Field Hockey: Defending champions dethroned in first round

PANTHERS 2, WILDCATS 1

For four straight years the Miller Place Panthers saw their season end at the hands of Shoreham-Wading River. Each season the Wildcats won the Class B county championship.

Tuesday afternoon, the Panthers finally got their revenge.

No. 5 Miller Place, less than a week after defeating Shoreham in the regular season finale, prevailed 2-1 at Shoreham-Wading River High School in the first round of the Class B playoffs. It’ll be the first time Shoreham didn’t reach a county final since 2006.

All three goals were scored in the first half. Sophomore Maggie Revera put the Panthers on the board first just over five minutes into the game. The Wildcats answered about seven minutes later when Kaitlyn Taddeo ripped a shot from the right side.

The Panthers came back right before halftime to retake the lead when junior Tiana Parrella scored.

Miller Place improved to 11-6 and will travel Friday to top-seeded and undefeated Sayville in the semifinals. Shoreham ends the season at 13-4, with two losses in its final two games, both to Miller Place.

The Panthers last won a county title in 2005, a year they also beat Shoreham in the playoffs. Before last week the Wildcats were 13-2 against Miller Place since the start of the 2006 season.