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The Lakeland/Panas girls lacrosse team had established a monopoly on the Section 1 Class A title. The Rebels won the previous four championships entering the 2011 season. Anna Jeszeck, a Walter Panas High School senior, and her classmates wanted to keep that streak alive. They were also hoping to become the first class to win four titles. Not only did they accomplish this goal, but the seniors were also instrumental in leading the Rebels to a second consecutive state final four.
The senior class will graduate as the most successful in Lakeland/Panas girls lacrosse history. There were a lot of teams that were peaking at the beginning of the season, said Jeszeck, who will attend the University of Richmond and play lacrosse next year. We felt we were getting better day-by-day and we peaked in sectionals when it mattered most.
Jeszeck said she and her classmates did not want to be the team to end the sectional streak. Coming into the sectional final as a senior, there was some pressure, she said. It was almost an obligation to win. After the game we were happy and relieved. To come out of your senior year winning sectionals, theres nothing like it.
Lakeland/Panas defeated arch-rival Suffern in the Section 1 title game for a fifth consecutive year. The Rebels added a regional title with a thrilling win over Niskayuna before running into a buzz saw in Northport in a state semifinal. The season and Jeszecks four years on varsity are memories she said she will never forget because they were shared with friends.
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