geary said. "We lost by one run, in the last inning. Every year, we thought we had it, but it made us work a lot harder and we came in here knowing it would still be a fight, but we got the job done. We knew what we had to do."

While plenty of time had passed since those runner-up finishes, the Falcons never forgot. It also made Thursday's crowning moment that much sweeter. The third time was the charm for Albertus Magnus.

"We haven't stopped talking about it since two years ago," Albertus Magnus coach Carl D'Alba said. "Every single practice, we talk about it. This time, they went full throttle, they went after it and did what they were supposed to do. That's a great team over there, we tip our hats to them, they're well-coached. ... We wanted to score in those first couple innings, put pressure and just keep going."

While the previous two finals meetings came down to the final inning, Albertus Magnus pounced on the Panthers early.

It built a 4-0 lead after the first inning, and it eventually pulled away by scoring nine more runs across the third and fourth innings.

"That definitely brought our energy up, and it felt better to pitch in with a lead," Albertus Magnus junior Teagan Dwyer said. "It was definitely hard, especially facing adversity with this team (the last two years), but we grinded together, practiced and practiced, and we now we finally achieved our goal, so it feels great."

For Rye Neck, it was a tough way to end the season after back-to-back section titles, but the Panthers hold their heads up and focus on the positives.

"We finished 19-4, we won the league for the ninth year in a row," Rye Neck coach Joan Spedafino said. "These girls have worked so hard since January. I'm so proud of them, each and every one of them. They've done a great job, they're very committed to the team. We'll be back next year, and we'll work even harder."

What it means

Albertus Magnus has now won two section titles in the last four years. Thursday marked the Falcons' fourth straight finals appearance and their sixth Section 1 softball title in program history.

Unlike their 2021 section title win during the COVID-shortened season, the Falcons will get to move onto the regional rounds of the state tournament. They will face the Section 9 champion in Wednesday's NYSPHSAA Class B state regional semifinal at North Rockland High School. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Player of the game

Teagan Dwyer, Albertus Magnus: The junior ace was locked in, pitching a one-hit shutout, with 12 strikeouts and just one walk allowed. She also batted 2-for-2 with a double, triple, RBI and three runs scored to top off her all-around performance.

"I was just keeping it simple and going right at everyone, because I knew I could get it done," Dwyer on her approach in the circle.

By the numbers

No. 1 Albertus Magnus (15-2): Maddie Geary went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Aubrey Dwyer went 2-for- 2 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Vanessa Gonzalez was 1-for-1 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Nelly Arellano went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run. Lizzie Geary went 1-for-2 with a run scored. Liz Buhler added a RBI. Devlynn King-McDonough had a pinch-hit RBI.

No. 2 Rye Neck (19-4): Ariana Hammer had the Panthers' lone hit. Shelby Preisser had four strikeouts as pitcher.

They said it

"We worked on our confidence and energy. After the past two years, we knew that we could have done a lot of things better, but we worked on it and we evolved. I think it brought our team a lot closer, knowing what it feels like to lose like that the past few years, so we knew what we had to do." -Albertus Magnus junior Maddie Geary

"I'm so excited, because we're not done yet. We got a job to still do." -Albertus Magnus junior Teagan Dwyer

"It's night and day. They're a force to be reckoned with. I'm going to go out on a limb and say without question, we're one of the top teams in Rockland County and probably one of the top teams in the state. They're relentless. You hear them cheering from the first inning to the last inning, and they did not stop. We didn't get to compete in the state tournament (in 2021) and we're looking forward to it. There's some great competition out there, but we're more than ready." -Albertus Magnus coach Carl D'Alba on the core of his group, who has been starting since their freshman year in 2021

"They're both going to play at the next level and they never gave up. They always lead and they're two amazing young women and I can't wait to see what the next step is for them." -Rye Neck coach Joan Spedafino on longtime starters and seniors Ariana Hammer (Springfield) and Clare Picone (Monmouth)

Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Softball: Albertus Magnus tops Rye Neck for Section 1 Class B title