SHRUB OAK – In Section 1 Class C, 2025 is officially the “Year of the RedHawk.”
On the same Lakeland High School field where Rye took down Nyack in the 2024 section championship game, this year was the RedHawks’ turn to settle the account. Nyack defeated Rye 13-12 on Wednesday to win the Section 1 Class C title.
Ask anyone who witnessed the back-and-forth game between these two familiar Westchester lacrosse titans, and they would have said the same thing: this one would come down to whichever team had the last possession.
That team was the RedHawks. And they absolutely made it count. Nyack (19-0) netted the game-winner with just 22 seconds remaining to keep its perfect season alive and leave Rye (14-5) with a proud but quiet bus ride home.
Rye senior goalie Katherine Ebeling made her presence known early in the game with several brilliant saves as Rye led 2-1 after the first quarter. Junior Annie Toulouse, sophomore Mary Ebeling, and junior Beau Whaling then tacked on three more as Rye jumped out to a 5-1 advantage. But Nyack crafted its own methodical response, and the game was knotted 5-5 at the half.
With tension building, it was 9-9 at the end of three quarters. Both sides trading punches in the blistering heat. Seniors Mary Sack and Caroline Doyle, and junior Paige Tepedino would not back down. Senior Cami Brooks, junior Clare Nemsick, and the rest of the Rye defense would bend but never break.
And when Rye sophomore Blake Sasse scored with 2:46 to go in the game, Rye took the lead 12-11 – and the section repeat was within reach.
But Nyack standouts Casey Cummings, Kate Gould, and goalie Emily Rodriguez had other plans because:
Nyack would have the last possession.
