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Several Section 4 lacrosse teams made the 2026 New York State Public High School Sports Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) state lacrosse tournament for the first time in a long time. Binghamton-area girls lacrosse teams Chenango Forks and Johnson City/Chenango Valley entered the Class D and Class C state tournaments with a level of newness — the Blue Devils adjusting to new leadership and the Wildcats adjusting to an entirely new group — and came out the other side with one of their most winningest seasons.
While other Section 4 boys lacrosse teams dropped off in subregional play, Horseheads achieved its best playoff run in program history, securing its first state tournament victory over Ballston Spa (Section 2) and making it to the Class B quarterfinal before being outlasted by Victor (Section 5).
With all eight of the section’s divisional winners having a great season, we’re curious what the fans believe is the team that’s had the best breakout season — a season that has defined the skills of the team with leadership that's brought out the program's best.
Here’s a brief summary of what the 2026 season looked like for Section 4’s top lacrosse teams:
Section 4 Class A champions: Ithaca reemerged as one of the top programs in the section after capturing its second straight sectional title after moving up to Class A in 2024-25. The Little Red finished with a 13-3 record this season.
Section 4 Class B champions: Horseheads captured its first Class B title after a four-year postseason drought, and finished with a 14-4 record — the program’s best finish in over two decades — courtesy of the team’s skills and resilience and head coach Jennifer Guzylak, who has led the team to a 35-15 record in three seasons.
Section 4 Class C champions: Johnson City/Chenango Valley shined this season, claiming its first-ever sectional title and state tournament berth as the new team on the block. With only a season to assimilate as a merged team, the Warcats showcased their growth throughout the year and finished with an 11-6 record.
Section 4 Class D champions: Chenango Forks came out of its third year under head coach Joe Schieve, who has coached the team to a 37-10 record, with its first regional final appearance in over a decade and its first state tournament appearance since 2017. The Blue Devils finished with a 13-4 record this season.
Section 4 Class A champions: Ithaca ended the season with the best overall record among Southern Tier schools, finishing 15-3 and topping Class A lacrosse powerhouses Elmira and Corning. The Little Red boasted a one-goal victory over Corning in the sectional final, cutting the Hawks’ six-time sectional championship streak.
Section 4 Class B champions: Horseheads beat out the eight-time sectional champions, Vestal, and carried a five-game winning streak into the state tournament, ultimately finishing with an 11-8 record. The Blue Raiders continued their historic season with a 13-4 victory over Ballston Spa — the program’s first-ever state tournament win.
Section 4 Class C champions: Maine-Endwell ended the season with the best overall record among Southern Tier schools, finishing 16-2. The Spartans showcased their consistency and reinforced their reputation as one of the section’s top lacrosse programs by capturing their fifth Class C title.
Section 4 Class D champions: Whitney Point earned its first-ever Class D title after a close 13-11 victory over Chenango Valley. The Eagles boasted one of the best season endings (16-3) in over two decades under head coach Mark Sears, who has led the team to a 27-9 record since coaching the team in 2024.
Note: Poll closes on Tuesday, June 16.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Poll: Which Section 4 lacrosse team had the best "breakout" season?
Continue reading...
While other Section 4 boys lacrosse teams dropped off in subregional play, Horseheads achieved its best playoff run in program history, securing its first state tournament victory over Ballston Spa (Section 2) and making it to the Class B quarterfinal before being outlasted by Victor (Section 5).
With all eight of the section’s divisional winners having a great season, we’re curious what the fans believe is the team that’s had the best breakout season — a season that has defined the skills of the team with leadership that's brought out the program's best.
Here’s a brief summary of what the 2026 season looked like for Section 4’s top lacrosse teams:
Girls
Section 4 Class A champions: Ithaca reemerged as one of the top programs in the section after capturing its second straight sectional title after moving up to Class A in 2024-25. The Little Red finished with a 13-3 record this season.
Section 4 Class B champions: Horseheads captured its first Class B title after a four-year postseason drought, and finished with a 14-4 record — the program’s best finish in over two decades — courtesy of the team’s skills and resilience and head coach Jennifer Guzylak, who has led the team to a 35-15 record in three seasons.
Section 4 Class C champions: Johnson City/Chenango Valley shined this season, claiming its first-ever sectional title and state tournament berth as the new team on the block. With only a season to assimilate as a merged team, the Warcats showcased their growth throughout the year and finished with an 11-6 record.
Section 4 Class D champions: Chenango Forks came out of its third year under head coach Joe Schieve, who has coached the team to a 37-10 record, with its first regional final appearance in over a decade and its first state tournament appearance since 2017. The Blue Devils finished with a 13-4 record this season.
Boys
Section 4 Class A champions: Ithaca ended the season with the best overall record among Southern Tier schools, finishing 15-3 and topping Class A lacrosse powerhouses Elmira and Corning. The Little Red boasted a one-goal victory over Corning in the sectional final, cutting the Hawks’ six-time sectional championship streak.
Section 4 Class B champions: Horseheads beat out the eight-time sectional champions, Vestal, and carried a five-game winning streak into the state tournament, ultimately finishing with an 11-8 record. The Blue Raiders continued their historic season with a 13-4 victory over Ballston Spa — the program’s first-ever state tournament win.
Section 4 Class C champions: Maine-Endwell ended the season with the best overall record among Southern Tier schools, finishing 16-2. The Spartans showcased their consistency and reinforced their reputation as one of the section’s top lacrosse programs by capturing their fifth Class C title.
Section 4 Class D champions: Whitney Point earned its first-ever Class D title after a close 13-11 victory over Chenango Valley. The Eagles boasted one of the best season endings (16-3) in over two decades under head coach Mark Sears, who has led the team to a 27-9 record since coaching the team in 2024.
Note: Poll closes on Tuesday, June 16.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Poll: Which Section 4 lacrosse team had the best "breakout" season?
Continue reading...
