Plainedge girls basketball falls short to Tappan Zee in Class A Southeast regional final
Allison Younghans of Plainedge drives the paint during the NYSPHSAA Class A girls basketball Southeast Regional final against Tappan Zee at Farmingdale State College on Sunday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Though the Plainedge girls basketball team’s season had just come to an end, there wasn’t much moping or many tears being shed from the Red Devils. The overpowering emotion was pride in the historic season they had just completed and for their role in an instant classic.
Allison Younghans scored 20 points as Plainedge fell to Tappan Zee, 47-44, in the Class A Southeast regional final Sunday at Farmingdale State.
Trailing by six with two minutes left, Younghans made a driving layup in transition. On Plainedge’s next possession, Giovanna Pannitti drilled a three-pointer to cut Tappan Zee’s lead to 44-43 with 1:15 left.
Plainedge rebounded a missed free throw with two seconds left, but couldn’t get a full-court heave off before time expired.
“It was an incredible game,” Plainedge coach Sarah Tansey said. “We had a chance, even at the end. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be here and I think we proved that we belong. Our girls played a heck of a game and I’m just so proud of them.”
Plainedge trailed 18-12 in the second quarter, but Younghans led a 13-3 run in the final two minutes of the first half with two three-pointers and two layups. Michela Netto’s three-pointer with five seconds left gave Plainedge a 25-21 halftime lead.
“(Younghans) is such a great leader on both ends of the floor for us,” Tansey said. “She’s not afraid of the moment and everyone else just follows her lead.”
Tappan Zee’s Adrianna D’Orio made three consecutive three-pointers to start the second half. She scored 21 points and made six three-pointers, including one from well-beyond the college three-point arc.
“She’s got incredible range,” Tansey said. “We lost her a couple of times in transition. She’s a great shooter. We knew coming in that we can’t give her that kind of space.”
Tappan Zee (19-3) will face Albany Academy in the state semifinals at 11:45 a.m. Saturday at Hudson Valley CC.
Peyton Wise had 11 points and Netto scored eight for Plainedge (18-7). The Red Devils claimed the program’s first Long Island title and made their first appearance in the regional final.
“This experience is going to give us a good push next year,” said Wise, a junior. “It’s going to allow us to build off of everything we’ve worked so hard for this year and hopefully get even further next year.”
With just one senior on the roster, Plainedge will have all the necessary tools to reach more uncharted territory next season.
“We’re very excited that most of the girls are coming back,” Tansey said. “Nassau is tough. Class A is very competitive, but we tell our girls every year, ‘Why not us?’ ”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
