Whitesboro hockey claims 1st title in 23 years with win over Skaneateles in DII final

Andrew Sfeir's late goal lifts Whitesboro to a 5-4 victory over defending champion Skaneateles.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Whitesboro High School's hockey team won its first sectional championship since 2003 with a thrilling 5-4 victory over three-time defending state champion Skaneateles in the Section III Division II final. Andrew Sfeir scored the game-winning goal with 4:37 remaining to lift Whitesboro to the title. Marco Benedetto scored twice for Whitesboro, while Braedan Taggart tallied twice for Skaneateles.

Why it matters

This victory ends Whitesboro's 23-year drought since their last sectional championship, and denies Skaneateles a fourth straight state title. It's a significant accomplishment for the Whitesboro program and a heartbreaking loss for the defending champions.

The details

Whitesboro jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Benedetto, Dominic Nucci, and Benedetto again on the power play. But Skaneateles battled back, scoring twice in the second period to tie the game 3-3 going into the third. Collin Aceto put Whitesboro back ahead, but Taggart tied it again before Sfeir's late heroics secured the win for Whitesboro.

  • Whitesboro scored three goals in the first 4:53 of the game.
  • Skaneateles scored twice in the first 3:17 of the second period to tie the game 3-3.
  • Sfeir scored the game-winning goal with 4:37 remaining in the third period.

The players

Andrew Sfeir

The Whitesboro player who scored the game-winning goal with 4:37 left in the third period.

Marco Benedetto

The Whitesboro player who scored two goals in the first period.

Braedan Taggart

The Skaneateles player who scored two goals to help his team rally from an early 3-0 deficit.

Colton McDonald

The Skaneateles goaltender who was pulled for an extra skater in the final minutes as his team tried to tie the game.

Whitesboro

The high school hockey team that won its first sectional championship since 2003.

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What’s next

Whitesboro (16-7) advances to take on the Section VI champion on Saturday in the first round of the state tournament.

The takeaway

Whitesboro's thrilling comeback win over the three-time defending state champions Skaneateles shows the resilience and determination of the Whitesboro hockey program, which has now ended its 23-year sectional title drought and will look to make a deep run in the state tournament.