Lakeland/Panas’ Kevin Prunty (3) celebrates with teammates after a first half goal against Mahopac during a lacrosse game at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak April 21, 2016. Lakeland/Panas won the game 11-6.

Lakeland/Panas’ Kevin Prunty (3) turns the corner on Mahopac’s Andrew Evans (18) during a lacrosse game Thursday at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak. Lakeland/Panas won, 11-6.

SHRUB OAK – A couple of kids got bigger. A couple of kids got smaller.

Everyone got better.

Lakeland/Panas again ranks among the best teams in Section 1 after struggling last spring. The Rebels quickly distanced themselves from Mahopac on Thursday, endured a bumpy second half and hanging on for an 11-6 win.

The growing pains are officially a distant memory.

“What’s funny about last year is everybody affiliated with the program knew exactly what we had,” L/P head coach Jim Lindsay said. “We were young. … We were what we were. Everyone else seemed to be shocked by (a 5-11 season).”

The Rebels have won six in a row and go into a weekend game at Shenendehowa with a 7-1 record.

“Last season was not good for the Lakeland/Panas name so this winter we were at it every day, building team chemistry, getting faster and stronger,” senior attackman Kevin Prunty said. “We all want to avenge everything that happened to us last year.”

Lakeland/Panas’ Drew Thompson (12) turns the corner on Mahopac’s Tom Wilson (2) during a lacrosse game Thursday at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak. Lakeland/Panas won, 11-6.

The chemistry is undeniable.

Joe Cortese got the Rebels going, legging around the right side and letting fly with 10:25 to go in the first. JoJo Janavey went spinning in for the next one and Prunty hammered one in off the goalie.

The Indians had to call a time out to slow the momentum.

Nick Vazquez came up with a trio of faceoff wins and, with 2:01 to play in the quarter, Lakeland/Panas was sitting on a 6-0 lead.

The ball movement was textbook.

Lakeland/Panas’ Kevin Prunty (3) turns the corner on Mahopac’s Andrew Evans (18) during a lacrosse game Thursday at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak.

“We knew we couldn’t come out sluggish like we have in the past, not against a team like Mahopac, so we came out firing and, luckily, we got a lot of early goals to give us some momentum,” Prunty said.

Drew Thomson stretched the lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter before Andrew Evans finally scored to end the demoralizing run.

Mahopac is just 3-6, but has been able to compete for stretches.

“We definitely need one quality win to get us going,” Indians midfielder Dan Foley said. “We’ve been in just about every game, so I think we’ll get there. Our spurts of greatness have been very short. We’ll play well for three minutes, and the next five, we’ll be lacking.”

More: Upsets galore! Lohud Boys Lacrosse Scoreboard: April 21

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Lakeland/Panas players celebrate a first half goal against Mahopac.

Mahopac got within 10-6 in the final minute of the third quarter, but Rebels goalie Kevin Dyckman came up with two interceptions and one stop in the middle of the fourth quarter to end the comeback there.

Player of the game: Prunty is living up to the family name. He showed off a power overhand shot, finishing with three goals and four assists.

Turning point: Andrew Evans ranks among the best players in Section 1 at the faceoff, but Vazquez, who’s moved back to close defense this season and faces off with a pole, went 5-2 against the Mahopac standout in the first quarter to help the Rebels build a substantial lead.

Stat line: Evans won 10 of 14 faceoffs after the opening quarter. … Tommy Murray had two goals and one assist for Mahopac. … Dyckman finished with 14 saves. … Thompson added two goals for L/P and Cortese had one goal and three assists.

Quotable: “They play together a lot,” Lindsay said of his team’s chemistry and willingness to share the ball. “I don’t have a Christian Donahoe or a Foley who can just man-child you and go to the goal. It’s like anything else in the classroom. The kids need to understand why are we doing this and once they understand why they’ll buy into it.”

Twitter: @lohudlacrosse

Pearl River’s Kevin Scrima gets a hit during a game at Albertus Magnus April 22, 2016. Pearl River won 7-5.

Pearl River’s Dolan Ocasal is safe at third and ran to home as the throw got past Albertus Magnus’ Frank Margiotta during their game at Albertus April 22, 2016. Pearl River won 7-5.

BARDONIA – After losing to Albertus Magnus back on Tuesday, Pearl River knew what was coming in Friday’s rematch: high 80’s to 90-mile-per-hour pitches from the Falcons’ ace pitcher, James Reilly.

Pearl River prepped for the James Madison-bound senior by taking similarly-paced pitches in batting practice.

It paid off. The Pirates jumped on Reilly early, scoring three runs in the first inning. The rest of the way, they held off a persistent Albertus Magnus offense and grinded out a 7-5 win.

“We didn’t play the cleanest game, but we battled every pitch and just got the job done,” Pearl River head coach Mike Oliva said. “It’s nice to get one after dropping games to Tappan Zee on Monday and to Albertus on Tuesday. It’s a big, big win for us.”

After going down early, Albertus Magnus fought back and came close to tying at a couple points, but were unable to get the tying run.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Falcons chased Pearl River starting pitcher Kevin Scrima after a ground-rule double from Jake Rivera drove in a run. After Tim Urban replaced Scrima on the mound, Joseph Ottaviano cut Pearl River’s lead to 4-3 on a sacrifice fly.

After Pearl River scored twice in the top if the fifth inning, Albertus Magnus scored twice on Urban in the bottom of the fifth inning. With a runner on second, Reilly drove a hard line drive into right field, but Scrima was able to make a difficult catch to preserve Pearl River’s lead.

“We made seven errors; it’s tough to win a game when you make that many errors and also leave eight runners on base,” Albertus Magnus head coach Dan Freeman said. “Pearl River is a very good team, the whole league is very good. We got Nanuet on Tuesday, and that’s what our attention is on now.”

Pearl River, a team that returned seven of its nine starters from last season, is now 7-3. Earlier in the season, the Pirates upset defending sectional champs Byram Hills and also swept league rival Nyack in the season series.

“This win got us back in the league, we’re 3-1 in league, and we’re rolling now,” Pearl River catcher Sean Flaherty said. “We’re back on track and we’re ready to get Lincoln tomorrow.”

Pearl River baseball won 7-5 at Albertus Magnus April 22, 2016.

“When they got a couple men on, I knew I couldn’t fall back, I had to keep pushing,” he said. “I knew my teammates had my back. They helped me through it.”Player of the game: Joe Sassano, Pearl River. The junior took the mound in the sixth inning and shut down Albertus Magnus to earn the six-out save. He only allowed two baserunners (both on errors) and retired three consecutive batters in the top of the seventh inning to clinch the win.

Turning point: After Albertus Magnus’ two-run fourth inning, Pearl River rallied in the top of the fifth-inning. With two out, the Pirates put runners on first and second after a double from Scrima and a hit-by-pitch on Chris Sabino. On the following at-bat, Flaherty hit a ball into the left outfield gap. He was thrown out going for the triple, but not before Scrima and Sabino scored to put Pearl River back up 6-3.

Quotable: “We had the same game with them last year, and we ended up losing, but our experience has really carried us this year,” Flaherty said of the team’s veteran presence. “This was huge; they beat us and we had to make sure we got them back. They were throwing their ace, so we were excited to come and play.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud

Bronxville’s Mac Crawford looks for an opening in front of Somers’ Jack Baukham, Tyler Carr and Joe Hashmall during their lacrosse game at Somers High School, April 23, 2016.

LINCOLNDALE – There was a dose of humility built into the schedule.

After opening the season with four consecutive wins, Somers was confronted by a litany of elite teams. The losses began to accumulate, leaving the Tuskers at .500.

“We talked about what it means to be tough and resilient and I think all of these guys have been tough and resilient throughout,” head coach Vin DeGregorio said. “It was obviously tough to go through a stretch like that, but it’s amazing to see these guys continue to believe and execute.”

And then something unexpected happened.

Somers pulled off an upset at John Jay on Thursday. The Tuskers followed up with an impressive 7-4 win on Saturday against Bronxville.

They have to be considered a contender now.

Somers’ Andrew Lowman fires off the ball in front of Bronxville’s Dylan James during their lacrosse game at Somers High School, April 23, 2016.

“We were hoping for one win,” Tuskers midfielder Andrew Lowman said of the stretch that began with games against Lakeland/Panas, Fox Lane, Rye, and Yorktown. “This is definitely the meat of our schedule. We’re proud to have a pair of wins in those games, and if we get through the end of our season without any problems, we’ll go into the playoffs on a roll.”

Learning on the fly was critical to stopping the losing streak.

Somers had to be especially patient on Saturday against the Broncos, who are suddenly a possession team. They were missing five starters, including standout attackmen Jerry Frost and R.J. Ambrose and reliable faceoff specialist Ralph Chrappa.

“We’ve always been a run-and-gun team, but we have to slow it down now,” head coach Tim Horgan said. “We’re hoping to keep it close for three quarters and see what happens.”

The game was tied, 3-3, late in the third.

Lowman found open space inside the Bronxville zone defense with three minutes to play in the quarter and gave the Tuskers the lead. He picked up a rebound off the post a short time later and made it a 5-3 game.

Somers played with remarkable calm at both ends in a tight game.

“We know that we’re good and we just want to compete and start playing our best lacrosse in May because that’s when we want to win our games,” Roediger said. “We’ve come really far. At the beginning of the season, not many of us had played together offensively. We were kind of young. As the season has gone along, we’ve found our groove.”

Alston Tarry got the Broncos with a goal, but Joe Hashmall ended any thoughts of a comeback with a pair of late goals.

Player of the game: Roediger. He kept the ball moving early on when the Tuskers were struggling to make anything happen against the zone. Roediger finished with a pair of goals and had a beautiful assist from behind the cage on the Lowman goal than snapped a 3-3 tie.

Turning point: It took some reminders, but Somers did keep moving without the ball and found a hole in the middle of an otherwise pesky zone defense in the final minutes of the third quarter. Lowman set up inside for both of his goals.

Stat line: Mike Couture added one goal and one assist for the Tuskers. … Somers went 10-4 on faceoffs. … Ara Atayan gave Bronxville a 2-0 lead with a pair of first-quarter goals. … Tarry also scored twice.

Quotable: “I can’t even describe the impact of having two quality wins in a stretch like that,” DeGregorio said. “My hat’s off to the kids. We want to play in a Section 1 championship and we want to win. Having 27 guys believe in it is a sight to see. Pushing through a tough spot and reaping the benefits of correcting our mistakes is all you could ever ask for as a coach.”

Twitter:@lohudlacrosse

Somers’ Vincent Cartelli fires off a shot past Bronxville’s Jack Gelinas during their lacrosse game at Somers High School, April 23, 2016.

John Jay’s Jake Loeb is pressured by Fox Lane’s Matt Leader during their game at Fox Lane April 25, 2016. John Jay won 12-11.

John Jay’s Jackson Rieger is pressured by Fox Lane’s Will Purcell during their game at Fox Lane April 25, 2016. John Jay won 12-11.

John Jay’s Jack Marschke is pressured by Fox Lane’s Jack Gorman during their game at Fox Lane April 25, 2016. John Jay won 12-11.

BEDFORD – There probably isn’t a team in Section 1 capable of stopping a high-powered Fox Lane offense, but John Jay was able to make the Foxes think for several minutes with a well-executed zone defense.

And that was enough.

The Indians watched a sizable lead melt away down the stretch, but scrambled and held on in the last four minutes of a 12-11 win.

“We knew it was going to be a crazy,” said Josh Rubin, who gave John Jay a five-goal advantage in the final minutes of the third quarter. They’re offense is really good. Our offense is really good. Both defenses have struggled at times. There was a little back and forth at the end, and it got scary for a minute there, but we closed it out, found a way.”

Exhale.

The Indians were fidgety at the start, but settled in and exacted a measure of revenge after losing here last spring.

“A lot of the guys know each other, so it’s personal, too,” John Jay defenseman Jack Marschke said.

The Foxes (8-2) came out firing, but had some issues handling the ball.

“We were up 4-1, but we turned the ball over seven times on the offensive end (in the first quarter) and you’re not going to win doing that,” Fox Lane coach Chris Coughlin said. “The second and third quarters they killed us on ground balls. Faceoffs, we got better as the game went on, but they destroyed us in the middle portion of the game.”

Exactly.

Marschke began winning faceoffs and the Indians picked up nearly every ball that touched the turf. In a matter of two minutes, Gus Carlson, Bryce Ford and Rubin made it a 4-4 game.

The Indians (7-3) were up 6-5 at the half.

“I’ve been playing against Cullen Morgan for a while,” Marschke said. “I know what he’s got. Cullen is a very good player and God knows he’s destroyed me on faceoffs in the past. I just had a good day. Once you get it going, you just have to keep it going.”

They did exactly that.

John Jay opened the second half with four more goals before Matt Magnan cranked in a response with 3:37 to go in the third quarter to make it a 10-6 lead.

The zone made it very difficult to sustain a run.

It was a 12-10 deficit after Magnan pinballed inside for a goal and Matt Leader scored with 4:29 to go to make it a one-possession game. Both teams made mistakes in the final minutes, but the Indians hung onto the ball just long enough to prevent overtime.

Power rankings: Lakeland/Panas continues to win, continues to climb

Player of the game: Marschke. He gave John Jay momentum winning 13 of 15 faceoffs in the second and third quarter.

Turning point: Fox Lane got within 11-9 with 9:32 to play and was all riled up, but Marschke won the next faceoff and Dean Ford scored off a Matt Lupinacci setup with 8:10 remaining. He won the one after that, as well, letting the Indians run a little more clock.

Stat line:  Rubin led John Jay with four goals and freshman midfielder Bryce Ford had a career-best three goals and one assist. … Colin Smith made 16 saves for the Foxes while Magnan and Matt Leader each scored five goals. Thomas Tenney and Cullen Morgan each had two assists.

Quotable: “You’re kind of nervous as a freshman, stepping into big shoes, but in the second half, the coaches put a lot of faith in me,” Bryce Ford said. “It’s lacrosse and I’ve loved it since I was little, so I kept my cool and it paid off.”

Twitter: @lohudlacrosse

Harrison tops Eastchester 8 – 5 in a varsity softball game at Harrison High School on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

Harrison’s Gina Nuvoloni (4) puts a tag on Eastchester baserunner Daniella Chiodi (2) during a varsity softball game at Harrison High School on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

Harrison third baseman Christina DeCarlo (16) reaches for a throw as Eastchester’s Sophia Tiso (11) slides in to the third base during a varsity softball game at Harrison High School on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

Eastchester catcher Amanda Cermele (16) attempts a tag on Harrison’s Lindsay McConway (10) during a varsity softball game at Harrison High School on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

HARRISON – In a field of competition that is littered with parity, Harrison is just another Class A team trying to separate itself from the pack. The drive for a Section 1 title starts in league play, and the Huskies took a giant leap toward a league title Thursday afternoon.

Stevie Carpiniello’s leadoff triple in the bottom of the fourth sparked a five-run inning for the Huskies, who topped league foe Eastchester 8-5. Freshman Lindsay McConway put Harrison on top with an RBI single that plated Carpiniello, then delivered again in the fifth with another RBI single that brought home Carpiniello.

“It was a really big win for us. We needed this win,” said McConway, who is hitting just under .600 for the season. “I just know I need to get the run in no matter what. I have to do anything to drive it in.”

McConway was one of several freshmen to come up big Thursday. Lila Movagero brought in two runs after a hard grounder was botched at shortstop, and freshman Tamara Day — the younger sister of three-year starting pitcher Taylor — earned the win in the circle.

Harrison (6-2) is flooded with underclassmen, including sophomore pitcher Sydney Briaotta, who picked up the save in relief, but Huskies head coach Dean Marino said he sees a maturity in his team that has translated to the field.

“There’s no selfish kids on this team,” Marino said. “They are for one another. They don’t care about their stats — that stuff is big with kids — they don’t care. This team understands that a ground ball to second base to move a runner to win a game is sometimes more important than a double when there’s two outs and nobody on base.”

That maturity comes, in part, from great senior leadership. Marino pointed to senior captain Christina DeCarlo calling a timeout for the infield to talk and regroup as an example of the team’s cohesiveness.

Harrison tops Eastchester 8 – 5 in a varsity softball game at Harrison High School on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

“Our program has always been strong, and I just feel like as the players get stronger and have better relationships together, we just become a stronger team and we play better as teammates,” said DeCarlo, a fifth-year varsity player.

Eastchester (8-4) jumped out to a two-run lead before the Huskies responded with seven unanswered runs. Jessica Becchetti plated the first run of the game on a hard grounder that was mishandled at shortstop, and the Eagles tacked on another after an error at third base.

Twitter: @Zacchio_LoHud, @LoHudSoftball

Blind Brook senior midfielder Mackenzie Korpi (left) poses with Josh Rosson, whom she accepted a promposal from, after her team’s 7-6 win over Sleepy Hollow at Blind Brook High School on Thursday, April 28th, 2016.

RYE BROOK – At the start of Blind Brook’s league match against Sleepy Hollow, Mackenzie Korpi was anxious.

Sitting at 199 career goals, the senior midfielder had missed on her first three scoring chances of the game.

After earning a free position midway through the half, she made no mistake on her fourth try.

“I always get nervous on a free position with the goalie staring you down, but I just went for it,” she said. “It feels really good; I’ve worked for this since eighth grade, so it feels really good to accomplish it.”

Afterward, the goals started to come for Blind Brook’s star player. She kept her team in it after Sleepy Hollow tied the score in the second half, and with 0.8 seconds left, she scored in dramatic fashion to give her team a 7-6 win.

“I wasn’t really looking at the clock,” said Korpi, who finished with five goals. “I just shot it and it went in.”

Girls lacrosse: JV call-up Leah Holmes helps Mamaroneck hand Scarsdale first loss

Girls lacrosse: Scoreboard for Thursday, 4/28

Girls lacrosse: Taking Beast of the Week nominations​

The game stopped after Korpi’s 200th career goal. She received the game ball, balloons and a promposal, complete with a sign and red roses.

“That was a surprise,” she said. “I was not expecting that at all.”

Earlier in the season against Sleepy Hollow, Korpi scored eight goals. That game, however, came in a 15-13 loss.

“She is one of those players who is very shifty; she’s quick,” Sleepy Hollow head coach Blair Moynahan said. “She’s a smart player and she showed it at the end of the game.”

After the game, Korpi said that she and her younger sister, Brynn, the team’s seventh-grade goalie who got the win, would go out to celebrate, though they weren’t exactly sure where.

“Maybe pizza,” she said.

Player of the game: Mackenzie Korpi, Blind Brook. She came up big when her team needed it the most. She finished the game with five goals.

Turning point: Blind Brook led 4-2 early in the second half, but Sleepy Hollow got back-to-back goals from Dominique Marchini and Marissa Fortugno eight seconds apart to tie the score with 23:16 left.

With the teams tied at 6-6 with 16 seconds left, Sleepy Hollow’s Natalie Smith was called for a dangerous follow-through on a shot attempt and was given a yellow card. After a Blind Brook timeout, Korpi got the ball in the defensive end, ran it all the way down to the Sleepy Hollow net and powered a shot in for the winning goal.

Stat line: Joie Goodman and Eleni Kohilakis rounded out the scoring for Blind Brook, while Brynn Korpi made 11 saves. … For Sleepy Hollow, Sophia Meyer scored twice, Fortugno had a goal and two assists, Taylor Burnett had a goal and an assist, Smith had a goal and Hannah Lustyik made 11 saves.

Quotable: “She’s a phenomenal athlete, but the best part of Mackenzie is that she’s a true scholar-athlete,” Blind Brook head coach Mike Martino said. “She’s a team player. She wanted to make sure that her 200th came when it was supposed to come, not because she was forcing it or just trying to get her goal. She wanted to take care of the team first.”

Twitter:@Szkolar_Lohud

John Jay’s Tierney Spencer (10) breaks away from Lakeland/Panas’ Kristina Davis (8) during a lacrosse game at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 29, 2016. John Jay won the game 14-11.

John Jay’s Jenna Donohue (12) fires a shot for a first half against Lakeland/Panas during a lacrosse game at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 29, 2016. John Jay won the game 14-11.

From right, John Jay’s Jacque Manno (15) knocks the ball away from Lakeland/Panas’ Kelsey McCrudden (9) during a lacrosse game at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 29, 2016. John Jay won the game 14-11.

John Jay’s Cameron Crawford (7) breaks for the goal against Lakeland/Panas during a lacrosse game at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 29, 2016. John Jay won the game 14-11.

John Jay players celebrate a first half goal by Jacque Manno (15) against Lakeland/Panas during a lacrosse game at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt April 29, 2016. John Jay won the game 14-11.

CORTLANDT – At the start of the season, John Jay took its lumps.

The Indians, a team featuring six freshmen, most of whom play big minutes, started the year 1-7, including crushing losses to Yorktown, Scarsdale and North Rockland.

This week, however, may be something of a coming-out party for John Jay.

After upsetting Fox Lane by a goal on Wednesday, the Indians came out strong in Friday’s game against Lakeland/Panas to score a 14-11 win.

Suddenly, the Indians find themselves on a four-game winning streak.

“The beginning of the season was tough, not winning a lot, but I think we all really wanted it,” John Jay senior Laura Minard said. “The younger players are all stepping up and working really hard.”

Within the first minute, John Jay got goals from Jacque Manno and Cara O’Reilly to take a 2-0 lead. After Lakeland/Panas’ Gianna Napoli cut John Jay’s lead in half, the Indians reeled off five unanswered goals, the last one on a free position from freshman Jenna Donohue, to take a 7-1 lead with 10:58 left in the half.

“We all had confidence in ourselves because we knew when we came together as a team, we’re a great team,” John Jay freshman O’Reilly said. “We’re having more composure and patience, and not just forcing shots. We’re really working together and looking for the open pass.”

Girls lacrosse: Blind Brook’s Korpi scores 200th, winner, prom proposal

Girls lacrosse: Taking Beast of the Week nominations​

Lakeland/Panas fought back and scored four of the last five goals of the half to cut John Jay’s lead to 8-5 at halftime, but it was unable to overcome the slow start.

It is the third loss in four games for the Rebels, who also suffered a 15-11 loss at Brewster on Monday.

“We put ourselves in a hole, and it was difficult to come out of that,” Lakeland/Panas head coach Rebecca DiSisto said. “The girls battled hard out of our first timeout, which was really great to see, but that kind of held us down as the game went on.”

Having graduated a large senior class from last year’s team, including two All-America selections in Amanda Flayhan and Emma Gorman, John Jay head coach Ali Steinberg said during the preseason that her nerves about the team dissipated when she saw the players’ dedication.

With sectionals only a few games away, it looks like that hard work is starting to pay off at the right time for the young Indians.

“Me as a player individually, I’ve gotten better because I haven’t been forcing the ball in and I’m seeing the goal better,” said O’Reilly, who also scored the winning goal with 31 seconds left in Wednesday’s win against Fox Lane. “We’re not going to get cocky about this because we know every game is going to be as hard as the first one, but we can do it if we stick to it.”

Player of the game: Laura Minard, John Jay. While freshmen featured prominently, the senior led the team with four goals, including what turned out to be the winning goal with 10:09 left in the game to put her team up 12-8.

Turning point: After Minard’s goal put John Jay up by four, Lakeland/Panas got consecutive goals from Carlyn Mucci and Caroline Cahill to cut the deficit to 12-10 with 8:51 left. Following a timeout, John Jay won the ensuing draw control and got a free-position goal from Tristen Novak to bump the lead to 13-10.

Stat line: For John Jay, Donohue finished with three goals and five draw controls, O’Reilly and fellow freshman Cameron Crawford both had two-goal, three-assist games, freshman Tyman Cronin had a goal, and Kelly McKeon made five saves in net. … For Lakeland/Panas, Katie Bradbury had four goals, Cahill scored twice, Valerie Perkins had two goals and an assist, Gianna Napoli had a goal and three assists, and Caitlin Jackson made eight saves.

Quotable: “Our assistant coach played here (at Lakeland/Panas), so it’s also that much more exciting; we played for her,” Minard said. “We’re on a four-game winning streak, and going into the rest of the season, we’re confident and we really want it.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud

Suffern’s Elizabeth Trojan (20) cradles the ball during a girls lacrosse game against St. Anthony’s at Suffern Middle School in Suffern on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Suffern won 8-7.

Suffern’s Allison Iodice (11) works the ball against a St. Anthony’ defender during a girls lacrosse game at Suffern Middle School in Suffern on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Suffern won 8-7.

Suffern’s Hannah Newman (6) works the ball against a St. Anthony defender during a girls lacrosse game at Suffern Middle School in Suffern on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Suffern won 8-7.

Suffern’s Elizabeth Trojan (20) cradles the ball during a girls lacrosse game against St. Anthony’s at Suffern Middle School in Suffern on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Suffern won 8-7.

Suffern girls lacrosse defeats St. Anthony 8-7 at Suffern Middle School in Suffern on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

SUFFERN – With 9:06 left in the first half of Suffern’s game against Long Island power St. Anthony’s on Saturday, it looked like a similar story would play out for the Mounties, who found themselves down by four goals against the CHSAA power.

Suffern battled back from a five-goal deficit two weeks ago at Cold Spring Harbor but came up short. Two weeks before that, the Mounties suffered a first-half beatdown from Garden City in an eventual loss.

Saturday’s game would have a different ending.

Suffern battled back to tie the score, then with 3:29 left took the lead on a goal from Liz Trojan off an assist by Alli Iodice. Iodice won the ensuing draw control cleanly, and the Mounties ran out the clock for a come-from-behind 8-7 win.

“We knew we had to snap out of it; before the game, we knew that we had to get a big Long Island win,” Trojan said. “We’re more of a second-half team. We knew we had to come out and play the way we know how to.”

The Mounties improved to 7-3. All three losses have come against Long Island schools, including a 10-8 loss at Wantagh earlier this week.

“We needed a Long Island win,” Suffern junior defender Alyssa Conklin said. “We showed we can beat upstate teams, we can beat New Jersey teams. Long Island is a lacrosse powerhouse, so to beat a Long Island team is a big thing.”

Although Suffern has struggled at times in the first half of games, the team’s conditioning level, partly helped by running on the high school’s large hill during the preseason, gives the Mounties an advantage late in games.

Girls lacrosse: John Jay uses strong start to pick up another upset win

Girls lacrosse: Scoreboard for Saturday, 4/30

Girls lacrosse: Taking Beast of the Week nominations​

“We played very well defensively as a team today; we talked, we slid and we anticipated things,” Conklin said. “It showed that we knew how to take our composure and our way through the entire game. We didn’t get nervous.”

St. Anthony’s fell to 10-3. The Friars’ other losses were to Cold Spring Harbor and to Manhasset, the latter of which Suffern will host next Saturday.

“Hopefully, we can have another Long Island win,” Conklin said.

Player of the game: Liz Trojan, Suffern. In addition to scoring the winning goal, the senior midfielder also scored the opening goal, as well two game-tying goals late. She finished the game with a team-high four goals to go with one assist.

Turning point: Suffern battled back in the first half and got goals from Jess Gay and Reilly Drab to cut St. Anthony’s lead to 5-3 at halftime. In the second half, Suffern managed to tie the score 6-6 on a goal from Trojan, but St. Anthony’s Sabrina Cristodero scored off a free position with 9:39 left to put the Friars back up a goal. A minute later, a goal by Trojan, set up by Jordan Drab, tied the score again at 7-7.

Stat line: For Suffern, Reilly Drab scored twice, Jordan Drab added a goal, Iodice had two assists, and Mikaila Cheeseman made four saves. … For St. Anthony’s, Kira Accettella, Cristodero and Meaghan Graham all had two-goal games, Emily O’Neill had a goal, Maggie Reynolds had an assist, and Delaney Galvin made five saves.

Quotable: “Throughout the year, they’ve been digging themselves a hole out there on the Island. This time, we were able to keep it close going into halftime,” Suffern assistant coach Mike Sullivan said. “The girls have been working hard, they are in great shape. They’ve been dedicated in practice to their conditioning and it’s starting to pay off, especially in big games like this.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud

Scenes from the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Isabella DeBucco, 7, from Stony Point runs an obsticle course at the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Liam McCaffrey, 8, from Stony Point crawls under a rainbow parachute at the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Kimberly Palma, 8, from Haverstraw shows off her hula hoop skills at the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Cody Ellis, 8, from Thiells runs an obsticle course at the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

THIELLS – Above the noise of hundreds of children and teenagers frolicking about the confines of North Rockland High School, above the tunes coming out of the DJ’s speakers on the football fields, a car alarm rang through the air at the second annual “Sports Day” for charity.

While it would be conceivable, even assumed, to think the ruckus could be coming from one of the cars crammed into the school’s annex parking lot, the commotion was actually traced to the event’s Zumba station, where Rachael Santos and her crew teammates were dancing along to the energetic sounds.

“It was very interesting. I never really heard anything like it (in a song),” said Santos, a sophomore, who added she would likely bust a move the next time someone’s alarm is going off. “I’ll be like, ‘Oh, I know this dance!’”

When not taking part in the Saturday-afternoon jam session, Santos and her teammates ran one of the 25 sports stations at the event, which raises money for charities such as Stand Up to Cancer, Friends of Karen, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

“It’s really fun to see a little kid wanting to participate (in crew), it just warms my heart,” she said, pressing her cupped hands against her chest.

Those kids could, with any luck, be the Red Raiders of tomorrow.

Junior varsity girls lacrosse player Emily Guzinski spent her time instructing boys and girls of varying ages in everything from cradling, to shooting, to fancy ball-handling tricks.

“It’s hard controlling the ball when they’re young because they don’t have the same skill level, but they learn quickly and they pick it up easily,” said Guzinski, an eighth-grader. “I had a bunch of kids earlier who were saying they were going to try out for the lacrosse team. That’s awesome, that’s what we want.”

Junior varsity lacrosse player, Emily Cooney, left give a shooting lesson to Raymond Hilario-Saverino, 8, at the second annual "Sports Day for Charity" event at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Members of the North Rockland baseball team got an early look at a potential under-the-radar recruit in 12-year-old Alan Tat, who was hitting ropes from both sides of the plate despite it being just his third time playing the game.

“I only do swimming, soccer, and martial arts,” said Tat, a second-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, a Korean-style form of fighting that combines elements of karate and kung fu. “I just like the feel of (baseball). I like the adrenaline in you.”

Event coordinator Jen LaBier, the North Rockland varsity tennis coach, estimated close to $20,000 had been raised, with the goal of $15,000 being reached before the start of the event. Additional money was raised Saturday through admission fees, T-shirt sales, and food and drink sales. North Rockland security said approximately 2,000 people came and went throughout the day.

Related: North Rockland ‘Sports Day’ helps its own

Related: North Rockland ‘Sports Day’ raises thousands for charity

LaBier and her third-grade Stony Point Elementary class locked down more than 80 sponsors for the event, at various levels of contribution.

Sabrett, one of five platinum sponsors, donated 1,200 hot dogs, onions, mustard, and the use of a cart, while Nanuet’s Rockland Bakery donated the buns. Brega Transport Corporation, which is based in Valley Cottage, pledged to buy any unsold hot dogs.

Twitter: @Zacchio_LoHud

Yorktown’s Carli Mager carried the ball upfield while being watched by Bronxville’s Allie Berkery (left) and Lucy Hanrahan during a Section 1 girls lacrosse game between Yorktown and Bronxville at Charlie Murphy Field at Yorktown High School on Monday, May 2nd, 2016. Yorktown won 12-7.

Yorktown celebrates after scoring goal during the first half of a Section 1 girls lacrosse game between Yorktown and Bronxville at Charlie Murphy Field at Yorktown High School on Monday, May 2nd, 2016. Yorktown won 12-7.

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – Yorktown had heard about the exploits of Bronxville’s offense.

They heard about a well-balanced attack that has averaged over 16 goals per game this season.

On Monday, the Huskers’ disciplined defense and patient style stymied Bronxville’s offense for the first time this season. They held the Broncos to a single first half goal and dominated possession in a 12-7 win.

“It feels great because Bronxville is a great team, and we knew it was going to be a tough game coming out,” Yorktown senior attack Katie Comerford said. “The goal of the game was to want it for the whole fifty minutes.”

The teams exchanged goals to start the game, but Yorktown scored six unanswered goals to end the first half up 7-1.

“We were communicating a lot, we were executing our plan and our goalie, Catherine (Calidonna) played really well today,” Yorktown junior defender Carli Mager said. “We knew they had a potent offense and a really good defense as well, so we knew we were going to have to play well from end-to-end.”

The last of those goals came with only 15 seconds left after Yorktown possessed the ball for over two minutes. After working the ball around, Rilea Fusco found Casey Duff close to the goal for a high-percentage look.

“Give Yorktown a lot of credit, they played pretty close to a perfect game, I didn’t see many turnovers, and we turned the ball over way too much,” Bronxville head coach Sharon Robinson said. “They are a phenomenal program that we respect immensely. We just didn’t get the job done today.”

The win was a strong way for Yorktown to get back in the win column, with the Huskers’ last game being a 12-11 loss to Greenwich back on Friday.

Playing a non-league schedule tougher than maybe anyone else in all of Section 1, Yorktown has already suffered a couple of tough losses, including losses to Connecticut power Darien and Long Island’s Bayport-Blue Point.

On Saturday, Yorktown will play yet another out-of-area opponent in New Canaan.

Girls lacrosse: Power and Class Rankings, Week 4

Girls lacrosse: Beast of the Week: Brewster’s Lauren Craft

“They are another hard opponent that we have this year,” said. “It’s going to be a challenging game, but we just have to want it for the whole fifty minutes.”

Monday’s game was also a “pink” game for Ovarian Cancer awareness. Yorktown’s players wore pink socks, while Bronxville’s players wore pink headbands. On Saturday, Yorktown’s team held a car wash and raised money for the Support Connection, a local breast and ovarian cancer support organization.

Back in the fall, Bronxville donated money to Yorktown junior varsity player Brielle Furci, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian cancer. She is currently playing after undergoing chemotherapy.

“Sharon reached out right away when Brielle was diagnosed, and her girls did some clinics and sent some money,” Yorktown head coach Ellen Mager said. “They are a wonderful program, and she does a great job.”

Player of the game: Rilea Fusco, Yorktown. The junior attack helped set up a lot of Yorktown’s half-court offense and led the way in setting up goals. She finished with two goals and a game-high five assists.

Turning point: Bronxville’s offense came alive to start the second half, with the Broncos getting goals from Olivia Jensen, Allie Berkery and Ellie Walsh to cut Yorktown’s lead to 7-4. With 15:25 left, Katie Comerford scored on a point-blank shot in front to end Bronxville’s run, and the Huskers added three more unanswered goals to put the game out of reach.

Stat line: For Yorktown, Comerford had a game-high four goals, Michelle Seger and Casey Duff both had two-goal, one-assist games, Ciara Frawley and Julia Cook had a goal each, Ashley Stilo and Caroline Garti had an assist each and Catherine Calidonna made seven saves. … For Bronxville, Jensen had two goals and an assist, Berkery and Walsh both scored twice, Beth Finley had a goal and Lilly Grass had an assist.

Quotable: “We did an excellent job on the draw in the first half, the offense took their time with the ball and the defense closed pretty hard,” Ellen Mager said. “I saw Bronxville play Rye, and they are a very good team. They didn’t have their best day today and we had one of our better days today, but our kids worked really hard and wanted the ball a lot.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud

North Rockland celebrates after scoring a goal during a Section 1 boys lacrosse game between Suffern and North Rockland at Suffern Middle School. Suffern won 14-13.

Suffern’s Hunter Bergman (white) chases after a ball after checking down North Rockland’s Tyler Senatore during a Section 1 boys lacrosse game between Suffern and North Rockland at Suffern Middle School. Suffern won 14-13.

Suffern’s CJ Greco fights off a check from North Rockland’s Kyle Michella during a Section 1 boys lacrosse game between Suffern and North Rockland at Suffern Middle School. Suffern won 14-13.

SUFFERN – If there is one thing that can be expected from a North Rockland-Suffern game, it’s that it will be a close one.

The past two years, the annual Rockland rivalry game between the schools has been decided by one goal.

On Tuesday, it didn’t look like it would play out that way in the early going.

North Rockland dominated possession early on and at one point held a five-goal advantage. But the Mounties surged in the second half, took their first lead of the game with 4:52 left and held on for a comeback, 14-13 win.

“Early on in the game, they went on their run and we just tried to stay composed; we knew we were going to go on a run of our own,” senior midfielder Tommy Schember said. “We were just trying to possess the ball and get our looks on offense.”

The win was a nice way for the Mounties to avenge last year’s 13-12 overtime loss.

“It’s definitely one that we mark on the calendar, we wanted to do everything possible to get a win today,” Greco said. “Hopefully, we’ll take this win and use this momentum to kick-start us into the playoffs.”

Shortly after Suffern took the lead, North Rockland got a goal from Joey Corbert to tie the score at 13-13. But Greco won the ensuing faceoff, rushed down, found a hole in the middle of the North Rockland defense and ripped a shot in with 2:12 left for the winning goal.

“I knew coach was going to scream at me to settle the ball,” he said. “But I saw the open lane, took the ball, went straight to the goal and cut through a couple kids.”

Boys lacrosse: Yorktown’s Liam Donnelly stands up to Fox Lane

Boys lacrosse: Scoreboard for May 3rd

After getting dominant performances from Corbert and Tyler Senatore in the faceoff circle in the first half, North Rockland took several penalties in the second half. The Red Raiders picked up a total of five yellow cards.

“I think we got a couple of bad calls against us in the second half; we did a bunch of things to ourselves, but they beat us,” North Rockland head coach Greg Grasso said. “It’s one of the best rivalries in the section, without a doubt. They are a great program.”

Suffern improved to 10-3 while North Rockland fell to 7-4.

“We definitely needed this win,” Greco said. “A win like this shows we got character and we got heart for the playoffs.”

Player of the game: CJ Greco, Suffern. The senior midfielder did a bit of everything, scoring three goals, adding two assists and winning several faceoffs late when they mattered most.

Turning point: With 9:35 left in the third quarter, Suffern got a goal from Brenden Fee to cut North Rockland’s lead to 9-8. The Red Raiders reeled off three unanswered goals to take a 12-8 lead, but Suffern responded with four straight goals to tie the score with 5:22 left. Thirty seconds later, Schember found an uncovered Billy Mahecha in front, and the freshman made no mistake on the finish to give Suffern its first lead.

Stat line: Greco and Tim Patwell both had three-goal, two-assist games for Suffern, Fee had three goals and an assist, Schember had one goal, two assists and five ground balls, Mahecha had two goals and an assist, Lucas Sommers had a goal and two assists and Brian Nicpon had five ground balls. … For North Rockland, Tyler and Dylan Senatore both had four-goal games, Kyle Michella had a goal and seven assists, Corbert scored twice, Steven Apicella had a goal and an assist and Michael Csernecky had a goal. … Suffern’s Dan Sharp made seven saves for the win, four in the fourth quarter, while Jack Guerra (two saves) and Dante Restaino (one save) split time in goal for North Rockland.

Quotable: “We’ve battled against these kids since we were in elementary school, so every year it’s a good game back and forth,” Schember said. “It’s a friendly rivalry, but once we’re on the field, we both want to win. It’s definitely a competitive edge that we have when we play each other.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud

North Rockland celebrates their 8-7 win over Suffern May 4, 2016.

North Rockland’s Kaitlyn Gutenberger scores past Suffern goalie Shauna Meehan.

North Rockland’s Kaitlyn Gutenberger is pressured by Suffern’s Alyssa Sanchez during Wednesday’s game.

North Rockland’s Kerri Gutenberger is pressured by Suffern’s Hannah Newman during their game at North Rockland May 4, 2016. North Rockland won 8-7.

North Rockland’s Kaitlyn Gutenberger scores past Suffern goalie Shauna Meehan during their game at North Rockland May 4, 2016. North Rockland won 8-7.

North Rockland’s Kaitlyn Gutenberger is pressured by Suffern’s Alyssa Sanchez during their game at North Rockland May 4, 2016. North Rockland won 8-7.

North Rockland’s Kerri Gutenberger is pressured by Suffern’s Hannah Newman during their game at North Rockland May 4, 2016. North Rockland won 8-7.

North Rockland celebrates their 8-7 win over Suffern May 4, 2016.

THEILLS – The last time North Rockland had beaten Suffern, Red Raiders freshman midfielder Kerri Gutenberger was cheering on older sister Kaitlyn from the stands.

That was back in 2013.

Since then, Suffern has swept the season series every season. In fact, the Mounties had beaten every Section 1 opponent they had faced since then.

That changed on Wednesday.

Getting a big offensive game from Kerri Gutenberger and winning key draw controls in the second half, North Rockland overcame an early deficit and held on late for an 8-7 upset win.

“We prepared for it every day; we wanted it, we’re hungry, we practiced really hard for this day,” said Gutenberger, who finished with four goals and two assists. “If we try hard enough, we can achieve what we want. We deserved what we got.”

Fittingly enough, senior goalie Gianna Guerra, who was also the winning goalie in the team’s win in 2013, came up big late when her team needed her the most, just like back then.

With six minutes left and North Rockland up a goal, Guerra stopped Suffern’s Reilly Drab on an 8-meter free position. She stopped Liz Trojan’s driving attempt as time expired to preserve the win.

“I was counting on my defense to slow down the ball and stop the fast break, but I just tried to step in front of the shot and save it,” she said. “We’re not setting this as our season because we know we’re going to see them in playoffs. We have to build on what we did today.”

Before the game, Suffern’s star goalie, Mikaila Cheeseman, suffered an injury during warm-ups and did not play until the second half. Sophomore Shauna Newman got the start in net.

“We had a couple opportunities early on to separate ourselves and we didn’t execute,” Suffern head coach John Callanan said. “North Rockland had a great game; they played within their game plan.”

Boys lacrosse: Suffern surges late, gets 14-13 comeback win over North Rockland

Girls lacrosse: Scoreboard for Wednesday, 5/4

Girls lacrosse: Controversy, then Clarkstown North tops Clarkstown South

Girls lacrosse: Power and Class Rankings, Week 4

North Rockland improved to 12-1 and moved into a tie with Suffern for first place in the large Rockland school league.

“Give credit to Suffern, they got very similar offensive chances and got draw controls when they needed them, it could have gone either way,” North Rockland head coach Greg Borchers said. “Although it’s a big win thus far, we have other ones coming up and we just want to take it one game at a time.”

After the game, Gutenberger said the team would celebrate, but wasn’t sure exactly how.

“Hopefully, we go out to dinner because I’m kind of hungry,” Gutenberger said. “We hope to celebrate as a team.”

Player of the game: Gianna Guerra, North Rockland. The senior goalie, who is committed to New Haven, came up big when her team needed her the most. She made 10 saves in the game.

Turning point: Down 5-4 at halftime, North Rockland began to dominate the draw control circle. The Red Raiders tied the score 1:33 into the second half on a goal from Kate Gutenberger. From that point, younger sister Kerri scored three straight goals to give North Rockland an 8-5 advantage with 17:29 left.

Stat line: Lizzie Fox and Aleya Corretjer both had one-goal, one-assist games for North Rockland, while Caeli Porrette added a goal. … For Suffern, Trojan had three goals and an assist, Alli Iodice had a goal and two assists, Reilly Drab had a goal and an assist, Jordan Drab and Abby Bosco had a goal each, Hannah Newman had an assist and Shauna Meehan made three saves.

Quotable: “We all know each other and we play together on Metro, so we’re all good friends,” Kerri Gutenberger said of the Suffern/North Rockland rivalry. “Because we’re friends, we want to beat each other and show each other what we got. We’re not rivals, but we’re good friends and we want to beat each other.”

Twitter:@Szkolar_Lohud

A display of Stacey Sennas McGowan’s Nyack jersey at the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday, May 7th, 2016.

Members of Nyack’s and Tappan Zee’s youth girls lacrosse programs, along with Nyack’s varsity and junior varsity teams, pose for a group shot during the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday, May 7th, 2016.

Fran Sennas ties a ribbon on Tappan Zee youth lacrosse member Kate Collins at the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday.

Nyack goalie Olivia Demetres cradles the ball while being defended by Tappan Zee’s Carmella Liscio.

Nyack’s Dani Lydecker attempts to drive past Tappan Zee’s Carmella Liscio.

Nyack goalie Olivia Demetres cradles the ball while being defended by Tappan Zee’s Carmella Liscio.

A display of Stacey Sennas McGowan’s Nyack jersey at the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday, May 7th, 2016.

Members of Nyack’s and Tappan Zee’s youth girls lacrosse programs, along with Nyack’s varsity and junior varsity teams, pose for a group shot during the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday, May 7th, 2016.

Fran Sennas ties a ribbon on Tappan Zee youth lacrosse member Kate Collins at the 12th annual Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School on Saturday, May 7th, 2016.

Nyack’s Dani Lydecker attempts to drive past Tappan Zee’s Carmella Liscio.

NYACK – Early on in the Stacey Sennas McGowan Memorial Lacrosse Games at Nyack High School, the hosts were feeling “Staciness’’ while playing against Tappan Zee under the floodlights.

That feeling, a high-energy, enthusiastic and spontaneous tone that the game’s namesake exhibited in her personality, was apparent early on for Nyack as the Indians jumped out to a four-goal lead at halftime.

In the second half, with Tappan Zee pressing to tie the score, Nyack goalie Olivia Demetres stepped up. She made several key saves with the Lady Dutchies dominating possession, and Nyack was able to hold on for a 6-5 win.

“I wish she could be here to see us playing for her,” said junior captain Dani Lydecker, who had a game-high three goals.

It was Lydecker who got things rolling early on, scoring three goals in the first half, including the final two of the session.

“We really just needed to play our game, and not think, just do,” she said. “Sometimes, we overthink and that gets to our heads. Olivia really came up in the second half when we really needed her.”

It was a game that Stacey Sennas McGowan would have been proud of.

“ ‘Staciness’ is like the embodiment of spirit and pride; it’s hard to live up to, but it’s a really good role model for us to have,” Demetres said. “When we got out on this field, we think of Stacey, and we think of ‘Staciness.’ ”

The event was started in 2003 by the Stacey Sennas McGowan Foundation. Sennas McGowan, a standout member of Nyack’s first girls lacrosse team who went on to play at Boston College, was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks.The varsity game capped the 12th annual edition of the games, an all-day event that started earlier in the afternoon.

Since then, the event has grown from a single varsity game to one that also features youth girls lacrosse teams.

This year, the first time the event was played at the high school’s turf field, featured games between Nyack’s and Tappan Zee’s youth lacrosse programs. Games were played between 3rd-/4th-grade teams and 5th-/6th-grade teams and Nyack’s and Tappan Zee’s junior varsity squads, while a 7th-/8th-grade game between Nyack’s and Nanuet’s youth lacrosse program was played earlier at nearby MacCalman Field.

“We just wanted to have a day, for the young girls in the community, where we celebrated what we call ‘Staciness,’ ” said Phyllis Fischer, a board member of the foundation. “Today, it’s great to see it still thriving; it’s been great for the last 12 years.”

Fran Sennas, Sennas McGowan’s mother and a longtime field hockey and lacrosse referee, said, “If you put it together, it’s just about the love of lacrosse, having a lot of kids together and having fun. Just be happy, look for everything that’s good in everybody, move a step forward and never go backwards. That was (Stacey’s) personality.”

Tappan Zee head coach Steve Liscio played lacrosse against one of the Sennas boys during his playing days.

“A lot of (Nyack’s) kids are in the youth league here with us, so it’s nice,” he said. “I really enjoyed it. I’m honored to be here.”

Player of the game: Olivia Demetres, Nyack. The junior goalie was solid all game, but especially came up big in the second half with Tappan Zee pressing, making six saves. She finished the game with 12 saves.

“It’s great when I don’t have that workload, because it means we’re doing really well,” she said. “But when I do, it’s fun, I like it.”

Turning point: With under six minutes left and down 6-3, Tappan Zee got consecutive goals from Allison Maloney and Leanna Iobbi to quickly cut Nyack’s lead to one goal. With two minutes left, Maloney was given an 8-meter free-position opportunity, but her shot attempt was saved by Demetres. Nyack was able to regain possession and run out the clock.

Stat line: Hailey Whalen had two goals and an assist, including what would be the winning goal, while Casey Hannon added a goal and an assist. … For Tappan Zee, Iobbi had a hat trick, while Jules Kane made eight saves in the loss.

Quotable: “To start the year on this new turf field is an amazing thing, we’re finally starting our own tradition; that really got us fired up to play,” Lydecker said. “Staciness is pride; it’s been with me for a long time now, this is my fourth year playing in this game. It’s a true honor to play for Stacey.”

Twitter:

@Szkolar_Lohud

North Rockland’s Kaitlyn Gutenberger (20) works the ball against Yorktown’s Caeileigh Lampersberger during a girls lacrosse game at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

Yorktown’s Michelle Seger (2) carries the ball across mid-field as North Rockland’s Jenna Fox (3) defends during a girls lacrosse game at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

North Rockland goalie Gianna Guerra (24) watches the ball behind the goal during a girls lacrosse game against Yorktown at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

Yorktown’s Michelle Seger (2) works the ball as North Rockland’s Cayleen Murphy (4) defends during a girls lacrosse game at North Rockland High School in Thiells on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

THIELLS – A team with as many options on offense as Yorktown can have a number of different players step up in crunch time.

Playing at North Rockland on Tuesday and with the Red Raiders pressing to tie the score, it was Casey Duff who would shine for the Huskers this time.

First, she used a spin move to shake her defender and finished all alone in front. On the next possession, she sped past another defender, got to the goal and finished again to put Yorktown up by four goals with 9:55 left.

The Huskers held off a last-minute surge from North Rockland to come away with a 12-10 win.

“They are a great team, so being able to score those two goals felt great,” Duff said. “But also, putting my mind to that we needed to get a bigger lead, getting some cushion so that if they did get a goal or two, we would have the time to keep our composure.”

The team, perhaps more than any other team in Section 1, has gone through a gauntlet of a tough schedule. It hasn’t been kind to the Huskers’ record, which includes out-of-area losses to Connecticut powers Darien, Greenwich and New Canaan, and undefeated Bayport-Blue Point, as well as a one-goal loss to league rival Somers.

Coming off of a one-goal loss to New Canaan last time out on Saturday, Tuesday was a strong way for the Huskers to start off the final week of the regular season.

“We’re super-proud of our team; when we set our minds to do things, we can definitely finish,” Yorktown’s Rilea Fusco said. “We just got to keep that mentality. We want to prove to everyone that we can do this.”

North Rockland, a squad that upset Suffern last week, suffered only its second loss of the season.

“This is a preparation game; we’re both preparing for sectionals,” North Rockland head coach Greg Borchers said. “You do take a lot of positives out of this because there are things we need to work on. You’re never truly refined, there’s always things to work on.”

Girls lacrosse: Scoreboard for Tuesday, 5/10

Girls lacrosse: Power and Class Rankings, Week 5

Yorktown will close out its season on Saturday against another out-of-area opponent in Guilderland.

Having suffered heartbreaking losses in the sectional finals for three straight years, the Huskers will be as battle-tested as any team in the playoffs this year.

“Playing the best teams out there makes us better, we want to be prepared for sectionals,” Duff said. “The better teams we play, the better we become. All of this has definitely helped us.”

Player of the game: Casey Duff, Yorktown. The senior midfielder, who is committed to Syracuse, also scored with 10.7 seconds left in the first half to give Yorktown a 5-3 advantage heading into halftime. She finished the game with three goals and an assist.

Turning point: Early on, Yorktown’s offense struggled to score past North Rockland goalie Gianna Guerra and the Red Raiders had a 3-2 lead with eight minutes left in the first half. Yorktown tied the score at 3-3 with 6:47 left on a goal from Katie Comerford, and at the 5:05 mark, took its first lead of the game on a goal from Ashley Stilo.

Stat line: Fusco finished with a goal and four assists, while teammates Julia Cook, Comerford and Michelle Seger all finished with two goals each. … For Yorktown, Stilo had four draw controls, Ellen O’Callaghan had a goal and Catherine Calidonna made four saves. … For North Rockland, Kaitlyn Gutenberger had four goals and an assist, Aleya Corretjer had three goals, Kerri Gutenberger had two goals and an assist, Caeli Porrette had a goal, Lizzie Fox and Jenna Fox had an assist each, and Guerra made eight saves.

Quotable: “I do feel like we overscheduled a bit this year, I feel sad that we haven’t been able to get our bench kids more time, they work hard every day, but the goal is to challenge the team to prepare and get better every day,” Yorktown head coach Ellen Mager said. “Many of our games, we’ve been able to learn from and pick out a few things to tweak here and there and that down the road, we’ll be able to finish the job when the time comes.”

Twitter: @Szkolar_Lohud