O'Mara and Palmesano pay tribute to Penn Yan boys lacrosse 2025 state champions!

Penn Yan, N.Y., June 9—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) visited Penn Yan Academy on Monday to pay tribute to the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team for winning the 2025 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class D championship. 

The team captured the state championship last June at Hobart and William Smith's Boswell Field, defeating the Chenango Forks Blue Devils 11-8. The victory in the state championship, the second state title in team history, capped off an impressive 21-2 overall record for the season. 

O’Mara and Palmesano attended the Academy’s annual Sports Banquet on Monday night and joined the team and their family members, coaches, school administrators and staff to present an official Legislative Resolution (J1883/K1080) they sponsored honoring the team’s title. The resolution was unanimously approved by the New York State Senate and Assembly earlier this year. 

In a joint statement, O’Mara and Palmesano said, “Penn Yan enjoys a proud history of athletic excellence, competition, and achievement and that’s especially true in lacrosse. We appreciate this opportunity to congratulate and pay tribute to the team on capturing last year’s New York State championship, the second state title in the amazing history of the Mustangs! It’s an opportunity to recognize and honor the dedication, excellence, hard work, and quality of remarkable student-athletes who help our school communities stand out. 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 O’Mara-Palmesano resolution recognized Head Coach Brian Hobart, Assistant Coaches Harry Queener, Chris Redington, and Conner Fingar, and the members of the 2025 team: 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.

The resolution reads, in part, “In a sport, such as lacrosse, which demands athletic prowess, speed, and agility, Head Coach Brian Hobart and his incredible coaching staff worked hard to hone the skills of this championship team, teaching these outstanding athletes lessons which will prove invaluableboth on and off the field.”

Penn Yan Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gregory Baker, said, “The Penn Yan Central School District believes that education-based athletics provide learning opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom and is extremely proud of the tradition of success that all of our programs have established. With 29 Section V championships, including 27 in the past 30 years, the boys lacrosse program has set a standard that extends far beyond our community. The 2025 team etched a special place in school history by joining the 2001 team as state champions. I congratulate Coaches Brian Hobart, Harry Queener, Chris Redington, Conner Fingar, the players, support staff and families of the 2025 team on this tremendous achievement and the lifetime Mustang memories that they created along the way.” 

Director of Athletics Jonathan MacKerchar said, “I am very fortunate to be the Athletic Director for the Penn Yan Academy Mustangs. In 2025 our Boys Lacrosse team won the second state championship in program history. It was a truly remarkable season. In 2024 the team failed to win the Section V championship 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.’ This was the theme of the season. The coaches and players worked incredibly hard in the off season to make sure they would secure the Section V championship in 2025. As they achieved this goal, they then focused on the next game and the next game and then the next. And then it felt magical that we were playing for a State Championship. The 2025 season was a prime example of the quote ‘hard work is rewarded.’ This team worked incredibly hard and put themselves in the position to now be etched in Penn Yan Academy history by earning a New York State Championship! They turned ‘NOTHING’ into something!” 

Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach Brian Hobart said, “The 2025 Penn Yan Mustang Varsity Lacrosse team was a special group of young men. Coming off an incredibly disappointing end to the 2024 season, this group simply chose to outwork every team, challenge and task placed in front of them. The seniors led with pride and belief, and the younger players followed with the same passion. This group played for each other, the program and our community. Individual honors took a back seat to the success of the team. I am incredibly proud of this group of young men. They have etched their place into the rich history of Penn Yan lacrosse."