State Senator Tom O’Mara and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano visited Penn Yan Academy on Monday to recognize the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team for capturing the 2025 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship.
The Mustangs won the state title last June at Hobart and William Smith’s Boswell Field, defeating Chenango Forks 11-8. The championship marked the second state title in program history and capped a 21-2 season.
O’Mara and Palmesano attended the school’s annual Sports Banquet and presented the team with an official Legislative Resolution honoring its achievement. The resolution was unanimously approved earlier this year by both the New York State Senate and Assembly.
In a joint statement, O’Mara and Palmesano said Penn Yan has a long tradition of athletic excellence, particularly in lacrosse, and praised the team for its dedication, hard work, and commitment.
“It was an outstanding season and a source of enormous pride to the entire Penn Yan school community, family members and friends, the community at large, and our entire region,” the lawmakers said.
The legislative resolution recognized Head Coach Brian Hobart, assistant coaches Harry Queener, Chris Redington, and Conner Fingar, as well as the members of the championship team.
The resolution noted that lacrosse demands athletic skill, speed, and agility, and commended the coaching staff for helping players develop lessons that extend beyond the playing field.
Penn Yan Superintendent Dr. Gregory Baker said the district takes pride in the role athletics play in education and noted the boys lacrosse program’s remarkable success, including 29 Section V championships, 27 of them in the past 30 years.
“The 2025 team etched a special place in school history by joining the 2001 team as state champions,” Baker said. “I congratulate the coaches, players, support staff and families on this tremendous achievement and the lifetime Mustang memories they created along the way.”
Athletic Director Jonathan MacKerchar reflected on the team’s journey following a disappointing end to the 2024 season, when the Mustangs failed to win a Section V title for the first time in 13 years.
“At the start of the 2025 season, the team for the first time in a long time was the defending champion of ‘nothing,’” MacKerchar said. “The coaches and players worked incredibly hard in the offseason, and that hard work was rewarded with a state championship.”
Head Coach Brian Hobart called the 2025 team “a special group of young men” who responded to adversity by outworking every opponent and challenge they faced.
“This group played for each other, the program, and our community,” Hobart said. “Individual honors took a back seat to the success of the team. They have etched their place into the rich history of Penn Yan lacrosse.”
The 2025 championship team included Colin Bacher, Cole Banach, Keegan Christensen, Ty Conover, Miles Ditzel, Teagan Fingar, Braden Fingar, Levi Fisher, Tukker Fisher, Harrison Fitch, Aven Foster, Michael Gigliotti, Aiden Griffiths, Greyson Hathway, John Holly, Jaxon Jensen, Brody Keech, Logan Long, Carter MacKerchar, Ti’Jai Moorer, Cole Murphy, Wilson Oliva, Ryder Sprague, Will Thompson, Ethan Vandelinder and Colt Walters.
