Irvington senior Natalie Aronson, co-captain of the girls soccer team, runs through drills during practice Aug. 24, 2016 at Memorial Field in Irvington.

Irvington senior Leia Correa runs through drills during soccer practice Aug. 24, 2016 at Memorial Field in Irvington.

Irvington senior Natalie Aronson, co-captain of the girls soccer team, runs through drills during practice Aug. 24, 2016 at Memorial Field in Irvington.

Irvington soccer co-captain Maxine Bell, left, runs through drills with the team during practice Aug. 24, 2016 at Memorial Field in Irvington.

IRVINGTON – As the wins kept piling up for the Irvington girls soccer team in what turned out to be an unforgettable 2015 season, the Lady Bulldogs were so caught up in enjoying the moment that the gravity of the situation took some time to set in.

Before they knew it, they were 15-0 heading into the final game of the regular season.

“Our last (regular) season game, we won against Briarcliff, which is a really strong team,” junior Zoe Maxwell said. “Originally, we weren’t expected to win. But I think after that game, we all grew more confident and really started to believe that we could be something special.”

Briarcliff has been perhaps the most consistent Class B team in Section 1 in recent years, but Irvington’s statement win made it clear that this once-middling program was now a viable contender.

The Lady Bulldogs took their unblemished record all the way to the section final, where they suffered a stinging 1-0 loss to Albertus Magnus on a penalty kick in the 77th minute. But even with the title slipping through their fingers, the program is clearly trending upward.

“I think a big part of it was our team unity, and our trust in general,” senior Maxine Bell said. “I feel like before we had individuals and we weren’t working too much as a team, but last year we definitely worked more as a huge unit.”

Irvington girls soccer team practice at Memorial Field Aug. 24, 2016 in Irvington.

The change of culture started when coach Patrick DiBenedetto came over from coaching the boys at Irvington prior to the ’15 season.

“Since I was brand new, I really didn’t know the other teams — which was nice in a way, but kind of bad in a way, too,” he said. “But I saw the talent that was here. The first few days of preseason, you could see the dynamic of the team developing. It was a surprise to see them keep pushing through. We’d come to an obstacle in the season, and we’d be like, ‘OK, we have to tighten up,’ and they’d rise to the occasion with another victory. Slowly, we were building.”

CAMP STOP: Day 1 anything but the beginning for Scarsdale

CAMP STOP: Albertus Magnus hungry for repeat Class B title

CAMP STOP: Bronxville already a step up on first day of practices

CAMP STOP: North Rockland eager to return to the field

The Lady Bulldogs had a small roster of 17, seven of whom have since graduated. But they do return their most prolific offensive players in Maxwell and sophomore Miranda Farman.

Maxwell netted an astonishing 32 goals in 19 games as a sophomore, while Farman led the team with 18 assists.

“My freshman year, I held back,” Maxwell said. “I guess I was a little timid, but after a few games when I started to score, I just felt like I could actually keep doing it and make our team more successful.”

Juniors Okna Freeman, left, and Olivia Valdes run through drills during soccer practice Aug. 24, 2016 at Memorial Field in Irvington.

DiBenedetto also noted Allie Pollack, Jess Greene, Natalie Aronson and Mel Geller as returners who played significant minutes during last season’s memorable run, which gives him the confidence that his team should once again be competitive.

An undefeated regular season is nice, but this year the Lady Bulldogs would like to finish the job.

“We just had our preseason talk about what did they gain from last season,” DiBenedetto said. “It was nice for them to have a reality check of, ‘Listen, last season was last season.’ We had some accomplishments, we were a fun-spirited team, and that was something that really got us through last season and made us as successful as we were.

“Hey, we were there, and we can be there again. It’s going to come down to our ability to play together as a team.”

Twitter: @vzmercagliano

Irvington girls soccer coach Patrick DiBenedetto sets up a station for drills during practice Aug. 24, 2016 in Irvington.

Coach Sharon Sarsen talks to her team at the Lakeland field hockey team at practice at the school in Shrub Oak on Aug. 24, 2016.

Lakeland High School’s Julia Wanamaker, senior, practices with her team at the school in Shrub Oak on Aug. 24, 2016.

Lakeland High School’s Julia Wanamaker, senior, practices with her team at the school in Shrub Oak on Aug. 24, 2016.

Coach Sharon Sarsen talks to her team at the Lakeland field hockey team at practice at the school in Shrub Oak on Aug. 24, 2016.

SHRUB OAK – For any other team that lost so much, 2016 might be a wash.

Consider who is gone:

Lakeland has lost six players to graduation, four of whom – Dana Bozek, Briana Munoz, Valerie Perkins and Julia Kim – were All-State honorees and now playing in college.

But Lakeland isn’t thinking about what was, nor thinking ahead to 2017 or 2018.

Lakeland is different.

Last November, Lakeland won its seventh straight state field hockey title.

And Lakeland isn’t conceding anything.

“What do we do to counter the loss? That job started November 17,” coach Sharon Sarsen said. “We’ve been trying to put in time individually and working hard since that day.”

Lakeland’s core is solid. Last year’s All-State sweeper, Mia Lennon, will move up to center back this season.

Lakeland senior Julia Wanamaker practices with her team at Lakeland High in Shrub Oak on Wednesday.

Also returning from last year’s 22-0 team are senior center forward Meghan Fahey, who gained All-Section honors.

All-Section honorable-mention player Kelsey McCrudden, a junior, is moving from left back to center mid.

All-League forward Cali Cortese and All-League midfielder/back Julia Wanamaker also return. Both are seniors.

Junior Caroline Cahill, a midfielder/forward whom Sarsen characterized as last season’s “Super Sub,” will get a starting role this year.

Starting goalie Madison Beames, who gained All-Tournament honors at States last year, has graduated. But her replacement is seasoned. Junior Cassie Halpin played parts of a dozen games last season.

Sarsen said the goal is for Lakeland’s very talented players to make those around them better.

The Lakeland High field hockey team works during practice at the school in Shrub Oak on Wednesday.

“They’re hard workers, good athletes. We have depth at all positions,” she said.

“We know it’s going to be different but we’re all working hard,” said Halpin.

Lennon, who said the group bonded by playing club field hockey together during the summer, characterized McCrudden and Cahill as “up-and-coming players” who work together well and should put the ball in the net.

“I’m actually very excited about this year, even though we’ve lost so many (players),” Lennon said. “I’m just as confident.”

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

Met Open champion Mark Brown waits to tee off Wednesday at the 17th hole at Glen Oaks with caddie Josh Rackley. The Tam O’Shanter head pro also won the Met Open in 1999 and 2013.

OLD WESTBURY – Wisdom had very little to do with Mark Brown capturing a third Met Open championship a mere three weeks before his 50th birthday.

It was simply the result of really impressive golf.

The longtime Tam O’Shanter head professional outplayed a prodigy, closing with a 68 Wednesday at Glen Oaks Club to finish with a 4-under total of 206. Brown came in four shots ahead of Sleepy Hollow amateur Cameron Young, whose final-round charge lost steam with a pair of late bogeys.

It was practically a walk in the park.

“There’s not one shot this week I want to take back,” said Brown, who collected $27,500. “It was fun. There wasn’t a whole lot of stress for three days out there.”

Young was playing very well ahead of the wire-to-wire leader and was able to apply some momentary pressure.

The sophomore at Wake Forest was 4-under on the day and within a shot with six holes to play. The gap was two strokes when he suffered bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes.

Despite three bogeys on the back side, he closed with a 67.

“I was doing the same things I’ve been doing,” Young said. “It seemed like everything’s been coming together so it was nice to have it happen in the final round. I at least had a chance coming down the stretch, and that’s all you can ask for is to be within a couple of shots with nine holes to play.

“I hit a 9-iron into the 16th, unfortunately. I tried to hit a low one and it squirted right on me off the upslope. It was unfortunate that I got all the way to the bottom of that bunker. It would have been easy on the upslope. Then on the 17th I had a little bit of a pull. It landed on the fringe and trickled down into the water.”

Sleepy Hollow amateur Cameron Young reacts upon seeing his ball roll off the bank and into the water on the par-3 17th hole in the final round of the Met Open Championship on Wednesday at Glen Oaks. The sophomore at Wake Forest wound up second.

Mike Miller also made a run.

The 24-year-old Mackenzie Tour player from Brewster came in off a top-10 finish in Ottawa and opened with a 77. He got back into contention with a pair of 68s to finish tied for third with Peter Ball of Old Oaks.

“I got off to a good start, birdied the first couple of holes and had really good chances on the first seven,” Miller said. “And then I had a bad swing on No. 9, which slowed me down. I got it going again and was 4-under on the day through 16. If you hit to the middle of the green or the right side, the worst you’re going to make is 4. I wanted that second-place check and went flag-hunting. I pulled the ball just a little, caught the bank and went into the water, but I’m really satisfied with the week.

“I shot a 77 to start and still had, not a good chance to win, but a chance to win. Two rounds in the 60s around here is pretty good. I might have been a little shot after playing in Canada and flying in, but all in all it was so cool to be home.”

Mike Miller tees off on the 10th hole Wednesday during the final round of the Met Open.

101st Met Open

At the Glen Oaks Club

Par 70

1. Mark Brown, Tam O’Shanter 69-69-68-206

2. (a) Cameron Young, Sleepy 70-73-67-210

3. Mike Miller, Knollwood 77-68-68-213

3. Peter Ballo, Old Oaks 73-72-68-213

5. Mike Ballo, Jr., Woodway 72-69-73-214

6. Brian Mackey, White Beeches 73-75-67-215

6. David Pastore, Fairview 76-70-69-215

6. Frank Bensel, Century 75-69-71-215

9. Adam Fuchs, Bethpage State Park 76-74-66-216

9. Ryan McCormick, Suburban 73-72-71-216

Hastings’ Jackson Silverstein heads the ball into the goal against Rye Neck at the Section One Class B boys final at Arlington High School, Oct. 31, 2015.

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON – Standing on Burke Field after soccer practice on Wednesday, the memories from last season still seemed surreal for Hastings senior Nate Constantine.

The Yellow Jackets went from afterthought to Class B champions, winning a Section 1 title before capturing the first regional crown in program history.

“It was awesome just being on the center stage,” Constantine said, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Seeing our names in the paper every day was so cool. Being in the limelight is what made us excel because we didn’t want to let anybody down who was looking in on us.”

Three teams have hogged the hardware in Class B for the better portion of the last decade — Rye Neck, Bronxville and Blind Brook — but Hastings crashed the party in 2015. The Yellow Jackets knocked off both Blind Brook and Rye Neck on their way to the title, including a dominant 4-0 win over Rye Neck in the championship game.

They did it with a variety of high-difficulty goals, with then-sophomore Alex Bourgeois emerging as a star defender who is a lethal weapon on set pieces.

“The section final, I never expected that — especially in that big of a win,” said Bourgeois, who had a goal and an assist in the section final. “I definitely felt more confident after winning all of those games in sectionals.”

Hastings celebrate their win over Rye Neck, 4-0 at the Section One Class B boys final at Arlington High School, Oct. 31, 2015.

Hastings went on to beat Spackenkill, the top-ranked team in the state at the time, to capture the regional title, eventually losing to East Aurora in the state semifinals.

Five of the 11 starters from that team have graduated, including All-State midfielder Will Berritt, who was a workhorse and a facilitator. Returning midfielders like Constantine, Jackson Silverstein and Andrea Russo will look to collectively fill the void.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on anybody in the middle, the way that we did with Will,” Silverstein said. “We kind of want to spread it out more, so for myself, playing out wide and keeping the ball out there a little bit more is definitely a goal.”

Hastings coach Fred Sandhop noted that more players came out for the team this year, and one in particular is expected to make an immediate impact.

Senior Oscar Pereira played in the U.S. Academy system last year, but decided to play for Hastings this season after committing to West Point.

“The support we had last year was just insane,” Bourgeois said. “Now, everyone wants to be a part of that.”

Based on their returning talent, plus the addition of a highly regarded player like Pereira, the Yellow Jackets should enter the 2016 season in the unfamiliar role of favorites. In order to prepare for the newfound target on their backs, the team joined the Ossining Summer League, which they won, and played almost every weekend in the offseason at Mercy College.

They know that the outside perception has changed, but they’re not willing to take any shortcuts.

“It’s very different,” Silverstein said. “We weren’t going in last year as a state semifinalist team, so I think the expectations are definitely higher for other people. For ourselves, we just want to take it a game at a time. It’s not so much pressure — we just have to hold ourselves to a higher standard now.”

Twitter: @vzmercagliano

Fiona Grant of Horace Greeley takes a shot during field hockey practice Aug. 24, 2016.

CHAPPAQUA – Twenty-six players are trying out for field hockey at Horace Greeley and not one is a senior. As currently envisioned, the varsity is all juniors.

That bodes well for next year, but what about this one?

Last year, the Quakers made the Section 1 Class A final, breaking a tie with Scarsdale on penalty strokes.

Then they ran into a roadblock in Mamaroneck, the eventual state champion.

They’ve lost eight players to graduation from last year’s team, including four starters.

But Greeley should be strong, according to Sukhi Singh Sandhu, who’s beginning his eighth year as Quakers varsity coach.

“We definitely want to be in the section final,” Singh Sandhu said.

The Quakers got to the final last year despite one of their strongest players, then-senior Olivia Greene, exiting mid-season with a torn ACL.

On Wednesday 2015 All-State center mid Fiona Grant was hobbling around but her prognosis is good. Her hamstring strain, suffered a couple of weeks ago at a field hockey camp, is expected to be healed before Horace Greeley opens its season Sept. 7 against Byram Hills.

Nikki Potter of Horace Greeley controls the ball during field hockey practice on Wednesday.

Grant is one of six or seven Greeley players to also play outside of the school, which she and Singh Sandu believe is a big positive. She plays for his Rye Academy Field Hockey Club, which is based in Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess.

Grant, who’s quick and has a hard shot, is expected to be the Quakers’ main scoring threat off corners.

“She can hit like you couldn’t believe,” Singh Sandhu said.

Grant, who followed her sisters, Maura and Bernie, onto the Greeley team, believes her team’s experience together should pay off this season.

“I feel like we’re grown up together,” Grant said. “We’ve been learning each other’s styles and each other’s strengths.

“We’re like a community. As long as we know and play with each other, I think that will carry us a long way,” Grant added, noting some of the team had been together since middle school to form a “really solid foundation.”

Sophie Berkowitz of Horace Greeley shoots on goalie Willa Khun during field hockey practice Wednesday.

Another veteran is Nikki Potter, a right mid whose fitness allows her to be everywhere, according to Singh Sandhu, who characterized her as a key player who can control the ball.

Katie Graham, who has good stick work and a “strong push,” gives Singh Sandhu some options, since she is targeted for left mid but can also play defense.

That defense is anchored by Isabella Kuhn, who’s beginning her third year in net and second starting.

“She knows how to shift and keeps an eye on the corner player at the same time,” Singh Sandhu said. “She clears (the ball) into open space and not into a dangerous place.”

Defense doesn’t seem to be a problem. Graham referred to Greeley’s problem finishing its shots.

But Potter thinks the offense will pick up behind Grant and forwards Sophie Berkowitz and Lauren Neff.

Much, Graham indicated, will depend on Greeley’s approach.

As a sophomore last year, she was pretty quiet. But she plans to change that this year to “pick everyone up” and emphasize no one should back down after losing a ball.

“I think, individually, I’m not only going to make myself try harder but push everyone else,” Graham said.

“I just want to motivate everyone and push them not to give up. I think if we try real hard we have a chance to make the section finals,” Graham said.

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

YORKTOWN – When the Yorktown field hockey team was last heard from it was walking off the field at Mahopac with an “almost.”

Cornhuskers coach Bernadette Gannon still thinks about that first-round game – her No. 10-seeded team vs. No. 7 Mahopac.

A one-goal loss.

“If we had only 10 more minutes of the game …,” she said, ending her thought there.

While she talked Wednesday, this year’s Cornhuskers crop and hopeful Cornhuskers, all adorned in neon colors, worked on their mandatory 15-minute runs with a partner, which included 10 sprints and the requirement that each girl learn 10 things about their running buddy.

“Neon Wednesday” followed “Tie-dye Tuesday” and “America Monday,” in which red, white and blue were the order of the day.

“It makes for a little camaraderie during tryouts because tryouts are not always easy,” said Gannon, who pointed out her glowing yellow socks met Wednesday’s requirement.

Tryouts may be harder in a sense this year because more kids have a shot at making the varsity roster. Thirty-six are trying out.

Ten players have graduated from last year’s squad, including All-Section forward Catherine Calidonna and All-Section honorable-mention forward Stephanie Ragusa.

Yorktown players practice Wednesday night. Yorktown has been hit hard by graduation, with only five starters returning. But it hopes to return to sectionals and surpass last year’s performance.

That leaves a huge hole but Gannon, a former longtime Suffern coach (and still resident) who’s in her second year at Yorktown, doesn’t like the words “rebuilding year.”

“I’d say we’re building upon (last year),” she said. “The seniors from last year took it upon themselves to help train replacements. They made sure they worked hard with them. They were aware of what we were going to face this year. Luckily, their good will helped.”

Yorktown may share the same town with Lakeland but, unlike its Class B neighbor, which has won the state championship seven consecutive years, Class A Yorktown doesn’t have a stockpile of year-round players – at least not year-round field hockey players.

“Two play club with me,” Gannon said, referring to junior defenseman Julie Wurzel  and senior goalie Olivia Sanchez, who play on Gannon’s Rockland Tsunami team.

But despite Gannon’s troops lollygagging a bit near the end of their 15 minutes of running, most are in good shape thanks to club play in lacrosse, the game that’s pretty much Yorktown’s unofficial official sport.

Yorktown’s uphill battle involves not just the lack of year-round field hockey players but the fact only seven players are back from last year. Five were starters, including Wurzel and Sanchez.

Sanchez is a co-captain, along with 16-year-old senior twins Lauren (a defenseman) and Natalie (a forward) Gammer. Junior midfielder Caroline Garti also started multiple games.

But Gannon, who expects to divide players into JV and varsity later this week and who was emphasizing the rudimentary Wednesday night, reminding all, “People are not doughnuts or bagels. You can’t go through them. You have to go around them,” preaches year-by-year improvement, no matter how her team has previously placed. So she believes Yorktown can be better.

Natalie Gammer said her team has “really great potential” and can build up to where it was last year.

Her sister Lauren, though, has bigger plans.

She noted their older sister, Jenna, played four years of Yorktown field hockey without any kind of championship.

In fact, Yorktown has no field hockey championships, she said, something that’s emphasized in the school gym, where each sport has a championship board and where field hockey’s is blank.

With the Gammers graduating in the spring, this is the last chance for them to help put something on that board.

“I’m really hoping for a league or section championship,” Lauren said.

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

John Amaya (No. 8) is pictured playing for Rye during a 3-0 win over Spring Valley on Oct. 23, 2014. Amaya has rejoined the team after playing in the U.S. Academy system last season.

RYE – From the end of last season in late October right through July, the Rye boys soccer team worked feverishly to build on what it had started in 2015.

The Garnets doubled their win total from six to 12, and they were intent on keeping the momentum going into 2016. They held offseason workouts and played well in the Lakeland Summer League, gearing up for what they hoped would be a big year.

Then came the news that no one saw coming.

Coach Sal Curella was leaving the program to accept an assistant principal position in his hometown of Queensbury, and Rye was abruptly left without a leader just weeks before the season began.

“It was quite sudden,” senior Tommy Gates said. “He sent out an e-mail the first week of August. It came out of the blue, so everyone was pretty shocked. No one was really happy about it because we all believed he was going to be here for the long-term and he was hyping up this season. … We’re just going to miss him.”

On the fly, the Garnets had to scramble for a new coach, but they think they found their man.

Ernest Harmon was most recently the coach at Woodlands and brings a wealth of experience. A former player for the Liberian National Team, the 56-year-old has coached both club teams and at high schools in Section 1.

“Mr. Curella tried to have a revolution with the whole program — trying to become a more successful program, and a winning program,” junior Carl Friedrich said. “He started that, and with (Harmon) coming in, he’s going to pick up what Curella started and bring it to a whole other level.”

Harmon has an up-and-coming team with which to work.

Rye graduated its top two offensive weapons from last season in Will Colwell and Leo Gomes, but brings back most of its starting lineup and should benefit from the addition of a couple former U.S. Academy players who are rejoining the program.

“Our whole back line is returning, and most of our midfield is returning starters,” Friedrich said. “We just gained two players from the Academy system, John Amaya and Sean Traynor, and I think they’ll be great.”

The pieces are in place — now it’s a matter of adjusting to a new coach with very little time to do so.

“Considering we had developed a system from the year before, knowing how to play it, we were mentally ready with coach Curella,” senior Thomas Tartaglia said. “All of a sudden with the quick switch, not only are tryouts going to be different, but our formation and our style of play will change under a new coach. Everything shifted and changed in that instant, and that’s really the hardest part.”

Harmon said that he likes what he sees so far, but he’s less than one week into practices. Before making any drastic changes, he wants to do more evaluating.

“I want to work with the boys, then apply the proper techniques predicated on the skills that they have,” Harmon said. “I don’t want to say, ‘I always play a 4-4-2 system.’ What if I don’t have the caliber of players to play that system? What if they’re better with a 4-3-3? I have a sense because I’ve been with the boys four days now, but I can’t say anything for sure yet.”

Twitter: @vzmercogliano

Port Chester boys soccer practice on Thursday, August 25, 2016.

PORT CHESTER – For the first time in almost half a decade, Steven Hernandez is nowhere to be found during the first week of soccer practice at Port Chester High.

The star striker became synonymous with the Rams after breaking out during the playoffs as a freshman, scoring seven of the team’s 12 goals during their run to the state final in 2012. Now he’s playing at American International College, which means Port Chester won’t be able to rely on its go-to scorer of the last four years.

Undoubtedly, his loss — along with most of the Rams’ starting lineup from 2015 — will be difficult to overcome. But it also could force them to change their style of play for the better.

“If we just work as a team this year, we can do as good as them,” junior midfielder Carlos Pineda said. “This year, we’re not going to look for one star player. That’s what’s going to change this year. We’re going to be smarter.”

As good as Hernandez was — and still is — coach John Cafaldo saw his team often fall into the trap of relying on him for too much. Rather than spread the ball around and attack opponents from several angles, they often gave it to Hernandez and hoped for the best.

“It wasn’t the game plan to always go through him, but guys had the tendency to because he’s such a playmaker,” Cafaldo said. “If you think back to the year we went to the state final, he was young and we had a lot of weapons. We didn’t just play through him. He had that great run in the postseason, which nobody saw coming. But he fit in with everybody early on, and I think we’ll get back to that much more — getting the ball around to a lot of guys and having a lot weapons.”

That’s been the theme early on for Port Chester, which is stressing a team approach this season. This is a program that seems to ooze soccer talent — “Our freshmen numbers are through the roof,” Cafaldo said — and tends to replenish, not rebuild.

Port Chester’s Alex Cayetano and Byram Hill’s Connor Taub during the Byram Hills vs. Port Chester boys soccer game in Armonk, Sept. 4, 2015.

The list of players lost to graduation is daunting, including Hernandez, Steven Carias, Favian Reyes, Kevin Aguirre and others, but that doesn’t change the Rams’ identity.

“We’re going to all play together,” senior Alex Cayetano said. “Port Chester always has the same style of play — touching the ball, keeping the ball and playing with each other.”

What Port Chester lacks in star power, it’s hoping to make up for in depth. The midfield should be an area of strength, with Cayetano, Pineda, and Jesse Villa leading a group that Cafaldo says shouldn’t have much of a drop-off when he goes to his bench.

They’ve been hearing the whispers from those who believe that the Rams will take a step back in 2016, but they’re committed to maintaining their lofty standards.

“I think that just adds to us wanting to prove them wrong,” Pineda said. “It gives us the extra push. Let’s go out there and show them that we’re still Port Chester, and we can still go out and beat teams.”

Twitter:  @vzmercogliano

Pearl River girls soccer head coach Tim Peabody demonstrates a drill during a pre-season practice session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

Pearl River’s girls soccer senior captains Aileen McBride (left) and Shaelynn Guilfoyle (right) participate in a dribbling drill during a pre-season session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

Pearl River’s girls soccer team practices during a pre-season session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

Pearl River girls soccer head coach Tim Peabody demonstrates a drill during a pre-season practice session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

Pearl River’s girls soccer senior captains Aileen McBride (left) and Shaelynn Guilfoyle (right) participate in a dribbling drill during a pre-season session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

Pearl River’s girls soccer team practices during a pre-season session at Pearl River High School’s fields on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016.

While most high school sports teams were getting up for a 7 a.m. practice to try to beat the heat, Pearl River’s girls soccer team was warming up inside the school’s hot gym.

With the dew from the previous night making the field slippery, better to be safe than sorry.

Considering that none of the program’s 44 players is out injured, minor aches and pains aside, a little work indoors doesn’t seem to be hurting what has been one of the most consistent programs in Rockland over the past few years.

“So far it’s been good,” head coach Tim Peabody said. “Once I get them moving, they’ll be better. We have a lot of the younger kids doing well; the depth is pretty good.”

Having featured goalkeeper Lauren Gallagher, last year’s Journal News/lohud.com Rockland Player of the Year, as well as top defender Lauren Zimnoch, an almost-impenetrable defense was the Lady Pirates’ calling card, often putting six defenders on the field at the same time.

Offense, however, was a different story.

That weakness was magnified in the team’s Class A sectional final against Somers, a match in which the team struggled to create chances in a 2-0 loss.

“We were more concerned on playing defense because we knew how good (Somers’) offense was, and we took away the whole offensive part of our game,” senior captain Aileen McBride said. “Last year, our issue was getting numbers forward because our formation was so defensively heavy.”

CAMP STOP: Albertus Magnus hungry for repeat Class B title

CAMP STOP: North Rockland eager to return to the field

CAMP STOP: Success in 2015 has Irvington optimistic for 2016

With sophomores Sarah Donovan and Alyssa Portington, the former an all-section selection last season, both returning to the back line, defense still figures to be the team’s calling card.

But expect things to open up this year.

“We just didn’t do a good job executing in the final third of the field last year; the emphasis right now is to play better there,” Peabody said. “We have a versatile strategy in terms of styles of play; we have two or three styles of play we are trying to work on so we’re not a predictable team.”

Peabody added that he plans to move junior Cate Feerick, a highly skilled player who has been a fixture in the central midfield for the past few years, up to the second striker spot to complement the speedy Shaelynn Guilfoyle, a senior and one of the team’s captains.

Sophomore Tara Guilfoyle, Shaelynn’s younger sister, will look to fill in on the left wing, while four-year starter Kelly Ann Egan will return at the center-mid spot. Underclassmen who could step up include Caitlyn Finucane, Emily Andriello, Meghan Woods and Kate McNally.

“We definitely lost a lot of strength, but I think we’ll beat it with speed this year,” Shaelynn Guilfoyle said. “We’re going to be more like a travel team, more passing and quick moving off the ball. We have a lot of fast forwards, so that’s really beneficial for us.”

Playing in a league that features Tappan Zee and Nanuet, teams with plenty of young talent, as well as Albertus Magnus, the defending Class B section champion, having a more balanced approach will be important for Pearl River.

Especially if the program expects to get back to the sectional final, potentially against Somers.

One player on Somers who would be looking forward to a rematch is Melina Couzis, who plays with Shaelynn Guilfoyle in World Class FC’s travel program.

“Melina’s been smack-talking me,” she said. “She wants to play us again.”

In the meantime, however, the team is focused on getting in shape for the season opener on Sept. 6 against fellow Class A school John Jay-Cross River.

“We definitely want to make it back to where we were last year, that’s a big goal of ours,” McBride said. “Just to be past the first round of sectionals, past the second, all the way to the finals.”

With CrossFit expert Amanda Popoli, herself a former all-state soccer player at John Jay, leading the team in fitness exercises between the skill and technical drills, it will be hard to fault the Lady Pirates should be in good shape for the season.

“Yesterday and the day before, we did arms and abs, we took our weights and we did push-ups, crunches and burpees,” Shaelynn Guilfoyle said. “It’s very nice; I’m finding the arms very beneficial, getting bigger. It’s great.”

Bronxville Kate Ryan trains with the Cross Country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Bronxville’s Kate Ryan trains with the Cross Country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country Track Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Bronxville Kate Ryan trains with the Cross Country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country Track Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Bronxville Kate Ryan trains with the Cross Country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Bronxville’s Kate Ryan trains with the Cross Country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

Members of the Bronxville Cross Country team train at Scout Field in Bronxville on Aug. 23, 2016.

They’re the little school that not only could but always does.

Bronxville may be Class C in size, but in girls cross country and track the only grade it gets is an A.

The Broncos will open the 2016 cross-country season as the defending Section 1 Class C champion and state Class C runner-up. Last fall, they finished fourth at the county cross-country meet, running against schools with significantly more students.

Little has changed this year for the Broncos.

Yes, they’ve lost one of their top competitors, Hilary Rizzo, to graduation.

But they’ve got their No. 1 girl, senior Kaitlin Ryan, back.

Ryan, who won gold at the State Championships last spring at 1,000 meters, was eighth at States last fall in cross country. And the highly recruited Ryan is looking stronger after a good summer of training.

Longtime coach Jim Mitchell, who’s someone not known for superlatives, said, “Kaitlin is tremendous. The next four or five are very good.”

That includes junior Olivia Scotti. She and Ryan were on Bronxville’s girls 4×800 relay that finished third among all private and public schools in New York last spring. Scotti also finished 24th out of 129 at cross-country States last fall.

Mitchell is also excited about sophomore Gigi Chrappa and senior Sydney Coddington.

He also expects a boost from transfer student Patty Haggerty, a sophomore.

“She’s looking very, very good this week,” he said. “She’ll make a very significant impact on our top five.”

The sixth of seven top spots is expected to be won by eighth-grader Avery Widen. She ran freshman cross-country races last fall but was 11th in the Section 1 State Qualifier at 1,500 meters last spring.

The last spot is up for grabs, but Mitchell doesn’t appear worried about his team.

Bronxville’s Kaitlin Ryan trains with the cross-country team at Scout Field in Bronxville on Tuesday.

“Pretty much everyone is coming along as I hoped,” Mitchell said. “They look like they’re in good shape and look better than last year at this time.”

Noting the State Championships will be held in upstate Chenango Valley, where Bronxville won the State Championship in 2004, Mitchell quipped, “Maybe that’s a good sign.”

Broncos boys

Second place is great. But the Bronxville boys cross-country team is a little tired of it.

Last year, the boys again finished as Section 1 Class C runner-up to Pleasantville, the team Bronxville coach Jim Agnello characterizes as their friendly rivals. The Panthers also edged them out in 2014 and ’13. Before that, Bronxville finished second for three consecutive years to Pawling.

A new year, though, brings new hope.

“We’re very excited,” Agnello said. “We have a lot of good returning athletes.”

The top two are seniors Joe Dougherty and Henry Vollmer.

Agnello is also “really hoping for big things” from three sophomores – Tim McGrath and twins Alex and Matt Rizzo.

“Those guys really look big,” he said.

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

Melina Couzis, a player on the Somers High School girls soccer team, photographed Aug. 26, 2016.

Ciara Ostrander, a player on the Somers High School girls soccer team, photographed Aug. 26, 2016.

Paul Saia, the head coach for the Somers High School girls soccer team, photographed Aug. 26, 2016.

Jenna Menta, a player on the Somers High School girls soccer team, photographed Aug. 26, 2016.

Melina Couzis, Ciara Ostrander and Jenna Menta, co-captains on the Somers High School girls soccer team, photographed Aug. 26, 2016. Not pictured is co-captain Mary Murphy.

Ciara Ostrander, left, and Melina Couzis, center, lead the Somers High School girls soccer team in a workout, Aug. 26, 2016.

SOMERS – It would be easy for the Somers girls soccer team to be less than humble.

In 2014, it went undefeated, capping the season with the Class A state championship

Last year, it repeated as Section 1 champion and upped its winning streak to 42 before a regional tie against Goshen ended in a penalty-kick loss.

The good news to come out of that game was it was the last in a Tuskers uniform for only three players.

Of course, one of those players was two-time all-American Hannon Eberts, who scored 35 goals last season and now plays for Vanderbilt.

But coach Paul Saia, who has been with the program for 15 years, the last three as its official head coach, still has many weapons at his disposal.

“I’m very confident our players will step up,” Saia said. “The beauty of our team is anybody can score.”

Saia wants his team to forget past titles and defeats, saying, “What we’ve done in the past has no bearing on today and tomorrow. That’s my philosophy.”

The here and now includes preparing to play teams like Pearl River, Byram Hills and Harrison, the last of which played Somers tough in last year’s sectional semifinal.

Somers is deep. UConn-bound senior Melina Couzis will play center mid. She received All-State honors last year, as did classmate Ciara Ostrander, another four-year team member who’s a forward.

Ciara Ostrander, a player on the Somers High School girls soccer team, works out with the team on Friday.

They’ll captain the team along with four-year veteran and All-Section senior Mary Murphy and All-Section center mid Jenna Menta, another player starting her fourth season.

Menta spent most of Friday’s practice in a wide-brimmed hat and winter gloves to protect against sunburn due to Lyme disease medication.

But Menta will be back soon.

The Tuskers should also benefit from the return of two big players. Amanda Brugger, a junior who’ll play defense or midfield, was having a good season last year before being sidelined by a concussion. And Hannah Tiso, a senior who’ll play defense and midfield, is back after an ACL tear.

Other key players include senior defenseman Brianna Penzo and junior sweeper Claire Mensi, a sophomore sweeper who Saia said improved a lot last year.

Senior Laura Chiriboga and junior Lauren Jockimo will vie for the starting goalie job.

Menta expects big things from her team. She said last year’s regional loss hurt at the time but is now motivational.

“When you win 42 straight it’s hard to picture yourself losing. … Now we realize any team can beat us,” Menta said.

While Eberts’ contribution can’t be overstated, Menta figures many opponents will mistakenly believe Somers’ offense left with her.

Somers High School girls soccer co-captain Melina Couzis practices with the team on Friday.

She and Couzis expect many to contribute to the offense.

Referring to last year, Couzis said, “Everyone had a lot of chances within 18 (yards). We’ve got to put the ball away.”

“I feel we have a solid, experienced team,” Saia said. “It we play up to our ability, we should do well.”

Ostrander, who’ll play for Yale next year, indicated her team had bought into their coach’s humble-is-better approach.

“Saia emphasizes we should be confident, not cocky. It can end poorly,” she said.

But Ostrander doesn’t intend for that to happen.

“We just want to have fun our senior year and end it on a high note,” she said.

 Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

Horace Greeley defeated Somers 2-1 in a boys soccer game against Somers at Somers High School Sept. 29, 2015.

2016 Somers Tuskers
Coach — Brian Lanzetta
First year as head coach

What was your final record last season and where did you finish in the playoffs? Last year is behind the boys. As a whole under our new system, we look to focus on this year and making a great run.

Who are your key returning players? Brendan Blanch, Senior (CM); Ronan Brady, Senior (CF); Luke Bugoni, Senior (CB); Rocco D’Ascanio, Senior (LW); Evan Kieltyka, Senior (CDM); Kenny Kurtz, Senior (GK); Andrew Lowman, Senior (GK); Graham Roediger, Senior (RW); Jack Maher, Senior (CM); Jack Kessler, Senior (CF); Alexander Elconin, Senior (LB).

Who are the key players that you lost to graduation? Anthony Smajali (Ithaca College-bound), Colin Murphy and Nick Fierro.

Did you gain or lose any players from the U.S. Academy system? There is one player we would like to have in our system, but he is a very talented player in the Academy and we wish him nothing but the best.

Who is the most skilled offensive player on your team? There is skill all across the board here in Somers. A lot of young talent as well. It’s tough to tell who is the most skilled, only time will tell as the season takes place, but I would not sleep on senior Jack Maher if I was playing against him.

The best defender? Somers defense starts with our two talented senior goalies Kenny Kurtz, standing 6-foot-4, and our athletic machine Andrew Lowman. Luke Bugoni and Evan Kieltyka, both standing 6-foot-plus, will be a huge part of the defending.

The fastest? There is a lot of young speed here, but Jack Kessler is very big and fast.

The biggest hustler? The team is filled with a great junior group of boys that will bring the hustle to the table.

What do you consider to be your team’s biggest challenges for the season? Our biggest challenge I think will be, how do we react to going down on the scoreboard? The best teams in the world never lose their composure. If we go down a goal or two, will we find an answer for it, or fall apart. I have faith in these boys and I know a lot of these boys because I am a Somers alumni myself and coach within the community here. During preseason we will prepare our minds and bodies to take on all challenges together as a team.

What would you like your team identity or motto to be? Redesign. Rebuild. Reclaim.

Up next: Hen Hud

I’ll be posting these previews every day leading up to the start of the high school season in early September. Coaches, if you did not receive a capsule email and would like to participate, please fill out the questions below and send them to me at vmercoglia@lohud.com.

Soccer ball on grass

2016 Hen Hud Sailors
Coach — Chris Cassidy
12th year as head coach

What was your final record last season and where did you finish in the playoffs? 5-12; lost to Brewster in the Class A outbracket round.

Who are your key returning players? 
Michael Donato GK 12
JP Goncalves D 12
Trevor Dowling D 11
Noah Schwartz D 11
David Perez F 12
Marcus Andre F 12
Nick Dipietro MF 12
Top Newcomer: Ethan Furphy MF 10

Who are the key players that you lost to graduation? We lost a captain Omar Saleh because he moved to Briarcliff. We lost Miguel Perez to graduation and he was one of the best players to ever play for me, so replacing that will be a challenge.

Did you gain or lose any players from the U.S. Academy system? We gained a valuable Academy player, Ethan Furphy.

Who is the most skilled offensive player on your team? David Perez.

The best defender? Michael Donato, JP Goncalves, Trevor Dowling and Noah Schwartz.

The biggest hustler? Joe Shamash, Ethan Furphy and Angel Perez.

What do you consider to be your team’s biggest challenges for the season? We went 5-12 last year, so improving on that will be important. We gained valuable experience and I hope we can turn that into success against a very challenging schedule. I personally always want to contend for the league title and hope we grow so we can have a strong sectional run.

What would you like your team identity or motto to be? I hope our team plays hard every game.

Up next: Nanuet

I’ll be posting these previews every day leading up to the start of the high school season in early September. Coaches, if you did not receive a capsule email and would like to participate, please fill out the questions below and send them to me at vmercoglia@lohud.com.

We’ll be running a preview of the 2016 field hockey season soon – in the meantime, click the link to get last year’s first team power ranking of the season and all-star selections.

Last year’s pre-season team list includes Lakeland at number one and Mamaroneck at number two and, as Deb Schechter pointed out in the earlier post, those teams didn’t disappoint Wednessday, both winning in romps. — Nancy

Nanuet’s Corrine Berkery takes a shot on goal during field hockey practice at Nanuet High School in Nanuet on Thursday, August 25, 2016.

Nanuet goalie Jenn Franchino makes a save during field hockey practice at Nanuet High School in Nanuet on Thursday, August 25, 2016.

NANUET – It’s hard to look at a team that won just three games last year and has graduated four starters, three of whom had played for three seasons, and think this year could be a good one.

It’s hard, but not impossible with Nanuet.

The Golden Knights, after all, are bringing up reinforcements from a 10-win junior varsity team, and that includes the JV’s leading scorer from last year, junior Jess Kleber.

She just has a knack, varsity coach Jackie Cross said, of always having a “very good angle on the ball” and being in the right spot to tip shots in.

While Nanuet’s varsity did certainly struggle to a 3-12-3 mark that ended in a 9-0 drubbing by Rye in the first round of sectional, Cross said, “We said all year that our record didn’t show how we played.”

Cross expects better things from her players and said she’s more confident now, entering her second year at the helm.

“A whole group of 10 seniors is back. Last year we were often lacking the teamwork dynamic. I think we have that this year,” said Cross, a former Nanuet player who graduated in 2005 and now teaches Spanish at the high school.

Shauna McNamara, a senior and three-year varsity player, likes her team’s chemistry.

Nanuet’s Jes Klebek fires a shot on goal during field hockey practice at Nanuet High School in Nanuet on Thursday.

She plays club field hockey for the New Jersey-based Rapid Fire Elite. That’s a higher-level team from her high school squad. But McNamara still gets a lot out of playing for Nanuet, saying, “Being on a high school team is not something you can replicate. High school sports are so different.”

She’s certainly invested in the Golden Knights. She referred to the team’s 1-0 loss to highly favored Pearl River two years ago at sectionals as “devastating,” and said it proved to be a double blow when then-longtime coach Karen Leitner told the team afterward that she wouldn’t return for 2015.

McNamara said she has friends who have won huge titles with their New Jersey private schools but added, “I don’t think they have the connection we do (with each other).”

Fellow senior Corinne Berkery, who has played four years on varsity but wants to pursue softball in college, played in Nanuet field hockey’s only sectional-game win in its history. But that one made it “such a special year,” she said.

Nanuet’s Vianne Palad works out during field hockey practice at Nanuet High School in Nanuet on Thursday.

Berkery indicated last season was difficult due to the coaching change and a hard schedule.

“This year I think we’ll be better. I’m hoping for better,” she said. “I think with older players and everyone more experienced learning to look for other girls (to pass to), we will get more shots on goal. This year, we’re going to focus on finishing and using our passes.”

Berkery is the team’s top free-hit player and its go-to person off corners, since she can absolutely rocket the ball.

During Thursday morning’s practice, many of her shots ended up flying over the shoulders of sophomore goalie Jenna Franchino. Franchino probably has an edge in the competition for the No. 1 one goalie spot over junior Erin Ierace, since Franchino played at the end of the season when Nanuet’s then-starter went down with an injury.

Some of Nanuet’s strongest players will be on defense, including seniors Shauna McNamara and Caeleigh Ryan. Senior Jess Haney, a strong midfielder, returns to that position.

Cross, who’s being assisted by 2010 Nanuet grad Christine Stokes, is hoping for solid offense from two returning junior wings, Vianne Palad and Taylor Rosenfeld.

Of last year’s team, she said. “I think they pushed through to the end.  If we were down three goals, they played like it was 0-0.”

Cross isn’t making promises but said fans could “expect a lot of effort and commitment and endurance, explaining some of that was “emotional endurance,” being willing to fight through the season.

Still, she left the door open to even better things.

This year, in a small league without the likes of North Rockland, Suffern and Clarkstown South but with Nyack, Pearl River and Sleep Hollow as the Golden Knights’ opponents, she said winning the league is “definitely in the realm of possibility.

“I think it will fall into place,” McNamara added. “I think we have a strong chance to have over a .500 record. I think the drive is there.”

Twitter: @HaggertyNancy

WEST NYACK – Anyone who came to Clarkstown South on Saturday eager to watch the Vikings’ senior-laden backfield better have arrived early. With their annual clash with rival Clarkstown North just six days away, South’s starters had a short but effective season debut before sitting out most of their scrimmage session against Fox Lane, Pearl River and Nyack.

The Vikings hold high hopes that they can play deep into October and November and didn’t want them dashed in August.

“We wanted to compete, but, more importantly, we wanted to stay healthy,” South senior running back/safety Kyle Samuels said.

Clarkstown South QB Matt Jung looks for an open receiver during a preseason scrimmage in West Nyack on Saturday. The Vikings hosted Pearl River, Nyack and Fox Lane.

Samuels is the centerpiece of a quartet of returning players in the backfield. He and fellow seniors Ryan Thomas and Sam Mistretta will flank quarterback Matt Jung, who has returned healthy from a broken collarbone that forced him to miss the end of last season.

Jung’s absence included a loss to rival Clarkstown North, which happens to be the Vikings’ opponent when they open the regular season Friday night.

“We weren’t trying to hide anyone,” coach Mike Scarpelli said. “But 16 teams essentially make the playoffs. We didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Scarpelli’s backfield lost its best body guards in all-section linemen Jake Spreckman and Vinny Maraia, but the coach raved about the work of new assistant Scott Saunders, who resigned as the head coach at Byram Hills last winter and joined Scarpelli’s staff.

“The offensive line is where we needed the most work, but coach Saunders has us miles ahead,” said Scarpelli, whose team will attempt to win back the Supervisor’s Cup at North at 7 Friday night.

Clarkstown South’s Ryan Thomas picks up yardage during a preseason scrimmage in West Nyack on Saturday. The Vikings hosted teams from Pearl River, Nyack and Fox Lane.

More expected from healthy More: Jung’s return from a collarbone that was broken in three places was significant, but few players, if any, in Section 1 faced a more challenging road to recovery than Fox Lane’s Tanner More. The senior running back returned Saturday and looked sharp in his first game action since suffering a torn ACL, LCL and hamstring tendon in his left knee last September.

The coaching staff and More himself weren’t sure what to expect, but they were pleasantly surprised.

“No, I didn’t know because he had major surgery, but you can see physically how dedicated he is in the weight room,” Fox Lane coach Bill Broggy said. “Whatever they wanted him to do, he probably did that and 100 percent more.”

More rushed 22 times for 219 yards and four touchdowns during a season-opening win against Suffern last year. He received regular carries alongside senior Nick Lancia the next two games before falling to the knee injury on Sept. 25 against White Plains.

Pearl River’s Troy Travalino attempts to break a tackle during Saturday’s four-team scrimmage with Clarkstown South, Nyack and Fox Lane in West Nyack.

Back after 11 months, More said his confidence was bolstered by the play of teammates around him. He praised the work of fellow back Andrew Brown, a sophomore, and senior newcomer Justin Nelson.

“I believe I’ll do the same or better than last year,” More said. “My offensive line is amazing and everybody here is working so hard.”

Challenges await Pearl River: After winning seven games last year, Pearl River will face increased competition in Class A this season. That will include games against annual contenders Somers, Yorktown and John Jay.

“We will be the smallest team every week in numbers and in size, but we don’t care,” coach Mike Oliva said. “We don’t back down from anybody. A lot of people probably think last year was a fluke, but these guys want to prove it wasn’t.”

The Pirates are experienced at the skill positions, led by big junior fullback Jonathan Farley and two-way standouts Kevin Scrima, James McKiernan and Troy Travaglino. Their progress at the line of scrimmage could determine their readiness to compete against some of the section’s best.

“I think last year was a big confidence boost for us. We can keep working off that, but we can’t dwell on the past,” Farley said. “We just have to keep moving forward.”

Nyack still learning: With just 26 players on the varsity and only two returning starters, Nyack remains a work in progress two weeks into Dominick DeMatteo’s tenure as head coach. The former Arlington coach left Saturday’s scrimmage pleased with a defensive effort led by Christian DiSimone, Gee Merdorzil and Ray Boutin, but the Indians are anything but a finished product.

“Every rep matters, whether it’s a live scrimmage, a practice or a walkthrough at a team meeting,” DeMatteo said. “We are literally learning every single second of every single day because it’s all so new. The good thing is the kids are putting that effort in. They’re trying. We just have such a long way to go.”

Twitter:@lohudinsider

Vijay Singh watches his shot from the third tee during the third round of the Buick Classic at the Westchester Country Club June 12, 2004.

Call me nostalgic.

I miss Seve Ballesteros. I miss Hale Irwin. I miss Lee Janzen. I miss Ernie Els. I miss Sergio Garcia. Truth be told, I even miss Vijay Singh.

They all used to play golf right in our back yard.

A sizable void was left the moment the PGA Tour divorced itself from Westchester Country Club following a win by Steve Stricker in 2007 and took a show that now dates back 50 years on the road.

A move was probably inevitable.

“To a certain degree, I think it’s missed,” said Jimmy Roberts, a White Plains native and Westchester Country Club member who does commentary for NBC and Golf Channel. “It was a special event. I remember how it was back in the day. This was the circus coming to town and it was a very, very big deal.”

William Jennings was definitely on to something.

He’s the former president of the New York Rangers, who started the Westchester Classic in 1967 to help fund a number of charitable interests within the county. To date, the yearly tournament has given away $45 million.

“It really was a forerunner,” Metropolitan Golf Association executive director Jay Mottola said. “Outside the major championships, it was looked at as one of the most important Tour stops. I think players looked forward to coming to New York and Westchester Country Club.”

Tiger Woods proved to be the exception.

When he finally did show up at the urging of a common sponsor in 2001, attendance records were set.

Favorite memories are generational.

“It’s hard to forget the first one,” said Karen Whamond, a Rye Brook resident who along with husband Don has volunteered for 50 consecutive years. “They had to finish on Wednesday because it rained so much. It was known as the Wet-chester Classic.”

A then-record $250,000 purse kept everyone interested.

Jack Nicklaus won after battling Arnold Palmer in the final round and finishing one shot ahead of Dan Sikes.

The field was always worth the price of admission.

You had to buy a program to keep up with the event’s name changes, though. What began as the Westchester Classic was also known as the American Express Westchester Classic, the Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic, the Buick Classic and the Barclays Classic.

For the last decade, we’ve known the playoff event simply as The Barclays. That will change next year when Northern Trust assumes title sponsorship.

When people like Palmer and Nicklaus and Johnny Miller and Raymond Floyd and Curtis Strange and the multitude of Hall of Famers who followed them here over the years flew in for the week, the spotlight was bright.

They built friendships locally and early in the week made a point of playing at landmark courses like Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge and Sleepy Hollow.

It requires a little more effort to watch this generation of stars. Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed are definitely worth the price of admission, plus a couple of bridge and parkway tolls.

Westchester Country Club has gladly hosted the Champions Tour and the LPGA Tour, but the PGA Tour isn’t likely to come back.

Ever.

“I don’t know that it’s a good fit any more for a number of reasons,” Roberts said. “Roger Maltbie (who celebrated a win here in 1985) always tells me that Westchester Country Club has the finest green complexes anywhere in golf. Those green complexes will still challenge the greatest players in the world, but I don’t know that the course is long enough.”

Agreed.

Only a few renowned courses in the immediate area have the wherewithal to stand up to the highly ranked and mighty golfers of this generation. Winged Foot, Stanwich and Hudson National are probably the lone exceptions.

So we sit and wait.

Before you know it, the 2020 Open will be at Winged Foot.

Ernie Els tees off on the fourth hole during the final round of the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, June 22, 2003.