The Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms girls lacrosse team secured a significant victory, defeating South Side 10-6 in the Long Island Class C championship game. The decisive match took place at Adelphi University on Tuesday night, June 3, 2025. With this win, Bayport-Blue Point (18-1) advances to the state Class C Southeast Regional Final, scheduled to be held at Lakeland High School in Westchester County at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, facing an opponent yet to be determined. This victory marks Bayport-Blue Point's third Long Island Class C championship in the last five years, underscoring their continued dominance in the region, having also won a state championship in 2023.

The game was a tale of two halves. After a closely contested first half that ended in a 5-5 tie, a pivotal halftime discussion appeared to galvanize the Phantoms. Bayport-Blue Point coach Ryan Gick emphasized the importance of this playoff run, stating, “These whole last two weeks have been about leaving your own legacy. My assistant coach Matt [Maloney] said yesterday, ‘You leave your own mark. You’re part of other championships and that’s great, but you want to be the one who is in charge of your own fate here.’” The team responded emphatically, dictating possession and tempo in the second half.

The Phantoms showcased their strength in the third quarter, outscoring South Side 4-1. Aubrie Eisfeld was instrumental during this period, netting two of her game-high three goals. Olivia Brady contributed her second goal of the game, and Ava Meyn also found the back of the net, as Bayport-Blue Point rattled off four unanswered goals in the first nine minutes of the third quarter. “It means so much to be back here,” Eisfeld commented. “We’ve worked so hard to get back to this moment. Everyone played such a huge role on that field. I couldn’t be more proud of everyone.” She later added, reflecting on the halftime reset, “At half, it was 0-0 basically so it was fair game. We knew we wanted it, and we were going to push 110% and do whatever it took. We left no regrets on the field.”

The first half saw both teams trading blows. South Side’s Sienna Connolly opened the scoring less than two minutes into the contest. Bayport-Blue Point’s Erika Kreuscher responded with a free-position goal to tie it at 1-1. Connolly struck again for the Cyclones, but Kailey Bruckner leveled the score at 2-2 for Bayport-Blue Point with just 10 seconds left in the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, South Side took a 4-3 lead with free-position goals from Charlotte Rathjen and Bobbie Creo. However, the Phantoms answered with a three-goal surge over 5:29, with Emma Shanahan, Sara Richardt (who also had an assist), and Olivia Brady scoring to give Bayport-Blue Point a 5-4 advantage. Skye Korten, assisted by Olivia Mayerhofer, then tied the score at 5-5 for South Side heading into halftime.

Bayport-Blue Point demonstrated remarkable team depth with seven different goal scorers. Goalkeeper Sophia Diaz also made crucial saves for the Phantoms. For South Side, who finished their season at 16-4 after achieving a historic first county title in program history, Sienna Connolly led the offense with three goals. Their goalie, Tara Cody, had a strong performance with 11 saves. The game also featured intense moments like the draw for possession between Alec Notaro of South Side and Ava Meyn of Bayport-Blue Point.

Ultimately, Bayport-Blue Point’s second-half performance, particularly their third-quarter offensive burst and disciplined defense, proved too much for South Side. The Phantoms’ ability to regroup and execute their game plan after a challenging first half highlights their championship caliber and sets the stage for their pursuit of another state title.