Harborfields wins Suffolk Class B field hockey championship
Harborfields seniors Olivia Eusanio and Kaia Nikolic have been waiting for this feeling since their freshman year: becoming Suffolk Class B field hockey champions and heading to the Long Island championship.
The pair finally got that feeling back after No. 2 Harborfields defeated top-seeded Miller Place, 5-1, on Tuesday afternoon at East Islip Middle School.
“We were both on the team as freshmen, the last time we won this,” Eusanio said. “There’s a lot of nostalgia, but we worked really hard to get back to this spot.”
Nikolic started the scoring on a penalty corner a few minutes into the first quarter off a pass from Eusanio.
“To see her get that first goal was an incredible feeling,” Harborfields coach Lauren Desiderio said. “They all came out ready to win right from the beginning of the game.”
By the end of the first quarter, Harborfields led 3-0. Earlier this season, the Tornadoes (17-2) fell to Miller Place, 2-1.
“Coming here and beating one of the two teams that we lost to this season just shows our dedication,” Nikolic said. “It shows that all of the hard work we’ve put in this season to get better has paid off.”
Miller Place finished the season 17-2.
The Tornadoes will face Garden City in the Long Island Class B championship game Sunday at Berner Middle School in Massapequa. Harborfields, in search of its first Long Island title, lost to Garden City in the 2021 title game.
“We’re ready to make history,” Eusanio said. “We want to leave a lasting impact on this program because we’ve put so much work into it.”
Pierson/Bridgehampton takes Class C crown
Senior forward Bella Eldridge knew it was her moment to deliver.
Eldridge rebounded her own shot off keeper Neveahya Bell’s pads and found the back of the cage for the go-ahead goal with 4:34 left in the third quarter of No. 1 Pierson/ Bridgehampton’s 1-0 win over No. 2 Southampton in the Suffolk Class C title game.
“All I thought about was getting the ball in the goal,” Eldridge said. “It was an awesome feeling because once we had the goal, the energy was high, and we kept that momentum going.”
Bell made four saves for Southampton, which finished 3-14.
Pierson/ Bridgehampton (8-9) will face the winner of No. 1 Carle Place/ No. 2 Cold Spring Harbor in the Long Island championship game 1 p.m. Sunday at Berner Middle School in Massapequa.
- Carissa Kellman