One minute from seeing its quest for back-to-back Section III Class B titles get subjected to the whims of overtime, the Westhill girls soccer team came up with the biggest goal of its season.
The combined efforts of Megan O’Reilly and Sophia Caron produced the single play that was needed for the top-seeded Warriors to turn back the spirited challenge of no. 2 seed Lowville and prevail 1-0 Friday night at SUNY-Cortland.
“It’s been such a ride,” said O’Reilly. ‘I’m glad our senior season ended like this.”
It’s Westhill’s second straight sectional championship, and third in four years. The first of those earned in 2014 was also a 1-0 win over a Lowville side that was tough on the defensive end.
This game provided the same scenario. Lowville had won 1-0 decisions over Mexico, South Jefferson and Clinton in the sectional tournament, a stark contrast to the Warriors’ more lopsided victories on the way to the final.
Maybe playing on the same Cortland turf where it lost to Chenango Forks in the 2016 state title game provided an inspiration for the Warriors, who didn’t take long to establish its attack and probed against Lowville’s back line.
What was quickly apparent, though, was that the Red Raiders were not going to give anything away. Anytime the ball got near the net, Haley Cole and the rest of Lowville’s defenders kept their poise, and when it was needed, goalie Cassidy Buchman made some clutch stops.
The 0-0 stalemate continued into the second half. Midway through it, the Red Raiders made its most sustained attack, but Westhlil was ready for it.
Led by seniors Hannah Dorfman and Sam VanBuren, the Warriors handled every pressure point. “We know each other so well,” said Dorfman of her work with VanBuren. “Our goal is to keep the ball out of the net.”
Westhill did so, and resumed its attack. With five minutes left, it appeared that Ciarra Rudnick’s 50-yard run toward the right side of the 18-yard box had drawn a foul and a penalty kick, but that was changed into a corner kick that, again, Lowville turned back.
As regulation time wound down, the Warriors pushed once more. From the right point, Caron offered a touch pass to O’Reilly, who drew Buchman out and then gently headed the ball into the net.
Westhill does not get much time to enjoy this 14th sectional title in program history. On Tuesday at Stillwater High School, the state no. 4-ranked Warriors face state no. 2-ranked Schalmont, the Section II champions, in the regional playoffs. Westhill beat Schalmont in this same round a year ago.
