On June 4, the Bronxville Broncos not only punched their ticket to the state final four, they did so emphatically. Taking on an overmatched Schuylerville team from Section II, the Broncos showed why they’re considered to be one of the top teams around, drubbing the  Black Horses 18-1 to keep their dream season alive.

Due to a first-round bye, the Broncos had been out of action since winning the Section I title on May 27 but wasted little time getting into a groove on Saturday, jumping out to an 11-0 first-half lead against their regional final opponents and scoring the first 17 goals of the game en route to a one-sided romp. 

Caroline Ircha (five goals) and Megan Krestinski (four goals, three assists) powered the Section I champs on the offensive end. Kiki Tormey and Molly Krestinski added hat-tricks, and the Broncos were also able to spell starting goalie Olivia Shinshato, with both Gabbi Bici and Kate Gangemi. According to Ircha—and the final score—the lengthy layoff had no effect on the Broncos.

“We had to hold ourselves accountable during our time off,” explained Ircha. “So going against each other in practice, everyone was working hard during drills because that’s the only way ‘were going to be prepared for situations where we’re in big games.”

In many ways, the one-sided nature of Saturday’s contest also afforded the Broncos another chance to hone their skills before they head to SUNY Cortland for the NYSPHSAA Final Four this weekend. The Broncos should face a stiffer test in the semifinal round, as they take on Section IIX Cold Spring Harbor. In their regional final game, the Seahawks came away with an 18-3 win over Center Moriches to win their second-straight Long Island title.

“We definitely had some things we needed to work on today, if we’re going to get to where we want to be,” said Megan Krestinski. “We had to work on some of our new plays and also working on the ones that we’d been running already this season.”

The Broncos and Seahawks will square off on Friday, June 10, with the winner facing either Skaneateles or Palmyra-Macedon in Saturdays’ championship game. 

For the Broncos, the chance to bring home a state title is also a chance to write another chapter in the storied history of the Bronxville program.

 “More than anything, I’m just grateful for the opportunity because we didn’t get this chance last year,” said Ircha. “I think we are one of the strongest teams that Bronxville has ever had, and now we get to go out and prove it.”

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