With its first Section III Class B title in six years locked away, the Westhill girls soccer team set about the business of going after a state championship, knowing it would take four wins in two weeks to go all the way to that ultimate accomplishment.
And the Warriors, newly minted as the top-ranked team in the latest state Class B poll, took that crucial first step Tuesday night at Fulton, fighting hard on both sides of the ball to earn a 2-0 victory over Section II champion Catholic Central in the Class B regional opener.
In many ways, the state tournament bracket changed when, during the Section II playoffs, Schlamont, ranked no. 1 all season, was stunned in the semifinals by Voorheesville.
Taking advantage of this upset, Catholic Central beat Voorheesville in the Section II finals, earning its ticket to face a Westhill side that saw its 1-0 sectional final win over Lowville on Oct. 31 as the first of many championship moments.
In many ways, the first half against the Crusaders resembled the Lowville game, with Westhill and CCHS getting into an even flow of play, both sides getting plenty of scoring chances but not taking advantage of them.
Then, late in the half, the Warriors grabbed a 1-0 lead. Jayanna Monds, drawing the attention of the Crusaders’ defenders with her speed and dribbling skills, fed a well-timed pass to freshman Kaitlyn Karleski in the 33rd minute, and Karleski put it in the net.
Protecting that 1-0 lead going into the second half, Westhill again saw its defensive stars, including Shelby Stack, Kelly Lippert, Abby Stack and Sam VanBuren, turn away CCHS chances, needing to do so since the margin was so slim.
Monds, who had just missed on a pass to Dana Radin for a possible insurance goal early in the half, atoned in the 57th minute by zipping past a trio of Crusaders defenders before pounding home the Warriors’ second goal.
Nothing more was needed, and Westhill could look ahead to Saturday’s regional final against Section VII champion Beekmantown at Plattsburgh High School, knowing a win there means a return to the Cortland area next weekend for the state Class B final four.
Once again, it would prove to be a shutout, the Warriors prevailing by a 3-0 margin as it this time would land a pair of goals in the first half, and then tack on one more after the break.
Again, Monds proved difficult to contain, scoring twice, while Erin McMullen chimed in with the other goal and, as usual, the Warriors’ defense made that margin hold up.
Two more wins will give Westhill a state championship. To get one of them, the Warriors must beat Bronxville (Section I) in next Saturday’s state semifinal, which kicks off at noon at Cortland High School.
The winner there gets to the state title game against Port Jefferson (Section XI) or Rochester Aquinas (Section V) next Sunday at 3 p.m., back on the same SUNY-Cortland turf where Westhill earned its sectional title over Lowville.
