Huntington girls lacrosse claims Class A Suffolk title
Huntington attack Jenna Italiano, right, is overcome with emotion after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against Ward Melville in the Suffolk Class A girls lacrosse championship on Saturday at Smithtown West. Credit: George A. Faella
“Bet on us.”
It’s the Huntington girls lacrosse team’s mantra. Without a county title in 30 years and no championship appearance since 2007, it’s easy to see how some may not. But when regulation time expired and the Blue Devils entered overtime, they knew what they were capable of.
Sabrina Boyle stole the ball, intercepting a Ward Melville pass with 1:26 left in overtime to regain possession after a Ward Melville defensive stop. Boyle passed cross-field to Devon St. John, who found the wide-open Jenna Italiano at the net for the winning goal.
No. 2 Huntington defeated No. 5 Ward Melville 8-7, earning its first Suffolk Class A title since 1995 on Saturday afternoon at Smithtown East High School.
“I was getting ready in my spot to run the play and I saw Devon coming around the corner with the ball,” Italiano said. “Once I saw I had no one on me, I cut to the middle, faked it, and got it into the back of the net.”
Huntington got on the board first with a free position by Valentina Puccio, but Ward Melville was quick to answer, and took a 3-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Blue Devils reclaimed the lead 5-4 at the half, but Ward Melville’s 2-0 run in the third put them up 6-5 going into the final quarter. Grace Gordon tied it at 6, and a goal by Bridget Callery gave Huntington the lead yet again with 5:42 on the clock. Just when it looked like Huntington would bring it home, Ward Melville’s Aliya Leonard scored on a free position to tie it at 7-7 to force overtime.
A thrilling game was expected. In their previous meeting in mid-April, Huntington won in similar fashion, defeating the Patriots by a goal. Just last Wednesday, the Blue Devils defeated No. 3 Northport 6-5 in overtime in the semifinal round.
“We like to bring it down to the wire,” coach Katie Reilly, a 2016 Huntington lacrosse alum, said. “Our team wanted this so bad, and since we haven’t won counties in 30 years, I think it means more to us than maybe some other teams who’ve made it here in recent years.”
Gordon, Italiano and Puccio each finished with two goals and Juliet Johnson had seven saves. Grace Olivia had three goals for Ward Melville (12-6).
Huntington (17-2) will face Nassau opponent Massapequa (12-7) — a two-time consecutive Long Island Class A title holder — at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Adelphi.
St. John feels grateful to be a part of this journey during her final season as a Blue Devil.
“It’s such an incredible feeling to be here,” St. John said. “We’ve been a young team these last few years, and it’s all coming together. We’ve wanted this so badly, and it’s going to be a challenge, but we’re ready to do whatever it takes.”
