ONONDAGA COUNTY – Few high school coaches in any sport stay around long enough to even approach a number as large as 600 victories.
Yet Don Ridall, who build the Manlius-Pebble Hill boys soccer program into a powerhouse that, at its peak, took home state championships in 2000 and 2001, has got to the doorstep of that gaudy number and had a chance to reach it Monday when the Trojans took on Bishop Grimes.
The number was 598 wins after the Trojans defeated LaFayette 3-0 last Monday afternoon, an efficient affair where MPH scored twice in the first half and again after intermission.
Alex Fung, with one goal and one assist, led MPH, with goals also scored by Chance Mugabe and Ayman El-Hindi. Dash Goode and Brody Cook also picked up assists.
Now the state Class D no. 12-ranked Trojans would challenge Class C no. 7-ranked Fabius-Pompey last Wednesday afternoon, looking for win no. 599, but not quite getting it.
In a 1-0 defeat to the Falcons, MPH found itself rarely able to attack, held to just two shots. Ryan Kinane’s seven saves kept it close, but Colin Sullivan’s first-half goal put F-P in front to say.
Instead, the Trojans moved within a win of 600 Friday by hammering Homer 4-0, led by Mugabe, who scored twice, and Fung, who got one goal and one assist. Eric Ma had the other goal as Ryan Kinane, Jack Hogan and Asriel Anderson picked up assists.
Fayetteville-Manlius emerged as the no. 7-ranked state Class AA team thanks to its 5-0-1 start, and Nino Pagano kept the Hornets in top form when he overwhelmed West Genesee last Tuesday night in a 4-1 Hornets victory.
Pagano scored twice in the first half to give F-M the lead for good. Then he tore through the Wildcats’ defenses for two more goals after intermission as Evan Terreri and Tyler Koehne got credit for assists.
Going to Nottingham Thursday night, F-M wasn’t as potent, but converted twice in the first half and still shut out the Bulldogs 2-0,
Pagano not only netted his 10th goal of the season assisted by Tyler Goodman, but assisting on an Evan Terreri tally. Nottingham had chances to answer, but Hornets goalie Jacob Lavelle stopped all eight shots he faced.
Against Henninger on Saturday, F-M bolted out 3-0 as Pagano picked up a hat trick by halftime. Evan Newton, Riley Warren-Nichols and Michael OuYang added goals as the Hornets bashed the Black Knights 6-0, with Goodman getting two assists and single assists going to Stephen Probst and James Price.
Moving to no. 17 in the state Class A rankings, Christian Brothers Academy further bolstered that mark when it shut out state Class B no. 11-ranked Westhill 2-0 last Tuesday night at Alibrandi Stadium.
A goal in each half proved enough as Jack Griffith and Will Harrigan converted, with assists going to Connor Schmidt and Connor Morgia. Finn Wheeler stopped all nine shots he faced to preserve the shutout.
CBA followed it up Saturday with a 3-0 win over PSLA-Fowler, all of the goals taking place in the first half. Griffith, Morgia and Rico Pretrosillo traded goals as Harrigan and Sravan Kodali both earned assists.
Bishop Grimes hosted Bishop Ludden and finally got on the scoreboard this season, even if the Cobras lost 3-1 to the Gaelic Knights.
With the annual “Bishops Cup’ on the line, the Gaelic Knights had some nervous moments early as Grimes, who was 0-6 and had not scored a goal in any of those six games, broke through with a first-half goal by Joel Fasama, assisted by Dante Piraino.
But Ludden broke out of that 1-1 tie in the second half, ultimately seeing Sam Colella score twice as Charlie Colella got one goal and one assist. Colden Sheen also had an assist. Grimes then lost 5-0 to DeRuyter on Saturday.
