23°
The Panthers defeated Section 5's Penn Yan 16-2 in the Class D state championship game at St. John Fisher College in Rochester for its first-ever title in the sport.
Though a first in lacrosse, 13 Panther players had experience winning a state title as members of the football team this past fall.
The lacrosse team played in its first sectional final in 2013.
"Each year, we kept going a little bit farther and we haven't taken any steps back," Pleasantville coach Chris Kear said. "It's something we've been building towards for a couple of years."
After the first quarter against Penn Yan ended ina 2-2 tie, Pleasantville pulled away to take a 7-2 lead at halftime. The Panthers broke it open against Penn Yan (15-6) in the third with a big run that resulted in a running time before activated due to the score disparity.
"This group of seniors is the strongest group we've ever had come through the school," Kear said. "They worked so hard for it -- winter, spring, summer. The only time they didn't play was during football season. They worked so hard for it and they deserve it."
The Panthers (21-1) were supported by a large group of fans who made the six-hour trek to the game.
Jake Coleman’s had three goals and four assists, Brian Reda points and goalie Jack Fitzgerald 11 saves.
The championship was especially sweet for Reda, who was unable to play during football season due to an injury.
"I had this game circled for a long time," Reda said. "I'm so proud of my teammates. They played so hard. Our coaches did a really good job getting us prepared. This means the world to us."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Poughkeepsie and receive free news updates.
