In hot pursuit of a third Section III Class AA championship in four years, Baldwinsville’s girls soccer team had no trouble with its opening playoff assignment.
Given the top seed, the Bees met Rome Free Academy in last Thursday’s AA quarterfinal at Fulton, quickly taking over in the first half and putting away the Black Knights in a 5-0 shutout.
All through the regular-season homestretch, Emma Firenze and her sister, Jackie, had taken a larger role in B’ville’s attack, something more akin to what they had done when the Bees reached the state final four in 2010.
Against an RFA side it had beaten 6-1 just nine days earlier thanks to Angelica Romeu’s four goals, the Bees wasted little time getting in front again.
Emma Firenze headed in a corner kick just three minutes into the game. A few minutes later, it was Romeu’s turn to convert, pouncing on the rebound after Firenze’s initial shot hit the post and rolled across the line before Romeu put it home.
That same pair was at it again in the 30th minute, Romeu getting her second goal off Firenze’s well-timed feed.
Just before the half, B’ville made it 4-0 when Katie Wilson found the net, getting a nice pass from Cassidy Bruen. Though no more offense was required, the Bees still tacked on another goal in the second half from Firenze, her second of the night.
With the first part out of the way, B’ville could now turn toward a Class AA semifinal against no. 4 seed Christian Brothers Academy, who eliminated no. 5 seed Cicero-North Syracuse 2-1 in its quarterfinal. A win here puts the Bees against Liverpool or West Genesee for the sectional title.
