Since the Miller Place girls' softball team entered high school there has been an aura around this group of young ladies and that promise came to fruition this weekend when they won the state championship.
The Panthers not only brought home the very first NYSPHSAA Championship in the school's history but it's the first state championship for a public school from Long Island since 2017.
Following the Panthers season last year you could see what heights they could reach. There were no seniors on last season's dynamic club and when they came into 2025 there was a renewed focus and there was only one goal that satisfy this team, and a state championship was in their sights.
All everything Ava Zicchinelli was in her usual spot on the mound, and she did her usual, which is dominate the competition. Zicchinelli struck out five batters while allowing just three hits on the day. The shutout was a highlight moment in a career filled with those sorts of moments. Someone this game was just as impressive as Friday when she pitched another shut out in the semifinals, that one she allowed just one hit.
Emily Lopez led the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning to drive in Laney Vomero. Sadie Bryant took one for the team with the bases loaded and her hit by pitch pushed the score to 2-0. Then Zicchinelli added the last run with a single in the sixth driving in in Sadie Hoffman to give the Panthers the 3-0 win in Binghamton.
Overall, the Panthers finished the season 25-2 and 17-1 in division play. They wound up allowing just six runs in their last eight games combined and threw ten shutouts on the season.
Offensively Emily Lopez finished 2nd in Suffolk County with 8 home runs and Breya Kesler was inside the top 20 with three long balls on the season. Zicchinelli finished first in wins in the county and second in strikeouts.
This team will long be remembered as the team with all the expectations in the world that met every one and lifted that coveted state title.