Massapequa girls’ lacrosse ran away with the Nassau Class A championship on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Syosset 13-5 to take the county title in convincing fashion at Farmingdale State College.
The Chiefs move on to the Long Island Class A championship game on June 7 at Stony Brook University at 10 a.m. against a yet-to-be determined Suffolk County opponent with a legacy to protect and clear goal in mind.
“It's a great experience to be able to come back to counties, and we dominated that game,” Massapequa senior attacker Savanna Appleton said. “It’s just really exciting to win with this team.”
In a three-game playoff stretch that also included victories over East Meadow and Port Washington, Massapequa outscored opponents 43-10, a commanding run as the top seed coming off a 12-3 regular season. The Chiefs have now won nine county championships in the last 11 years, including six straight since 2021.
Massapequa confounded Syosset by stringing together faceoff wins, quickly adapting on defense and distributing well on offense. Even in a versatile system, Appleton proved overwhelming, scoring four goals with four assists.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to step up for the team, but I would be nowhere without my teammates,” Appleton said. “We have amazing players who can just play off each other.”
One of just three seniors on the roster, Appleton said she was taking the final days of her high school career one at a time, an approach that has only bought her more time so far. Massapequa co-head coach Leigh-Ann Zimmer described her as a foundational contributor.
“She is our go-to girl,” Zimmer said. “We really depend on her for a lot because she's hard to stop. I thought she had a great job, but I also think it was a supporting cast. I think that's one great thing about her often. As much as we rely on her, other people can always pick up the slack, so we did a great job today.”
Syosset, which defeated Hicksville and Farmingdale to reach the championship stage, came out of the gates swinging, but it was always an uphill march. Senior midfielder Julie Shaughnessy shone in defeat, scoring four goals and propelling Syosset to a 2-1 lead in the first quarter. In the end, however, Massapequa adjusted on defense and smothered its opponent down the stretch.
“We fought all season,” Syosset head coach Jen Graham said. “A couple weeks ago, I challenged Julie Shaughnessy to make sure she had no regrets when she left this field, and I think she gave everything she had. It means everything. It just shows who she is as a player.”
Up 8-4 at halftime, Massapequa exploded early in the third quarter to put the game firmly out of reach. Sophomore attacker Ava Macri scored two goals in the first two minutes and tacked on another with 49 seconds remaining, securing a third-quarter hat trick and giving the Chiefs a 12-4 lead. She finished with three goals and one assist.
“I came in here knowing that this cannot be the last game,” Macri said. “The goal is to make it to state. We're not stopping until we're there.”
Junior midfielders Natalie Byrns, Olivia Morgan, and Olivia LoGiudice each scored a goal for Massapequa. Senior attacker Grace Hoffman scored two goals, including one which came with an assist by her younger sister, junior Molly Hoffman, who also scored a goal.
