By S. Quinn DeJoy and J. Murrer

Jun. 15, 2016:  The Bronxville girls' lacrosse team finished the season as both sectional and regional champions but last Friday suffered a heartbreaking loss to Skaneateles in the state semifinals. The team, which has made it to the state semifinals for the past three years, finishes the season with a 19-4 record.  To see photos of the state championships, click here: 2016 New York State Championships.

In the state semifinal game held at SUNY Cortland, the Broncos were first to score on a goal by senior Lilly Grass and held onto a 4-3 halftime lead. At the beginning of the second half, Skaneateles tied the game 4-4, but the offensive duo of Grass and Allie Berkey combined to score three quick Bronco goals. Minutes later, Mason Warble scored to give the Broncos a comfortable 8-4 lead. 

Skaneateles was not going to go down without a fight. The Lakers put up an offensive run of their own, scoring four unanswered goals in three minutes to tie the game at 8-8. With just 7:09 left, Hannah Logan scored to give the Lakers the lead for the first time in the game. 

With time running out and pressure mounting for both teams, Grass scored her fourth goal of the day to tie the game at 9-9. With just 1:19 left in regulation time, the Broncos took back the lead with a goal by Olivia Jensen. 

Bronxville's Berkey won the ensuing draw. The Broncos just needed to run out the clock to seal the victory, but Skaneateles forced a turnover with 14 seconds left, tying the game at 10 and forcing sudden victory overtime. 

The Lakers won the draw control in overtime, and Claire Kraemer kept the Broncos in the game with a couple of saves. With 1:23 left, Kraemer's clearing attempt was picked off by Olivia Navaroli, who then scored to give Skaneateles an 11-10 victory. 

Skaneateles finished the season as state runner-up after losing to Long Island's Mount Sinai, 12-3, in Saturday's state championship game. 

Lilly Grass was named to the All-Tournament state team, and Claire Kraemer won the sportsmanship award in the semifinal game. 

The Bronxville team will lose four seniors to graduation, Grass, Taylor Sears, Lain Miller, and Fallon Raviol, but will return next year with many talented sophomores and juniors, including Division 1 recruits Ellie Walsh (Cornell), Olivia Jensen (Cornell), Beth Finley (University of Pennsylvania), Mason Warble (Brown), and Allie Berkey (Northwestern).

Pictured here: The Broncos in the state semifinals against Skaneateles.

Photo above by Scott Burge; photos in gallery by Scott Burge, Jane Ircha, and Charlotte Rizzo