The Lower Hudson Valley showed its continued growth in girls lacrosse, having four teams advance to the state semifinals and two of them find their way into a national top 25 ranking.
With the state tournament behind us and the school year wrapping up, we’ll look back on the spring season in its entirety and offer a final ranking.
Girls Lacrosse Power Rankings
Records are as of the morning of June 16.
1. Nyack (16-5)
The RedHawks topped our preseason ranking and fulfilled the expectations, negotiating a difficult schedule and staving off challenges from some of the other highly-regarded teams on this list. Nyack went undefeated against local competition, captured a second straight Section 1 championship, and crushed Section 9’s Warwick to reach the final four for the first time since 2010. The RedHawks went step-for-step with Garden City before faltering in the final minutes of the Class B state semifinal. But this season solidified the program among the elite in New York and earned them some national lacrosse spotlight. Previously: 1
2. Rye (16-5)
The Garnets performed well against a loaded schedule and hit their stride at the ideal time. Their talent and cohesion showed as they held three playoff opponents to one goal while rolling to the Class C regional title. All that kept Rye from being No. 1 here was an overtime loss to Nyack. And, perhaps, the only thing that kept them from a state championship was running into a Sayville squad putting the finishing touches on another undefeated season. Rye lost, 11-7, in the state semifinal but was one of three teams this season that wasn’t dominated by the Golden Flashes. Previously: 2
3. Suffern (15-3)
With a roster that featured 12 underclassmen in support of a five-senior core, there were questions about how the youngsters would develop, and how quickly the group could mesh. What followed was a superb regular season before going on to reach the state semifinals for a fifth consecutive year. Huntington rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat Suffern, 8-6, in the Class A state semifinals before going on to win the title. A spring that began with the Mounties wondering how far off they were ended with them realizing how awfully close they were to the crown. Previously: 3
4. Yorktown (14-5)
Had an enrollment bump not moved Nyack to Class B, Yorktown probably would’ve repeated as section champion and likely would’ve reached the state semifinals. But this certainly was an encouraging run for a young group as the Huskers held their own against each of the teams ranked ahead of them here, reached the section final and fought valiantly. The future is bright for this crew. Previously: 4
5. Pleasantville (17-4)
After winning its first Section 1 championship last year, Pleasantville added to the resume with its first regional title this spring. Maybe most impressive was them making three-time defending state champion Cold Spring Harbor sweat before an eventual 16-13 loss in the Class D state semifinal. The Panthers are expected to return 18 players and these accomplishments, and that performance, could be a springboard. Previously: 7
6. Pelham (15-4)
After a gradual build, Pelham broke through this spring and joined the area’s elite teams. The Pelicans reached the Section 1 final for the first time and put up a fight against Rye. They’ll graduate several core pieces who helped elevate the program, but Colleen Sheehy, Hannah Kindig and Brooke Green are among the standouts expected back. Previously: 5
7. Rye Country Day School (16-2)
The Wildcats drop a spot through no fault of their own. Their season concluded a month ago with a Fairchester Athletic Association title, but them not having the opportunity to compete in regional or state tournaments limits the evaluation. Nevertheless, RCDS cleared the hurdles in its path and won the FAA in its first season there. The Wildcats do also get credit for their crossover wins against Pelham and Bronxville. Previously: 6
8. Fox Lane (17-2)
The Foxes had a stellar regular season that included wins over Horace Greeley, Mamaroneck and Farmingdale. But, similar to a year ago, they met Yorktown in the playoffs and lost in the semifinals. They’ll graduate Cora Moore and Michaela Kaltsas, dynamic offensive weapons, but do have several talented players returning. Previously: 8
9. Wappingers (14-5)
Despite losing to graduation and transfer some of the best players the program has developed, Wappingers made its way to the Section 1 Class A final for a third consecutive year. The Titans have been one of the most competitive teams in the area for a half-decade. Previously: N/R
10. Bronxville (8-9)
That record, and their struggles during a five-win regular season, kept the Broncos out of the top 10. Bronxville endured a rash of injuries and took the lopsided losses from upper echelon teams, believing all along that it was capable. They went on to win three playoff games as a battle-tested seventh seed and threatened Pleasantville in the final before taking an 11-9 loss. Previously: N/R
Honorable mention: Eastchester (14-4), Horace Greeley (11-6), Mahopac (13-5), John Jay-Cross River (11-7), Mamaroneck (13-9), Briarcliff (12-6)
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Nyack closes at No. 1 in final girls lacrosse rankings of season
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
