Stephen Haynes Poughkeepsie Journal, | USA Today High School Sports

Millbrook’s Sam Szalewicz reacts after her team wins the Section 9 Class C girls lacrosse final.

KINGSTON — There will be some nerves, and they readily admit that. There typically are butterflies that come with entering uncharted territory.

And this, for the Millbrook girls lacrosse team, is just that.

After rallying in the final minutes to eke out an 8-7 win over James I. O’Neill High School on Wednesday, capturing the program’s first Section 9 Class C title, the Blazers now seek to do some, uh, trailblazing.

Millbrook will face the Section 1 champion in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Dietz Stadium. Bronxville faced Pearl River on Thursday in a game that ended after the Journal’s print deadline.

“I am a little nervous and I know the competition does get harder,” Brooke Babbitt admitted. “But I’m really confident in my team.”

Millbrook’s Claire Martell pumps her fists after winning the Section 9 Class C girls lacrosse title.

There is reason for both, actually. No Section 9 team has ever gone beyond the regional final and Red Hook, winner of the previous five section titles, was dominated by Bronxville in the regional semifinal last year. The Blazers also will likely face this challenge without Liz Halpin, their star midfielder who suffered a right knee injury last week and missed the final.

“Everyone stepped up and showed what Millbrook lacrosse is about,” Babbitt said. “Even though we won’t have Liz, I think if we go as hard as we can, we can get far.”

Well, Millbrook has given itself basis to believe it can triumph over adversity. Recently.

Kelly Waters, a defender, scored the winner with 1:23 left in the section final. That’s after Kaitlyn Daly tied the score with 2:02 left, and the Blazers forced a turnover to initiate Waters’ unlikely fast break.

Because Waters is a low defender, she normally would look for a midfielder to flip the ball to and start a fast break in those situations. Millbrook coach Jillian Barnes, typically, would call timeout to discuss a designed play.

But there was nothing typical about the way top-seeded Millbrook ended this game. Its two previous seasons ended in excruciating heartbreak, twice losing by a goal in the final. Not again.

“We’ve been in these situations before,” Waters said. “We had to take advantage of that opportunity. I wanted to win it right there.”

She did, scoring on a bouncer from about 5 yards.

Millbrook’s Kaitlyn Daly sets to shoot against James I. O’Neill in the Section 9 Class C girls lacrosse final.

“Thank you, Kelly Waters!” goalie Claire Martell said. “She’s a great defender and it was awesome seeing her score that goal. I was watching her run up the field and I was hoping she’d take it all the way.”

Millbrook gained possession in the final minute and successfully worked the ball around the perimeter in its stall to run out the clock.

And just like that, finally, the Blazers could hug their teammates in celebration, rather than consolation.

“We’ve gotten close before,” Barnes said. “We had to prove we have the heart and guts to stick it out at the end. But this season they showed it. I knew we had what it takes to win if it came down to a last-minute situation.”

Daly had three goals and two assists to lead Millbrook (11-3). Brooke Babbitt scored three goals, Sam Szalewicz had a goal and Martell made 10 saves.

“This is a special feeling, knowing you were on the team that got our first championship, knowing that we made school history,” said Daly, whom Barnes poured the water bucket on in celebration.

Millbrook’s Sam Szalewicz drives against James I. O’Neill defense in the Section 9 Class C final.

Millbrook was without Halpin’s offensive prowess, her steadiness on draw controls and, obviously, her leadership. Waters said Halpin provided as much help as she could from the bench, giving pointers and keeping the morale high, but her absence certainly was felt on the field.

“I wanted to win this for her,” Daly said of her close friend and neighbor. “Liz is a senior and this was her last chance to win a title. We had to get this done for her.”

Babbitt’s goal off a pass from Taylor Redl gave Millbrook a 3-2 lead late in the first half, but O’Neill eventually went ahead, 7-6, with 3:26 remaining.

“There were definitely nerves,” Martell said. “But I trusted my team.”

Then the ball ended up on a defender’s stick, and a plaque ended up on Millbrook’s mantel.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Catie Gomm, Pine Plains field hockey

Anna Lonczak allowed four hits and struck out seven in a complete game as No. 1 Pine Plains beat fourth-seeded S.S. Seward, 11-2, in a Class C Section 9 high school softball semifinal.

Catie Gomm went 2 for 3 with two RBI and Alex McKenzie was 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run to lead Pine Plains (16-4). Haleigh Funk went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three runs.

“They came out and played as they would in any other game,” said Bombers coach Les Funk, whose team held a 15-minute pre-game ceremony to honor its four seniors. “Anna pitched well and when she’s on, it’s hard to get many hits off her. Then the offense broke out.”

Pine Plains took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning and scored five runs in the fifth.

The Bombers face second-seeded Chester in the final at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Rhinebeck High School. Chester has won three consecutive section titles and it beat Pine Plains in last year’s final.

“It’ll be about how much we’ve improved,” Funk said. The Bombers won their first Mid-Hudson Athletic League title last week. “Playing in the MHAL against some tough, bigger teams, helps prepares us.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

John Jay’s Casey Danko bats in the first inning of the Section 1 Class AA softball final.

THIELLS – Here’s a riddle: What was hot as an afternoon in August and brought discomfort to a lot of folks at North Rockland High School yesterday?

If you guessed “the temperate,” we’ll accept that. If your answer was the John Jay softball team, then give yourself a round of applause. Rather, give the Patriots one.

Ally Muller was efficient, if not dominant, in the circle and John Jay’s offense heated up in the late innings as the Patriots beat top-seeded North Rockland, 6-2, in the Section 1 Class AA final on Saturday.

After an almost two-hour delay, as the heat index climbed to the mid-90s at North Rockland High School, it was the Patriots who were still beaming as the sun came down.

Bridget Rooney drilled a two-run double into the left field corner that gave John Jay a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning. She drove in Brittany Guzman, who had doubled, and Nina Simms, who walked. After that, Dominique Russo and Sam Fitzgerald added successive RBI singles to create a four-run cushion.

Ally Muller allowed three hits, walked three and struck out six in a complete game to earn the win for the second-seeded Patriots (22-1).

John Jay’s Ally Muller delivers in the Section 1 Class AA softball final.

John Jay advances to the regional round against the winner of the Section 4/Section 9 matchup at 3 p.m. Saturday..

After the Patriots’ two-run first inning, North Rockland tied it at 2 in the second, with the help of some John Jay miscues. The Red Raiders loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit by pitch. Another hit batter forced in the first run, then the second scored on a wild pitch.

John Jay struck almost immediately, scoring two runs in the first inning. Sam Fitzgerald lined a one-out double to left, and Ally Muller drove her in with a single smashed over third base. Simms then followed with a double, a deep liner that nicked off the base of the right-centerfield wall, and gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead.

John Jay threatened with runners at first and second with none out in the fourth, but North Rockland wiggled out of trouble with two strikeouts and a groundout.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Lacrosse stick and ball

So frustrated was Chris Schlappich that he took to Twitter on Friday night to bemoan his “awful” performance.

The Highland High School lacrosse star was peeved by what he considered a lackluster showing in the Section 9 Class B semifinals.

Must be nice.

Really, it is a luxury to have a team so good with standards so high that a victory alone doesn’t suffice. Well, the Huskies will have the chance to remedy that.

Kyle Merget had five goals and an assist to lead top-seeded Highland in a 12-6 win over Goshen at Marlboro High School, earning a second consecutive trip to the section final.

Highland, the defending Class B champ, faces Warwick on Wednesday, 4 p.m. at Middletown High School. Warwick won the Class A section title last season before moving down a classification, which sets up a rare meeting of reigning champions.

Dylan Cuvelier scored twice, Jesse Weaver added a goal and two assists and Giorgio D’Angelo made nine saves for Highland (15-2). Tyler Jollie and Chris Schlappich each had a goal and an assist, Matt Valentino dished two assists, and Paul Rhodes and Giovanni Tamburri had a goal apiece.

“To get this far is very rewarding,” Huskies coach Tom Schlappich said. “We had major holes to fill after graduating two all-division players last year, and our section is much improved. We’ve had kids step up and fill in admirably… We’re excited.”

But what had irked his son, Chris, is that it took a rally to win the semifinal. Never mind the final score.

The All-American midfielder was contained and Highland’s explosive offense was stymied early by fourth-seeded Goshen, which held a 6-5 lead in the third quarter. The Huskies appeared sluggish at the outset, Chris Schlappich said, and Goshen opened with more verve, “which was inexcusable on our part.”

Strategic changes were also required, Tom Schlappich said. Highland rejiggered its offensive formations, including utilizing two in the crease, and that helped spark the turnaround.

Cuvelier tied it at 6, then scored the go-ahead goal off a feed from Jollie with 1:45 left in the third quarter. Merget then took control as the Huskies pulled away in the fourth.

“He shouldered the load and had a great game for us,” said Chris Schlappich, a senior committed to Marist College. “We’re glad to have someone like him our team.”

With a bevy of lethal scorers, Highland typically looks to spread the field and create favorable matchups to exploit. That, of course, will be a challenge against second-seeded Warwick.

The Wildcats feature a talented defense that excels in transition, Tom Schlappich said. Highland topped them, 8-6, earlier this season but needed a comeback to do so.

“Last year was the greatest feeling in the world,” Chris Schlappich said, “and we’re excited we have a chance to do it again.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Pawling’s Olivia Zoeller pitching in the Section 1 Class B final.

The Pawling High School softball team poses beneath the scoreboard after its win in the Section 1 Class B final.

THIELLS – Fraternal twins Shannon and Mikalya Ward aren’t that much alike.

Olivia Zoeller of Pawling HS delivers a pitch during the Section 1 Class B softball final at North Rockland HS in Thiells, NY on Saturday May 28, 2016

Mikalya insists she deserves the clout because she was delivered two minutes before Shannon. Funny, she again delivered two minutes before her sister on Saturday.

The junior smashed a leadoff double in the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run on Shannon Ward’s RBI groundout as Pawling rallied to beat Albertus Magnus, 5-3, in the Section 1 Class B softball final at North Rockland High School.

For the top-seeded Tigers, this too was a bundle of joy: The program’s first championship.

“This has never happened before and we’ve worked most of our lives for this,” said Mikalya Ward, who took third on Sarah Campbell’s single before scoring on her sister’s grounder to for a 4-3 lead. “This is beyond special.”

Sarah Campbell of Pawling HS attempts to reach first base during the Section 1 Class B softball final at North Rockland HS in Thiells, NY on Saturday May 28, 2016

Pawling rallied from a 3-0 deficit and Lily Prinz’s two-run single tied it in the fifth inning. After Ward scored, Julia Krasinski followed with an RBI single.

“It wasn’t that good of a hit,” Prinz said of her bloop that landed just behind second base. She jokingly flexed her bicep as she spoke. “But it scored two runs, so we’ll take it.”

Olivia Zoeller allowed one earned run and struck out four in a complete game for the Tigers (19-2), who will face the Section 9 champion in a regional final at 4 p.m. Thursday, back at North Rockland. Marlboro will face Ellenville at 9 a.m. Sunday at Rhinebeck after being postponed Saturday due to heat index rules.

“The kids absolutely deserve this,” Pawling coach John Hodge said, becoming emotional. “The determination they always show and the work they’ve put in, I’m so proud.”

Pawling HS took on Albertus Magnus HS in the Section 1 Class B softball final at North Rockland HS in Thiells, NY on Saturday May 28, 2016

The 15th-seeded Falcons had pulled a series of upsets in the playoffs, toppling the second and third seeds in the tournament. It seemed for a while they might make it a trifecta.

Magnus scored three runs in the third inning, aided by a cluster of errors. A runner came home on a wild pitch, then Jacklyn Onody hit an RBI infield single, preceding an RBI triple. Things could have been worse for Pawling, but Kayla Chavarri made a spectacular diving catch of a sinking liner in left field to limit the damage.

“There were some mistakes, but we had to keep our heads in it,” Zoeller said. “We’ve had an inning where we scored 10 runs before, so I had all the confidence we could come back.”

Chavarri’s single got the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the third. Katie Meyer led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch, preceding Chavarri’s blooper to left.

Zoeller, whom teammates described as having guile beyond that of a sophomore, stifled the Falcons after the third inning. She used her screwball masterfully and the high fastball induced several pop-ups, including the final out.

And in the seventh inning, the duo that Zoeller’s dad long ago nicknamed “The Wonder Twins” they, well, activated.

“For as much as we argue, there isn’t another person I’d rather have as a teammate,” Shannon Ward said. “To be able to share this with her, and make history together, it’s special.”

After all, they do now share one more thing in common.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

The Roy C. Ketcham baseball team poses after winning the Section 1 Class AA title.

POMONA – How can something so ugly be beautiful?

Well, in this instance, beauty isn’t to be determined by the beholders. It’s the beneficiary who can make the call.

This contest was marred by errors, boo-boos, snafus and miscues — there were enough of them to break out all the nouns — but in the eyes of the Roy C. Ketcham High School baseball team, the game was gorgeous.

Top-seeded Ketcham won its second title in three years, edging defending champion Mamaroneck, 4-3, in the Section 1 Class AA final at Palisades Union Credit Park on Saturday night.

“We didn’t play our best,” senior Stephen Merrill admitted, “but at this time of the year, it only matters what the scoreboard says.”

It said that Ketcham was victorious. It also said that Mamaroneck committed three errors. The Indians thoroughly capitalized on those mistakes, with all of its runs being aided by misplays.

Ketcham exacted a level of revenge for last year’s final, which they lost 8-6, at this very stadium.

Greg Blum allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings to get the win for Ketcham (23-1). Blum had pitched in relief in last year’s final, and he recalled consoling seniors after that loss.

The feeling now, Blum said, “is just indescribable. Amazing, but hard to describe.”

The Roy C. Ketcham baseball team is presented its trophy after winning the Section 1 Class AA title

Ryan Murphy came on in relief in the sixth with a runner on first. He induced a force out at second and got a strikeout to escape the frame. Murphy then fanned two in the ninth and after, a hit by a pitch, the runner was caught stealing second, thrown out by Matt Seidner, to end the game.

Renee Colden, who drove the team bus, said the Indians were almost silent on the ride from Wappingers Falls. They were calm and concentrated, she said. But after watching a post-game celebration that included multiple surprise Gatorade bucket dumps, leaping chest bumps and shenanigans with the fans — the “Ketcham Krazies” — Colden was almost certain the trip back would be “a little noisy.”

Ketcham took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning, but two walks and a booming two-run double to right-center tied the score for third-seeded Mamaroneck. The Indians retook the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth when Nick Shepheard, who had walked, came home on Merrill’s grounder to short, which was bobbled, eliminating any chance of a play at the plate.

“Of course you look at it differently when you’re on the winning end,” Indians coach Pat Mealy said. “In big games like this, the team that makes fewer mistakes is gonna win. We had our share, no doubt. But we took advantage of theirs.”

The Indians struck first in the second inning, scoring twice on defensive miscues. Merrill, who had led off with a single, came home on a passed ball. Matt Lynch also singled, then he scored on Nick Nevins’ chopper to short that resulted in a bobble after a leaping attempt to snare the ball.

“We work hard at base-running, situational hitting, and knowing how to be smart on the bases,” Blum said. “All that stuff becomes necessary at some point, and it paid off.”

The Indians face the winner of the Section 4-Section 9 matchup on Saturday at a site and time to be determined. Monroe-Woodbury and Kingston play for the Section 9 title Sunday in Saugerties. The winner of that game faces Section 4 champion Corning on Tuesday.

“Ketcham baseball has an ‘X’ on our back,” Mealy said of thriving under the pressure of perennially high expectations. “Everyone wants to beat us and we know that going in. But all it’s done is make us stronger and our kids fight. I’m extremely proud of them for that.”

The Roy C. Ketcham baseball team huddles before its Section 1 Class AA final.

The Tigers got on the board in the fourth, itself capitalizing on miscues. Peter Solimine led off with a single, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw then to third on a called balk. He came home on Emerson Genovese’s infield single.

Ketcham answered in the bottom of the inning, again making the Tigers pay for mistakes. Erik Merrill singled to left and got to third as the ball sneaked by the left fielder. He then scored on Lynch’s grounder to third that resulted in a throwing error.

“Coming out here last year and losing like we did, it left a bad taste in our mouths,” Stephen Merrill said. “So to be able to come back and see the same team again, but change the outcome, it’s special.”

It’s beautiful.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

From left, Beacon High School’s Rayvon Grey and Terrel Davis pose together after being named the Journal’s 2016 Boys Indoor Track and Field co-Athletes of the Year.

Beacon High School’s boys track and field 1,600-meter relay team set a Dutchess County record in the Fast Times Relays at Warwick Valley High School late Tuesday.

The quartet of Tony Kaikai, Colin Battersby, Rayvon Grey and David Adams took second but finished the race in a county-record time of 3:19.63. The Bulldogs surpassed the mark of 3:19.70, which John Jay set in 2001. Adams anchored the relay and had a 47.73 second split.

Newburgh took first, finishing in 3:18.22 to narrowly edge Beacon.

“Following a solid leadoff leg from the outermost lane, the quartet steadily moved the baton up through the pack narrowly missing an upset win,” Bulldogs coach Jim Henry said in a statement.

“In what may be the final relay for this special group of seniors, they really put on a show. I could not be prouder of this group.”

Terrel Davis placed second in the high jump (6 feet) and Dominic Reid took second in the shot put (45 feet, 4 ¾ inches).

New Paltz’s Dagi Tadesse took second in the pole vaunt (13 feet, 3 inches).

For the Beacon girls team, Jummie Akinwunmi took third in the high jump (5 feet, 1 inch) and Paige Baisley placed sixth (5 feet).

New Paltz’s Samantha Kaplan took fourth in the pole vault (11 feet, 3 inches).

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Spackenkill’s Erik Stauderman won the Dutchess County Coaches Invitational golf tournament at McCann Memorial Golf Course on Tuesday. Teammates Stanley Garrant (right) and Ryan Ackert (left) took second and third.

Erik Stauderman and Stanley Garrant were locked in a back-and-forth, and the rivals were almost matching each other as they vied for first place in the Dutchess County Coaches Invitational golf tournament on Tuesday.

So when Garrant sank a hole-in-one on the eighth hole at McCann Memorial Golf Course, turning heads and taking the spotlight, Stauderman approached and shook his head in disappointment as Garrant retrieved his milestone ball.

“Erik was like, ‘What are you doing?’” Spackenkill High School golf coach Keith Humphrey said. “He told Stanley, ‘You can’t just take the ball out. You’ve gotta look up and smile for the camera.’”

The two, close friends and Spackenkill teammates, then shared a laugh. And as they often have, the duo would share the stage, too.

Stauderman went on to win the tournament for a third straight year, edging Garrant after two playoff holes. They had finished their second round tied, each shooting a 4-over-par 76. Ryan Ackert, another Spackenkill teammate, took third with a 79.

“What coach wouldn’t want that?” Humphrey said excitedly. “It was a challenge because there were so many talented golfers there, but to see those three do that well and get the top spots was awesome.”

Kyle Hover of John Jay and Jeff Peters (Franklin D. Roosevelt) tied for fourth, carding an 81. John Jay’s Tino Tardella and Aidan Autero each shot an 82 for fifth place.

Stauderman had two birdies and nine pars, and Garrant had one birdie, nine pars and, of course, the hole-in-one.

Spackenkill’s Stanley Garrant retrieves his ball after a hole-in-one during the Coaches Invitational golf tournament.

Peters, who won the Section 9 championship last week, will compete in the state tournament, along with Stauderman and Garrant June 5-6 at Cornell University.

Garrant and Hover also were the recipients of the Ryan Paschal Memorial Scholarship, an award in honor of a former Arlington golfer who passed away.

The highlight of the day, though, was Garrant’s hole-in-one. It came on a 147-yard par 3 hole. It was the senior’s first and a feat that former Arlington coach Marty Gaw said hadn’t been accomplished in the Coaches Invitational tournament since at least 1983.

“The ball hit three feet from the hole and trickled in,” Humphrey said. “Stanley was so excited. It was a huge thrill for everyone there.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Highland High School’s Kyle Merget shoots past Cornwall’s Conor Havey to score during a May 11 game in Highland.

Two area boys lacrosse teams will take aim at Section 9 championships on Wednesday, while one girls team that has already earned a title hopes to extend its stay in the state playoffs.

The Highland boys will seek to defend their Class B crown when they take on Warwick at 4 p.m. at Middletown High School. Following that game at the site, the Red Hook boys take on defending Class C champion Rondout Valley in the final.

The Millbrook girls, which captured its first Section 9 Class C championship last Wednesday, will face Section 1 champion Bronxville in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

Top-seeded Highland (15-2) topped Warwick, 8-6, two weeks ago. But coach Tom Schlappich warned that not much can be gleaned from that result. The Huskies had to come from behind for that win and now, in a championship game, they expect to see a more determined opponent, possibly featuring a few new schematic wrinkles.

Highland has an explosive offense, averaging 14.2 goals per game. Midfielder Chris Schlappich is the primary facilitator, and he is surrounded by a slew of talented weapons including Kyle Merget, Tyler Jollie, Paul Rhodes, Dylan Cuvelier and Jesse Weaver.

Warwick (10-7) gets balanced scoring, sparked by Jack Pennington and Dylan Maurer, and its speedy defense is aggressive and excels in transition. The Wildcats won the Section 9 Class A championship last season, before moving down to ‘B’ in classification.

Top-seeded Red Hook beat New Paltz, 8-5, in the semifinal last week, which earned the Raiders a rematch of last year’s final with third-seeded Rondout Valley. The Ganders are the two-time defending champion. Red Hook did beat them, 9-5, in May.

Red Hook (9-8) is led by Hudson Miller, an athletic, aggressive sophomore midfielder. He has 63 points, including 49 goals. Mike Gildersleeve and Cam Hackett have emerged as solid scorers, and goalie Liam Quinlan has been excellent.

“(Rondout) is a physical team, well-coached, and us beating them will be a little added fuel,” Raiders coach Rich Saulino said. “That win was a confidence boost for us, but we know they’ll be fired up and the atmosphere will be charged. We’re ready for it.”

Millbrook’s Brooke Babbitt lines up for the draw against James I. O’Neill in the Section 9 Class C girls lacrosse final.

Millbrook (14-2) faces a daunting challenge in Bronxville, which has reached the state semifinals in each of the previous two seasons. No Section 9 girls lacrosse team has ever gone beyond the regional final and Red Hook, winner of the previous five section titles, was dominated by Bronxville in the regional semifinal last year.

Add to that, Millbrook’s star midfielder, Liz Halpin will likely miss the game with a knee injury.

The Blazers have capable scorers in Kaitlyn Daly, Brooke Babbitt and Sam Szalewicz. Its defense, which held opponents to 4.9 goals per game, is anchored by Kelly Waters, Hannah Fisher and goalie Claire Martell.

Bronxville (17-3) is led by Michigan-bound attack Lily Grass and midfielder Ellie Walsh.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Girls lacrosse Class C regional semifinal

Teams: Bronxville vs. Millbrook

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Dietz Stadium in Kingston

Boys lacrosse Section 9 Class B final

Teams: Warwick Valley vs. Highland

When: 4 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Faller Field at Middletown High School

Boys lacrosse Section 9 Class C final

Teams: Rondout Valley vs. Red Hook

When: 6 p.m.

Where: Faller Field at Middletown High School

Bronxville played Millbrook in a lacrosse sub-regional at Dietz Stadium in Kingston June 1, 2016.

The Millbrook High School girls lacrosse team met, for the first time this season, a hurdle it simply couldn’t conquer.

The Blazers fell to Bronxville High School, 19-3, in a Class C regional semifinal at Dietz Stadium on Wednesday.

The defense from the Section 1 champion Broncos was at times impenetrable, and their schemes seemingly impossible to crack. Millbrook ran into a proverbial brick wall.

But the objective now, the Blazers said, is to use it as a steppingstone.

“This sets us up for better years going forward,” sophomore Taylor Redl said. “Now that we’ve seen what we can achieve, we’ll come back even stronger.”

What Millbrook did achieve in its hallmark campaign was the first Section 9 title in the team’s six-year history. That, certainly, was a considerable accomplishment, especially given the youth on the Blazers’ roster, and the youth of the program itself.

Bronxville, an established elite, has reached the state tournament in the previous two seasons. It will face Section 2 champion Scotia-Glenville in a regional final on Saturday.

“It’s been an incredible season,” said Millbrook coach Jillian Barnes, whose team finished at 14-3. “I got more emotional now than even when we won because I’m so proud of them. We fought hard until the very end and we played our hardest.”

The Broncos led 14-0 before Redl scored off a pass from Erin Fox with 18:52 remaining. Sam Szalewicz scored on a feed from Brooke Babbitt with 13:04 left and Kaitlyn Daly’s goal, after a zig-zagging drive from the right wing, created the margin with 48 seconds remaining.

“Our goal for the last six years has been to win the section,” Barnes said. “Now that we accomplished that, we can set bigger goals. And for now, that’s to win this round.”

Lily Grass scored five goals and Ellie Walsh had three goals and three assists to lead the Broncos (18-3).

Bronxville, clearly, was the more skilled and experienced team. Add to that, the Blazers were without star midfielder Liz Halpin, who missed the playoffs with a knee injury.

A silver lining, however, is that Millbrook returns all but three players next season. And from this loss, there are lessons to be extracted.

“Their quick ball movement is something we can learn from,” Barnes said of Bronxville. “Seeing some of the stuff they do with their stick work, anticipating the passes and jumping passes, those are things we can take with us into the offseason and practices.”

Redl said that she even picked up maneuvers and strategies from the defenders guarding her, things she will now apply to her game.

From this season, the Blazers got a taste of success. And now, a hunger for more.

“The goal for next year is to get back to this point,” Redl said. “And to win.”

Journal News reporter Adrian Szkolar contributed to this story. Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

In the sudden aftermath of a defeat so devastating, there aren’t many words of solace that can be offered. None that will immediately suffice, at least.

The Pine Plains softball team poses after winning the Section 9 Class C title Saturday.

Time will, though.

In time, as memories of this game become less vivid and the pain of its ending less sharp, the Pine Plains softball team can look back fondly on its season.

But the Bombers’ brilliant campaign ended on Thursday with a 7-6 loss to North Salem in a Class C regional semifinal at Rhinebeck High School.

Pine Plains took a lead into the seventh inning, but Maggie Boardman’s two-run single won it for the Tigers.

“It was a tough one because I know these kids wanted more,” Pine Plains coach Les Funk said. “They were disappointed that the season ended. But I told them don’t be disappointed in how we played. They had nothing to be ashamed of.”

Certainly not after creating for themselves a series of moments, games and accomplishments they will cherish.

“This game doesn’t take way what they did all year,” Funk said. “They have a whole lot to be proud of.”

Along the way, Pine Plains (17-5) captured its first Mid-Hudson Athletic League title, upsetting Class B powerhouse Marlboro in the final to do so. And the Bombers, on Saturday, unseated three-time defending champion Chester to win their first Section 9 title since 2008.

“Especially with Chester being that roadblock for those years,” Funk said of the Hambletonians, who had beaten Pine Plains in the previous two section finals. “We’ve had some good teams in the past, and to win our first MHAL title and the sectional this year was special.”

Against North Salem, Pine Plains took a 6-5 lead in the fifth inning, when Jo Schmidt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Tigers rallied in the seventh.

Cat Simmons’ two-run homer had given the Bombers a 5-3 lead in the third, before Kasey Harmon’s RBI single and a subsequent error brought in two runs and tied it for North Salem.

The Bombers graduate four but do return several young standouts, including Simmons, a sophomore catcher, and freshmen Haley Strang and Schmidt.

For Pine Plains — the athletic program — this was quite the banner year. Literally, several banners will have to be raised after the champions heaped.

Softball seniors Anna Lonczak (volleyball), Catie Gomm (field hockey) and Haleigh Funk (basketball) each captured section titles in two sports this scholastic year. And Michaella Lamont (volleyball and basketball) won three championships.

“It’s hard to win one sectional title,” Funk said. “We have kids who earned multiple titles this year. That’s special.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

North Salem’s Natalie Intrieri (1) slides safe into home on teammate Maggie Boardman’s two-run single in the 7th inning as Pine Plains catcher Catherine Simmons takes the late throw in the Class C state regional semifinal at Rhinebeck High School June 2, 2016. North Salem won the game 7-6.

Marlboro’s Tristan Ceriello covers third base as Keio Academy’s Yoichiro Tanimura slides in during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

Keio Academy’s Tatsuki Tomishima covers first base as Marlboro’s Justin Conte tries to beat the throw during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

Keio Academy’s Shutaro Wakayama makes contact during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game versus Marlboro at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

From left, Keio Academy’s Tatsuki Tomishima tosses the ball to first base, covered by Ryutaro Fukumoto after recovering a bunt from Marlboro’s Tristan Ceriello during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

From left, Marlboro’s Nicolas Mongelli tosses the ball to first baseman, Jack Rusk after recovering a bunt from Keio Academy’s Shutaro Wakayama during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

Keio Academy’s Yoichiro Tanimura bunts during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game versus Marlboro at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

Keio Academy’s Shutaro Wakayama pitches during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game versus Marlboro at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

Marlboro’s Nicolas Mongelli pitches during Thursday’s Section 9 Class B regional semi-final game versus Keio Academy at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

The Marlboro High School baseball team carries itself with a certain swagger. They try to ensure it doesn’t border on conceit, but there is an undeniable confidence and self-assurance. And it’s unwavering.

And, really, why not? The Iron Dukes have given themselves no reason to believe otherwise.

Marlboro, continuing its dominant season, marched on with a 5-2 win over Keio Academy in the Class B regional semifinal at Cantine Field in Saugerties on Thursday.

Nick Mongelli pitched a two-hitter with five strikeouts to lead the Iron Dukes (19-2). He carried a no-hitter into the sixth, before it was broken up on a bunt single.

Jack Rusk was 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI, and Justin Conte and Cole Nicolis each went 2 for 3.

“With the research and preparation we put in, we felt comfortable going in that we could get the job done,” Marlboro coach Dave Onusko said. “They were confident in what we could do.”

Therefore, the post-game celebration was measured, if not subdued. The Iron Dukes were satisfied with the victory, no doubt, but there certainly weren’t surprised by it.

Marlboro will face Long Island champion Wheatley of Section 8 at noon on Saturday at Farmingdale State on Long Island.

Marlboro’s Sam Mongelli hits a single during Thursday’s Class B regional semifinal win over Keio Academy at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

This is the farthest Marlboro has gone since 2003, when it reached the state semifinals. The Iron Dukes last reached this round in 2010, but lost.

Nicolis, who led off the second with an infield single, came around to score on Rusk’s two-out single and a subsequent outfield error, to put Marlboro on the board. Conte’s RBI double made it 2-0.

Tristan Ceriello’s RBI single, following Rusk’s double, made it 3-1 in the sixth. Robert Perra scored on a wild pitch to give the Iron Dukes a 4-1 lead, then John Mooradian followed with an RBI double.

Mongelli utilized his cutter, fastball and curveball to keep Keio off-balance. “He wasn’t as efficient as he usually is and Keio was really disciplined at the plate,” Onusko said of Mongelli, who walked two batters, “but he’s a bulldog.”

He held Keio hitless until Masayashi Shimojima dropped a bunt up the third-base line and beat the throw for a one-out infield single. A walk preceding the bunt, a proceeding fielder’s choice brought home a run for Keio.

“Their ability to remain calm and perform in pressure situations is remarkable,” Onusko said of his team. “I don’t think they’ve been rattled once this year.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Action from Thursday’s MHAL championship between Marlboro and Pine Plains.

Rachel Beam was frantic. From the deck of her home in Milan, she witnessed smoke billowing from a house nearby on Willow Glen Road. Naturally, she ran inside to make the emergency call.

Catie Gomm’s cellphone rang.

Catie Gomm, a Stissing Mountain High School senior athlete, poses in her Milan Fire Department gear.

“I didn’t even get a ‘hello’ when I picked up,” Gomm said, recalling that April call from her Stissing Mountain High School classmate. “She was freaking out so I tried to calm her down. I was on the bus headed to Kingston for a softball game. I’m thinking, ‘Why are you calling me instead of 911?'”

Well, Beam can be pardoned in this instance. After all, she did call a firefighter.

In addition to her Pine Plains softball and field hockey uniforms, Gomm has grown accustomed to wearing bunker gear. She’s been a volunteer member of the Milan Fire Department for the last four years, continuing a family tradition that has united multiple generations.

Yes, she is a teenage girl. And, yes, she still is a high school senior.

Pine Plains athlete Catie Gomm poses in her firefighter uniform.

“It’s definitely a head-turner when I take off the mask,” Gomm, 18, said with a chuckle. “I kind of get a kick out of it. Most people have this image in their head of a firefighter — they aren’t expecting some blonde-haired girl to be under the mask.”

Or a standout high school athlete, for that matter.

Gomm, a first baseman, was on the field Thursday, as her softball team fell to North Salem, 7-6, in a Class C regional semifinal. Gomm had helped lead Pine Plains to the Section 9 championship last Saturday. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association divides competition into 11 geographic sections and several classes based on school enrollment size.

“Catie is like no other,” said Beam, a close friend and Gomm’s field hockey teammate. “She’s very strong and powerful, and she’s always taking care of others. She redefines what being a girl is all about.”

And for the Gomm family, firefighting is as much a tradition as Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, though they try to avoid it, firefighting will sometimes be the topic of conversation during Thanksgiving dinner.

In Catie Gomm’s estimation, she was born into it. Both parents, her two older brothers and two cousins are firefighters, as was her grandfather and three uncles.

Catie Gomm pumps her fist during her Pine Plains softball team’s win over Marlboro in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League championship game on May 19.

When there’s a rush out the door of their home, one could ask in all seriousness, “Where’s the fire?”

Pine Plains ends Chester’s run, wins sectional softball title

“She couldn’t wait until she was old enough to do this,” her dad, Jack Gomm, said. “Her brothers are involved, and her mom was one of the first female interior firefighters in Dutchess County. Catie wanted to follow in those footsteps.”

But, of course, there are obvious questions: Why? Isn’t it dangerous? Was there any apprehension?

“It was always a go for me,” said Catie Gomm, whose is also certified in CPR and first aid. “The most appealing part, along with helping people, is that my entire family is involved. Everyone has their own lives and different interests, but we have this one big thing in common and we come together.”

Jack Gomm, a 42-year veteran, is Chairman of the Board of Directors and former Fire Chief of the Milan department. Catie’s mother, Cathy Gomm, is a longtime firefighter; brother Thomas Gomm, 24, is a captain in the volunteer department and Jake Gomm, 20, is a lieutenant.

There are only “a handful” of female firefighters in the department, Catie said, but her mom and cousin, Rebecca Sardaro, are among them.

Pine Plains’ Catie Gomm takes a shot during the Section 9 Class C final against Webutuck on Oct. 30 in Milton.

And when Catie turned 14, the minimum age to join the department, it was a rite of passage.

As an underage volunteer, Catie’s contributions to the department were limited to “exterior work.” Like the others, she would respond to fires, but her responsibilities included finding water supplies for the trucks, assisting the crew with equipment and helping maintain order at the scene.

But, since turning 18 three weeks ago, Gomm completed the Firefighter 1 interior training certification, which now qualifies her to enter burning buildings. The course, she said, included “the search and rescue aspect, going into mazes in the dark and fitting through small spaces you didn’t think you could. There’s survival skills. And fire attack, where you actually put the fire out.”

Pine Plains’ Beam shined among Journal field hockey all-stars

There haven’t since been any fires in the area that required her to do so, but when the time comes, she insisted, there will be no hesitation.

“She’ll absolutely be doing interior work,” Jack Gomm said. “She’s my little girl, but I don’t worry for her any more than I do my boys. I know the training she’s had and she’s got a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn’t put herself in danger.”

Catie does intend to have a life and career beyond firefighting — she plans to play softball at Colombia-Greene Community College in Hudson next year — “and I do want to have a normal job,” she said. But, “I’ll always have this on the side as a volunteer. I don’t want to give it up.”

Naturally, there have been moments that tested Gomm’s resolve, and some that were downright frightening, she admitted. In 2013, her mom was operating a brush truck when it became surrounded by flames, Catie said. Cathy Gomm eventually had to drive through the fire. Last October, there was a barn fire on Saw Mill Road, which her family responded to at 3:30 a.m., she said. By the time the department arrived, the four occupants had evacuated, but the property was engulfed.

The following day, Gomm scored a goal in the field hockey team’s win over Ellenville. And two weeks later, the forward scored the winner in double overtime of the Section 9 Class C final.

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Pine Plains pulls off double OT win for field hockey title

Though firefighting has never come at the expense of her attending class or interrupted a game, there still is a juggling act she regularly makes, and makes appear seamless. But, Gomm admitted, “I’ve gone to school and many practices tired after a long night.”

A mild-mannered student-athlete by day, she dons the uniform and becomes, well, a local hero. So, quite often, an at-bat in the seventh inning likely isn’t the most pressurized situation Gomm will face… that day.

“She’s remarkable,” Beam said. “She never stops trying to improve and she sacrifices countless hours to help the community.”

And answers emergency calls.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Action from Saturday’s New York State southeast regional Class B championship game between Marlboro and Center Moriches at Rhinebeck High School.

Members of the Marlboro softball team celebrate their 15-8 win in a Class B state regional final at Rhinebeck High School, Pictured, from left, Amber Mianti, Sara Cerone and Michaela Casey

The Marlboro’s Victoria Sorace slides into Center Moriches’ Megan Ricci during the New York State Class B southeast championship game at Rhinebeck on Saturday.

Marlboro’s Missy Sadler gets a hit during the New York State Class B southeast championship game versus Center Moriches at Rhinebeck on Saturday.

The Marlboro softball team celebrates their win over Center Moriches in the New York State Class B southeast championship game at Rhinebeck on Saturday.

Marlboro’s Michala Casey slides back to first base unsuccessfully as Center Moriches’ Erin Copozzi stares her down during the New York State Class B southeast championship game at Rhinebeck on Saturday.

Marlboro’s Lily Moresco celebrates her three run homer in the first inning with head coach, Ryan Naccarato, during Saturday’s New York State Class B southeast championship game versus Center Moriches at Rhinebeck High School.

Marlboro softball team takes the field in the Class B southeast regional final.

The Marlboro High School softball team poses at home plate after winning Saturday’s Class B southeast regional softball championship versus Center Moriches at Rhinebeck High School.

RHINEBECK – What a breathtaking performance this was.

No, really.

What began as a laugher for the Marlboro High School softball team turned into a nail-biter, so much so that Millie Sadler nearly hyperventilated on Saturday.

“Oh my God!” the 92-year-old said. “I needed oxygen. I was yelling so much, I needed an inhaler.”

The sigh of relief eventually came, after her granddaughter Melissa Sadler crushed a two-run homer that helped break the game open and sent the Iron Dukes back to the state tournament.

Marlboro withstood Center Moriches’ furious sixth-inning rally that cut its lead to one, then answered with a surge of its own, pulling away for a 15-8 victory in the Class B southeast regional final at Rhinebeck High School.

“Even when they did come back a little bit, I knew we would be able to fight back,” said shortstop Amber Mianti, who homered in the sixth. “There were nerves, but I knew we were hitting and nothing was gonna stop us.”

Lily Moresco went 2 for 4 with a home run and five RBI to lead Marlboro (20-3). Sadler was 4 for 5 with a homer and four RBI, and Cassie Lapointe went 3 for 5 with a three-run homer.

The Iron Dukes advance to the state semifinal for the second consecutive season and will face Ichabod Crane at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Moreau Park in Glens Falls.

“I think a game like this is good preparation for states,” Sadler said. “This is what it’s gonna be like — it’s those kind of quality teams we’ll see in the next couple rounds.”

Missy Sadler hits during Saturday’s Class B southeast regional softball championship game versus Center Moriches at Rhinebeck High School.

With Marlboro up, 9-3, the Red Devils scored five runs in the sixth. After a series of singles and an RBI groundout, Cassy Smith’s RBI single pulled Center Moriches within 9-8.

Gasp!

This prompted a pitching change as Marlboro went back to Moresco, the starter, who had been relieved by Taylor Felicello when she began to falter in the fourth. Moresco recorded the final out of the frame, and the group huddled in its dugout.

“I told everyone to calm down,” catcher Ally Swartz said. “We know we have the bats to get more runs. We just had to stay composed.”

Eh, about that composure part…

Mianti smashed a leadoff homer in the bottom of the sixth that gave the Dukes a two-run lead, and their dugout reason to erupt. The team giddily rushed the field to greet her at home plate.

“That was a clutch hit right there,” Lapointe said.

After Ashley Votta doubled, Sadler homered to make it 12-8. Clutch hit. Then, with Sara Cerone and Michaela Casey on, Lapointe hammered a three-run shot to left. Clutch hit. Another one.

“They’re great,” Red Devils pitcher Kylie Castellano said. “They were hitting so many live drives.”

Yep.

Marlboro struck immediately, scoring five runs in the first inning, capped by Moresco’s three-run homer. Moresco’s two-run single made it 7-0 in the third, and RBI singles by Mianti and Sadler had the Dukes up 9-3 in the fourth. Then things got interesting.

“We have unfinished business in states,” Lapointe said, referring to her team’s lopsided loss in the semifinals last year. “We’re ready for it.”

With Marlboro three outs away from making travel plans, Swartz and Moresco broke into song. Hilary Duff’s “Hey Now” blared from on the speakers in the seventh, and those two belted the lyrics.

“It’s a serious game, but we have to stay relaxed,” Swartz said. “It’s a throwback song; you hear it and just want to sing. It was a happy moment.”

For Grandma Sadler, too.

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Section 9 qualifiers for the state golf tournament, including Roosevelt’s Jeff Peters and Spackenkill’s Erik Stauderman and Stanley Garrant. May 25, 2016

Jeff Peters entered Wednesday’s play in second place, with a single stroke separating him from the leader in the Section 9 boys golf championship.

Winning this tournament had long been a goal for the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School standout, so one would imagine he was on edge, ultra-focused on making up that slim difference.

Not quite.

“I wasn’t worried about passing him,” Peters said of Eldred’s David Powers. “I just wanted to do my best and see where I ended up.”

He ended up a champion. The junior shot a 1-over-par 73 at Casperkill Golf Club to win his first section title. With that comes a berth to the state tournament, June 5-6 at Cornell University.

Spackenkill’s duo of Erik Stauderman and Stanley Garrant also qualified for the state tournament for a third time.

Peters recorded 11 pars and four birdies, and shot a combined 148 in the two-day tournament, which began Monday at Powelton Club. Powers and Cornwall’s Ryan Rodriguez each shot 150 to tie for second.

“It’s an awesome accomplishment and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Roosevelt coach Kevin Hart said of Peters. “It’s rewarding because this was a goal of his and he’s extremely dedicated.”

He’s also extremely calm — even admitting that his parents, whom he called after the match, were more excited than he was. Despite his competitiveness, Peters wasn’t at all fazed by the close standings during the final holes, and he adjusted seamlessly to the tournament’s two golf courses.

“Powelton had a little bit thicker rough and (Casperkill) had it cut down a little more,” Peters said, “that helped me a little. But it wasn’t tough going from one to the other.”

Stauderman shot a 153 and tied for fifth, and Garrant carded a 154 for seventh place. Both had a 79 in the first round and needed to rally on Wednesday to qualify for the state tournament. Teammate Ryan Ackert, who shot a 75 on Monday, finished with a 166 and missed the cut.

“Having players continually make it this far, including Ryan, is exciting,” Spartans coach Keith Humphrey said. “To see them play quality golf impresses me to no end. Stanley and Erik were on the outside looking in then finished strong to qualify. They’re so talented and it’s a treat to watch.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Millbrook’s Brooke Babbitt shoots on O’Neill’s goalie, Caroline Roscoe during Wednesday’s Section 9 Class C final at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

Millbrook’s Kailyn Daly scores her team’s second goal during the Section 9 Class C final versus O’Neill on Wednesday at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

The Millbrook High School girls lacrosse team celebrates its Section 9 Class C championship Wednesday in Kingston.

KINGSTON – Kelly Waters thought about passing the ball off. Coach Jillian Barnes thought about calling timeout.

Millbrook’s girls lacrosse team celebrate their win over O’neill on Wednesday’s Section 9 Class C final at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

Both thought better of it.

Waters recovered a turnover deep in Millbrook territory in the game’s waning moments with the score tied.

One could almost imagine the “Chariots of Fire” theme blaring in the background as the defender raced the length of the field, adroitly maneuvering through the defense.

Waters got herself in position and fired in the winner with 1:23 left, delivering the Blazers’ first Section 9 Class C girls lacrosse title in an 8-7 win over third-seeded James I. O’Neill on Wednesday at Dietz Stadium.

The top-seeded Blazers came from behind in the final minutes and tied it at 7 on Kaitlyn Daly’s third goal with 2:02 remaining. O’Neill won the ensuing draw, but then came the turnover, and then came the dramatics.

Because Waters is a low defender, she normally would look for a midfielder to flip the ball to and start a fast break in those situations. Barnes, typically, would call timeout to discuss a designed play.

But there was nothing typical about the way top-seeded Millbrook ended this game. Its two previous seasons ended in excruciating heartbreak, twice losing by a goal in the final. Not again.

“We’ve been in these situations before,” Waters said. “We had to take advantage of that opportunity. I wanted to win it right there.”

She did, scoring on a bounce shot from about 5 yards.

“Thank you, Kelly Waters!” goalie Claire Martell said. “She’s a great defender and it was awesome seeing her score that goal. I was watching run up the field and I was hoping she’d take it all the way.”

Waters, teammates said, has scored before this season. And Barnes said she the junior has enough offensive skill to perhaps play midfielder.

Millbrook gained possession in the final minute and successfully worked the ball around the perimeter in its stall to run out the clock.

And just like that, finally, the Blazers could hug their teammates in celebration, rather than consolation.

Millbrook (14-2) will face an opponent to be determined in the regional semifinals on June 1, 7 p.m. at Dietz.

Daly, in addition to the three goals, had two assists to lead the Blazers (11-3). Brooke Babbitt scored three goals, Sam Szalewicz had a goal and Claire Martell made 10 saves.

“This is a special feeling, knowing you were on the team that got our first championship, knowing that we made school history,” said Daly, whom Barnes poured the water bucket on in celebration.

O’Neill (5-11) had upset five-time defending champion Red Hook in the semifinals on Monday. And although Millbrook had dominated O’Neill in two regular-season meetings last month, the stakes in this game obviously would be much higher. And the Blazers would have to do it without star midfielder Liz Halpin, who suffered a knee injury in their last game.

Millbrook’s Kelly Walters winds up to score the winning goal versus O’Neill during Wednesday’s Section 9 Class C final at Dietz Stadium in Kingston.

The senior cheered on her teammates but, clearly, this was a bittersweet moment for her. As well, the Blazers missed her steadiness and leadership on offense, her pressure defense and, maybe most of all, her excellence on the draw control.

Waters said Halpin provided as much help as she could from the bench, giving pointers and keeping the morale high, but her absence certainly was felt on the field.

“I wanted to win this for her,” Daly said of her close friend and neighbor. “Liz is a senior and this was her last chance to win a title. We had to get this done for her.”

Babbitt’s goal off a pass from Taylor Redl gave Millbrook a 3-2 lead late in the first half. The teams went back and forth in the second half and O’Neill eventually went ahead, 7-6, on Grace Loose’s fourth goal with 3:26 left.

“There were definitely nerves right then,” Martell said. “But I trusted my team. I knew we’d get it back. I knew it.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

Hannah Fisher competes during the Millbrook High School girls lacrosse team’s Section 9 Class C championship game win over James I. O’Neill on Wednesday in Kingston.