Ranftle, Hauppauge win 'B' title

Hauppauge had long been on the hunt for a girls lacrosse championship. Prowling, but never quite able to pounce. So it was only fitting that the Eagles were sparked Thursday by the girl whose game-day look is described by teammates as "spooky" and like that of a "wild animal."

Taylor Ranftle scored three goals, including the go-ahead tally with 11:43 left, as the No. 1 Eagles earned their first county title with an 8-5 win over No. 6 Shoreham-Wading River Thursday night in the Class B final. They'll face Garden City at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Long Island Class B championship.

Ranftle took a flip from Jessica Venturino and, from four yards out in heavy traffic, fired into the far corner to give Hauppauge a 6-5 lead. "Someone had to step up," said Ranftle, who wears all-white contacts that expose only her hazel pupils and smears eye black on her cheeks. "You either get it in or you don't, but I was going to take the chance."

The contacts, by the way, were purchased in March and "freak out defenders trying to faceguard me," Ranftle said.

Jenna Vinci scored three goals, Jennifer Porretto had a goal and two assists, Stephanie Peragallo had six ground balls and Kasey Kephart made 12 saves for Hauppauge (19-0). Shannon Rosati scored twice for the Wildcats (11-8), including a goal with 19:17 left that tied it at 5. Lauren Daly had eight saves.

"We were always underdogs," Hauppauge coach Abby Zeltmann said. "We'd make the playoffs but get bumped [early], then last year we make the final and lose to Rocky Point."

Lauren Descalzo created the final margin, scooping a ground ball and scoring on a give-and-go feed from Porretto at 7:03.

SEE PHOTOSSuffolk 'B' final: Hauppauge 8, Shoreham-Wading River 5

"They're so used to winning. We had to find a way to beat them," Porretto said of Shoreham-Wading River, which had won four straight Class C state titles before moving up to "B" this season. The Wildcats upset No. 3 Rocky Point and No. 2 Sayville to reach the final.

Mount Sinai wins 'C' final. Sydney Pirreca had three goals and Kasey Mitchell had a goal and three assists to lead No. 1 Mount Sinai over No. 2 Bayport-Blue Point, 8-6, in the Suffolk Class C girls lacrosse final. Mount Sinai will play North Shore for the Long Island Class C championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.