Throughout the girls lacrosse season, it was reiterated and repeated, that there is a clear separation between the upper echelon teams and the field, and even within that elite grouping, there is a divide between the cream of the crop and the creme de la crème.
There have been few surprises thus far in the playoffs and those teams that carried high expectations from months ago have lived up to them, advancing to the Section 1 finals. Those games, over four classifications, will be played on June 2 and 3 at Nyack High School.
But here, as the titans clash with the verve and urgency that a championship game calls for, the label of “favorite” means a little less. They’ll all have to withstand the best shot from an opponent capable of delivering a knockout. As the saying goes: “On any given weekday…” Or something like that. No team that made it this far can be discounted.
2026 Section 1 Girls Lacrosse Championships
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Tuesday, June 2
Class B
No. 3 Yorktown (13-4) vs. No. 1 Nyack (14-4), 4:30 p.m.
Previous meeting
Nyack gave Yorktown its first loss of the season with a 17-11 road win on April 16.
Rankings
Yorktown — No. 13 Lax Numbers; No. 10 NYSSWA; No. 4 lohud
Nyack — No. 5 Lax Numbers; No. 3 NYSSWA; No. 1 lohud
Offense/defense
Yorktown is averaging 13.4 goals per game and allowing 9.8 goals per game.
Nyack is averaging 15.6 goals per game and allowing 7.7 goals per game.
Gamechangers
Yorktown — Khloe Clarkin, So., M; Annie Cunneen, Jr., M; Lily Diaz, Jr., M; Julia Fitzsimons, So., GK; Ava Ryan, So., A; Sydney Sateriale, So., A; Claire Sullivan, So., D
Nyack — Addison Burns, Sr., D; Casey Cummings, Sr., M/A; Lila Gilbart, So., A; Abby Gould, So., M; Ella Gould, Sr., M; Ashley MacCartney, Sr., D; Paige Scotti, So., GK; Ava von Kleeck, So., M
Scouting report
This is an atypical matchup of defending section champions with Yorktown seeking to hold onto its crown and Nyack, which shifted from Class C this school year, on the verge of conquering a larger classification. The Huskers tested themselves against elite teams throughout the regular season in preparation for a matchup like this, and they did well with a roster comprised heavily of sophomores and juniors in key roles. But, Nyack stood as the local leviathan in the regular season, undefeated against Section 1 competition, and they also cut their teeth against highly-ranked opponents. The teams have similar strengths: standouts who excel in the draw circle and a solid defense in support of an offense with several scorers capable of wrecking a game. This should be a competitive game, but the RedHawks have the edge in experience and athleticism.
Pick
Nyack 15, Yorktown 12
Class C
No. 2 Pelham (15-3) vs. No. 1 Rye (14-4), 7 p.m.
Previous meeting
Rye defeated Pelham, 15-7, in their season opener on March 23.
Rankings
Pelham — No. 11 Lax Numbers; No. 9 NYSSWA; No. 5 lohud
Rye — No. 2 Lax Numbers; No. 2 NYSSWA; No. 2 lohud
Offense/defense
Pelham is averaging 15.8 goals per game and allowing 7.3 goals per game.
Rye is averaging 14.6 goals per game and allowing 5.9 goals per game.
Gamechangers
Pelham — Alex Dolen, Sr., A; Brooke Green, So., A; Arden Keough, Sr., M; Parker Koupal, Sr., A; Maggie Memoli, Sr., D; Jolie Morselli, Sr., D; Colleen Sheehy, So., M
Rye — Mary Ebeling, Jr., A; Mia Howson, Sr., A; Clare Nemsick, Sr., D; Blake Sasse, Jr., M; Paige Tepedino, Sr., M; Annie Toulose, Sr., A; Beau Whaling, Sr., A
Scouting report
Pelham has made significant strides in recent years, and they made another by advancing to the section final for the first time. This group is cohesive, doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, and improved steadily throughout the regular season as Green and Koupal emerged as prolific scorers. In most seasons, and under most circumstances, this would be a team favored to win a title and be a threat in the regional rounds. But the Pelicans have the misfortune of sharing a classification with Rye, whose only Section 1 loss was in overtime to Nyack. The Garnets returned several touted Division I commits to a lethal offense and their defense, a question mark entering the spring, has been excellent. Their opponents in the previous two playoff rounds managed a goal each.
Pick
Rye 14, Pelham 9
Wednesday, June 3
Class A
No. 2 Wappingers (13-4) vs. No. 1 Suffern (14-2), 4:30 p.m.
Previous meeting
Suffern beat Wappingers, 18-8, when the teams met in the section final last year.
Rankings
Wappingers — No. 25 Lax Numbers; N/R NYSSWA; N/R lohud
Suffern — No. 9 Lax Numbers; No. 5 NYSSWA; No. 3 lohud
Offense/defense
Wappingers is averaging 15.6 goals per game and allowing 10.2 goals per game.
Suffern is averaging 13.3 goals per game and allowing 7.8 goals per game.
Gamechangers
Wappingers — Brooke Cameron, Jr., M; Sophia Coffman, Fr., A/M; Ava Feliciotto, Sr. A; Morgan Jackson, Sr., M; Grace Jesman, Jr., D; Mackenzie Kroohs, So., A
Suffern — Nicole DeBellis, Sr., D; Michaela Fay, Sr., M; YunHo Lee, So., GK; Madison McCarren, Sr., A; Alexa Shulman, Sr., D; Nevin Sullivan, Sr., M/D; Elizabeth Torres, Jr., M
Scouting report
Wappingers has entrenched itself among the better teams in Section 1, having reached the final for a third straight year. That’s no small feat as lacrosse still is in its relative infancy in Dutchess County. The Titans have maintained this standard despite losing some of the best players in program history in recent years. Wappingers did, however, falter a bit in the regular season, with disappointing losses to Mamaroneck, Eastchester and Queensbury. Suffern was again superb in the regular season, losing only to Nyack and Garden City in close games. Wappingers has more firepower, but the Mounties have perhaps the best defense in Section 1, and they’ll likely be able to slow the game down. And, of course, All-American Michaela Fay is an X-factor.
Pick
Suffern 12, Wappingers 9
Class D
No. 7 Bronxville (8-8) vs. No. 1 Pleasantville (15-3), 7 p.m.
Previous meeting
Pleasantville beat Bronxville, 18-13, last season in the section final.
Rankings
Bronxville — No. 8 Lax Numbers; No. 11 NYSSWA; N/R lohud
Pleasantville — No. 4 Lax Numbers; No. 4 NYSSWA; No. 7 lohud
Offense/defense
Bronxville is averaging 11.4 goals per game and allowing 10.3 goals per game.
Pleasantville is averaging 16.8 goals per game and allowing 8.6 goals per game.
Gamechangers
Bronxville — Mabel Arrighi, Jr., M; Michaela Doheny, Sr., GK; Ellie Garofalo, Sr., A; Caroline Melchionni, 8, M; Charlotte Murray, Sr., A; Hadley Ramirez, So., M; Grace van Tienhoven, Jr., A
Pleasantville — Maddie Becerra, So., A; Faith Brown, Jr., M; Ella Collins, Sr., A; Julie Karaqi, So., M; Ella McCourtney, Sr., M; Samatha Schultz, Fr., M; Ashley Vamossy, Jr., D
Scouting report
Given their schedule, a spate of injuries and growing pains, the Broncos’ five-win regular season didn’t mean a whole lot. Bronxville crammed its schedule with high-level opponents, willingly taking its beatings along the way, and even limped toward the finish line with five losses in its last six games. But, in enduring that, the group was battletested and seemingly hit its stride at the right time, winning three playoff games convincingly. Pleasantville opened the season with 13 straight wins, dominating most of them, before dropping three straight to close against some of the best local teams. Those, of course, were their intensified sparring sessions leading into the postseason. As impressive as the Broncos have been of late, Pleasantville simply has overwhelming talent, skill and depth, and this group is determined to surpass its run to the regional final last season.
Pick
Pleasantville 15, Bronxville 9
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Section 1 girls lacrosse championship previews and predictions
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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