Area girls soccer teams are heading toward three different Section III tournaments, with Westhill still perched at no. 2 in the state in Class B and Marcellus in the no. 14 state rankings spot, ready to challenge the reigning sectional champion Warriors.
Yet when the sectional brackets came out, it was the Mustangs holding the top seed and Westhill the no. 2 seed. At least it assured that the two long-time antagonists can’t face each other until a potential sectional ifnal.
Just when it thought it had passed a massive scare when it rallied from a three-goal deficit to stun Cazenovia on Oct. 8, Westhill fell victim to a similar rally from Homer in last Wednesday night’s 4-3 defeat to the Trojans, just its second loss of the season.
Jayanna Monds was unstoppable in the early going. She netted one goal and assisted on two others, by Erin McMullen and Abby Stack, that put Westhill in front 3-1 – but that lead didn’t even last until halftime.
Homer converted twice late in the half, tying it 3-3, and then got the only goal of the second half, overcoming Ariana Heneberry’s 10 saves to pull it out. Kim Dieroff scored twice for the Trojans, with Madison Dimorier and Carolyne Yonta earning the other goals.
A night earlier, Westhill routed the combined Syracuse city team 7-0 last Tuesday night, putting on relentless pressure that led to six second-half goals that overcame 22 saves from Syracuse goalkeeper Emma Allen.
Erin McMullen scored twice to lead a well-balanced Warrior attack. Heneberry, taking a break from her goalie duties, found the net, as did Monds, Katelyn Karleski, Courtney Thomas and Natalie Jetter, with defensive star Shelby Stack joining Karleski in the assist column.
The regular season ended with Westhill visiting Clinton on Saturday afternoon and easily winning this Warrior clash 5-0. McMullen, Abby Stack and Sam VanBuren each had one goal and one assist, while Monds and Shelby Stack also found the net.
Marcellus tested itself again in last Monday’s game against state Class A no. 6-ranked New Hartford, but was able to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Spartans.
Each side scored one goal in each half. Jada Sargeant and Ashley Gilmore found the net for the Mustangs, and Liz White earned an assist, with Christina Paul and Hannah Cahill countering with goals on New Hartford’s behalf. Through 20 minutes of overtime, neither side could net the game-winner.
This was the fourth time Marcellus had drawn this season, and it looked for better when hosting East Syracuse Minoa Thursday night, getting that result in a 5-1 victory over the Spartans.
First-half goals from Liz White (assisted by her sister, Shannon) and Alana Montreal gave the Mustangs a 2-0 edge at the break. Then Mia Montreal made it 3-0 less than three minutes into the second half, and though Franchesca Polcaro answered for ESM, Keelin Kelly’s bent-in corner kick launched a late barrage as Kelly, with another strong corner, set up Madi Belvito’s late goal.
In Saturday’s game at Fulton, Marcellus pulled out a 2-1 decision over the Red Raiders to complete its 11-1-4 regular season.
Kelly, off a feed from Belvito, put her team in front midway through the first half, and Sargeant made it 2-0 just 28 seconds into the second half, fitting one inside the post as Liz White got the assist. That proved enough, as Fulton could not catch up despite Callie Beckwith’s late goal.
West Genesee is bound to be difficult to eliminate in the Class AA sectional tournament, and played the eventual top seed, Baldwinsville, close for most of last Tuesday night’s game at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium before taking a 2-0 defeat to the Bees.
With Senior Night festivities perhaps proving as a distraction, B’ville could not get on the board in the first half, though much of that had to do with great work from WG goalkeeper Emma Madonna, who finished with 12 saves. But the Bees did break through after halftime, with Jade Gentile netting both goals as Bella May and Hailey Couchman earned the assists.
At Skaneateles on Saturday, the Wildcats lost, 2-0, as goals by Lauren Goodchild and Catie Woodruff helped the Lakers prevail and WG fell to 5-8-3, though its 5-4-1 league mark assured a sectional berth.
What’s more, since the Wildcats are the no. 4 seed, if it beats no. 5 seed Rome Free Academy Thursday night, it will face B’ville again since the Bees have a bye directly into next week’s semifinals.
Bishop Ludden nearly got a season-defining victory last Tuesday night at Tully, leading at halftime, but unable to hold on in a 2-1 defeat to the state Class C no. 4-ranked Black Knights.
When they had first met Sept. 8, Ludden lost a 1-0 decision to Tully. It was again 1-0 in halftime of the rematch, but in the Gaelic Knights’ favor thanks to Emma Driscoll’s goal, but even though Kara Beamish made nine saves, the Black Knights still rallied behind Katie McNerney’s pair of second-half goals.
Two nights later, Ludden hosted Manlius-Pebble Hill and took that frustration out on the Trojans in an impressive 4-0 victory. Two goals in each half proved enough, Driscoll scoring twice as Shannon Hunter added a goal and assist. Danielle Rauch also found the net as Katie Costello contributed an assist of her own. The Gaelic Knights took 14 shots to MPH’s three.
Then, in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Fabius-Pompey, Ludden improved its mark to 7-8-1 as all of the goals came in the second half. Driscoll scored twice for the Gaelic Knights, which negated Hailey Niles’ tally for the Falcons.
Ludden has the no. 12 seed in the Class C sectional tournament, and will face no. 5 seed Little Falls in the opening round, with the winner to get MPH or Beaver River in the quarterfinals.
Jordan-Elbridge lost at home last Tuesday to South Jefferson, 8-1. Only McKenzie Stevenson’s second-half goal prevented a shutout as the Spartans built a 3-0 halftime lead and got away behind two-goal outings from Leah Brionnes-Cooper, Mara Hathaway and Hayley McGuire.
In Friday’s 5-4 loss to Onondaga, the Eagles led, 2-1, at halftime, but could not hold on despite Alexis Braun’s three-goal hat trick. Alison Jennings also found the net as Alexis Fietta and Riley Parker earned assists. Becky Mack, with three goals and one assist, and Lauren Agguire, with a goal and three assists, led the Tigers’ comeback.
Solvay would see its season end, too, following a 7-0 defeat to Cazenovia last Tuesday where Maria Leonardo made nine saves and Casey Crawford led the host Lakers with three goals and one assist and a 3-0 defeat to Hannibal on Friday.
