Sports

Tigers top Broncos

Mamaroneck’s Sophie Leighton and Bronxville’s Ava Austi chase down a loose ball on Sept. 26. The Tigers beat the Broncos 5-0.
Mamaroneck’s Sophie Leighton and Bronxville’s Ava Austi chase down a loose ball on Sept. 26. The Tigers beat the Broncos 5-0.

On Sept. 26, two of the premier field hockey programs in Section I squared off at Bronxville High School, as the Class C Broncos hosted the reigning Class A state champions from Mamaroneck. In the end, it was the bigger school that came out on top, as the surging Tigers rode a terrific offensive performance to a 5-0 win.

Mamaroneck controlled the time of possession on Monday, limiting the Broncos to just one shot against Tiger goalie Charlotte Mackie, as sophomore Elizabeth Brissette netted a hat trick to help the Tigers improve to 7-1-1 on the year.

Mamaroneck’s offense seems to be finding a higher gear in the last week and has outscored its opponents 12-0 over the past two games.

“If you would have asked if I expected a win like this a week and a half ago, I don’t know what I would have said,” Mamaroneck head coach John Savage said. “But I think the kids are getting the idea of what we want to do, they’re trusting each other over the last few games, and they’re showing what they can do.”

In addition to Brissette’s three-goal effort, Sophie Brill and Emily Mahland each had a score and an assist, while Brigid Knowles added two assists for good measure.

The hat trick was Brissette’s second in as many games.

“Even though [Brissette is a] sophomore, she’s been playing for a while and she’s put in the time to develop her skills,” Savage said. “I think she has a chance to be among the best players in the section.”

With the loss, the Broncos fall to 7-3 on the season, but each one of Bronxville’s defeats have come at the hands of a much larger opponent.

Savage said, “When we put the schedule together, we look at the teams from Class A, then look at Class B and teams like Rye and Lakeland. In Class C, it’s really only Bronxville; they’re a good program and the only games they have lost this year have been to top teams like Rye and Scarsdale.”

Mamaroneck, on the other hand, has gone 6-0-1 since a season-opening 4-0 loss to Scarsdale on Sept. 7. The Raiders and Tigers appear to be on a collision course for the regular season finale on Oct. 17, in a game that could very well determine both the league championship and the overall top seed in the Class A playoff picture.

Savage expects his Tigers to give a much better showing the second time around.

“If that Scarsdale game didn’t open our eyes, I think we would have been in a lot of trouble,” Savage said. “But we’ve started working harder; it’s a slow process, but I think we’re in the right frame of mind.”