Birmingham Breaks Palisades’ Winning Streak in Boys Lacrosse City Section
Birmingham Upsets Palisades Boys in City Lacrosse Final, While Girls Secure Championship Title
In a dramatic night at Palisades High School, the local lacrosse scene showcased both triumph and heartbreak. The Palisades girls team clinched their fourth consecutive City Section championship with a commanding 20-8 victory over Birmingham. Meanwhile, the Palisades boys team saw their remarkable streak of nine consecutive titles come to a surprising halt, suffering a narrow 5-4 defeat to the same school.
The boys’ matchup unfolded as a gripping battle, marked by fierce competition. Birmingham had previously split two regular-season games against Palisades, with their initial meeting ending in a close 6-5 loss and the second concluding with a thrilling 5-4 overtime win. The rubber match proved to be equally intense and physical.
After Palisades’ Aidean Stuempfig scored to even the game at 4-4 early in the fourth quarter, Birmingham’s Jayden Ruiz quickly regained the lead with a goal at 6:43 remaining. Patriots goalie Christopher Cortes delivered a standout performance, stopping an impressive 24 shots, including a critical save just before the final buzzer sounded.
“Our team is amazing — we came here to win this and we did,” stated Cortes, a sophomore who transitioned from soccer to lacrosse. “I like the adrenaline you get as a goalie and the feeling that you’re helping your team out. Even when I got scored on, I didn’t let it get to me.”
Birmingham’s offensive efforts saw Alexander Manton tie the score 1-1 in the first quarter, followed by a second goal that provided a 3-1 advantage in the second quarter. Additional contributions came from teammates Albert Zometa and Brandon Lopez, bolstering Birmingham’s title run. The Patriots aim to build on this momentum; their previous City championship came in 2015.
The Dolphins struck first, with Nate Silberberg scoring within the first two minutes of the game. He later narrowed the gap to 4-3 late in the third quarter, aided by goalie Charlie Balatbat, who managed eight saves throughout the match. This loss contrasts with their earlier victory against Birmingham in the inaugural City final in 2014.
Earlier in the evening, the Palisades girls team displayed dominance in their title match. Freshmen Emma Traister and Lulu Rotter each netted five goals, while senior Mae Resnick contributed three, finishing the season with a remarkable total of 80 goals. The Dolphins won the game by the largest margin ever in a City girls final, surpassing the 10-goal gap seen in Birmingham’s previous 11-1 victory over Palisades in 2015.
Birmingham’s second-seeded team also made significant contributions, with Valeria Ruelas, Alexsa Blunt, and Camila Ruelas each scoring twice. This evening marked a noteworthy chapter in the rivalry, as both Palisades and Birmingham have each earned five girls titles. Notably, both schools’ boys and girls lacrosse programs have participated in every final since the sport was officially sanctioned as a varsity activity 12 years ago.
