Each of the Bishop Grimes and Manlius-Pebble Hill soccer teams was headed for the Section III Class C playoffs. Before that, though, two of them would face each other.
When the girls Cobras and Trojans clashed on Thursday, regulation wasn’t enough as, in an overtime battle, Grimes prevailed by a score of 2-1.
Through an active first half, only the Cobras would score, Alex Guhin earning the goal. That 1-0 lead didn’t hold up, though, as MPH’s Vicki Gregory put in the equalizer in the second half.
It stayed that way through the rest of regulation and much of the first 10-minute OT period. With less than a minute left in that extra frame, Grimes’ Erin Kilpatrick flashed open and slid home the go-ahead goal.
From there, the Cobras held on. Once again, Ashley Morgan had a sensational effort, Grimes’ star goalie turning away 16 of MPH’s 17 shots.
That game seemed to have a lingering effect, as MPH lost Friday to Fabius-Pompey 2-0. Neither side scored until the second half, when the Falcons’ Jessie Murphy twice converted. Trojans goalies Sammie Appleby and Katie Blanford combined for 16 saves.
The MPH boys saw a lead against Class A contender Fowler vanish in last Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Falcons.
Wyatt Scott led the way as the Trojans seized a 2-0 edge. It did not hold up, though, as Fowler, with goals from Karebo Ndikije, Bonke Rugira and Vince Ndabaruta, made it all the way back in the second half, negating Dylan Burrell’s total of eight saves.
MPH would hold on to a similar margin in Friday’s 2-0 shutout of Chittenango. Goals by Richie Medina and Gerrit Church proved enough as the Trojans dominated the flow of play, taking 25 shots to the Bears’ four.
Bishop Grimes, meanwhile, throttled Cato-Meridian 5-1. All of this took place in the second half, as the Cobras trailed 1-0 at the break, only to wear down the Blue Devils with its late surge.
Alex Guhin, with two goals, led this late push, while Kristen Hughes, Toni Laneve and Kennedy Yearby also put up goals. Ashley Morgan stopped 21 of the 22 shots she faced.
Given the no. 8 seed in Class C-2, MPH had to get past no. 9 seed Onondaga in Tuesday’s opening round if it wanted a shot at top seed West Canada Valley on Thursday, when Grimes, the no. 3 seed, hosts no. 6 seed Utica-Notre Dame.
Moving to the boys side, where Class C did not split, MPH, as the no. 5 seed, hosts no. 12 seed Mohawk in the first round and no. 6 seed Grimes hosts no. 11 seed Sauquoit Valley.
