Massapequa girls lacrosse's Savanna Appleton scores four goals, keys Nassau Class A title victory
Massapequa players celebrate winning the Nassau Class A girls lacrosse final over Syosset at Farmingdale State College on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Credit: Joe Orovitz
Throughout her years with the Massapequa girls lacrosse team, all Savanna Appleton has known is championships.
On Wednesday, the feeling was no different. Appleton scored four goals and dished out four assists to lead top-seeded Massapequa over No. 3 Syosset, 13-5, in the Nassau Class A championship at Farmingdale State. The win marks the program’s sixth consecutive county title.
“This one is extra special because it’s my senior year,” Appleton said. “Every single game, all of us want to go out there and give it our all and this one was no different. We knew this couldn’t be our last game together.”
Massapequa (15-3) will next face the winner of No. 1 Ward Melville/No. 2 Huntington in the Long Island championship at 10 a.m. June 7 at Stony Brook University.
Coach Megan Protano said Appleton’s contributions to Massapequa’s legacy — this season and throughout her career — cannot be overstated.
“She’s the one orchestrating everything,” Protano said. “She gets her teammates ready to go, she’s a phenomenal athlete and we’re very fortunate that she wears Massapequa’s name across her shirt.”
After Massapequa had already built an 8-4 halftime lead, sophomore Ava Macri exploded for three goals and tossed an assist to Appleton in the third quarter. Macri’s contributions gave her team a 12-4 lead heading into the fourth.
Macri said it was her team’s infectious energy that allowed her to put up big numbers.
“The girls cheering us on through halftime really got us hyped,” Macri said. “That’s what gave me the juice to go out there and give it my all and play for our seniors.”
Massapequa saw contributions from all over the roster, with seven different players scoring goals. The team’s aggressive ride played an impactful role in keeping Syosset at bay — Natalie Byrns caused two turnovers, scooped up two ground balls in transition and had a goal and an assist. Massapequa had six caused turnovers overall.
Julie Shaughnessy scored four goals and Roma Puthussery made six saves for Syosset (11-8).
With its six consecutive county titles, Massapequa has built a culture of excellence. Protano said earning this win etches her team’s name in a special part of history.
“This is a very special team,” Protano said. “Right from the beginning, we came in saying our goal is to win championships. We did that today. The team played so hard and they played for each other. We came into this season with a common goal and we achieved it together.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
