Even with all the special things it had done this fall, it would have felt hollow for the Baldwinsville boys soccer team if it didn’t result in at least a Section III Class AA championship.
That was still in doubt late in Monday night’s sectional final at Jamesville-DeWitt, but in the final minutes of regulation the Bees made the plays it needed to put away Cicero-North Syracuse 2-0.
It’s B’ville’s first sectional title since 2013, and head coach Tim Scheemaker said that part of what made it so special was the bond he had formed with his players.
“This is a fantastic group of kids,” he said. “They are coachable, and fun to work with.”
They are also quite stingy. The sectional final win was the Bees’ 17th shutout of the season and third straight in the playoffs, all of it accomplished by a defense led by a group that hadn’t started together until this season.
The quartet of Alex Charest, Teklu Habtesion, Jared Kantak and Jack Branigan has combined to stifle opponents, and the intelligent, aggressive work of senior goalkeeper Nate Hanna offered further protection.
On the other end, the attack has revolved around senior Josh Price, something C-NS was determined to stop, especially after Price scored twice in the Bees’ 3-0 sectional semifinal win over Fayetteville-Manlius.
During the first half, Price had two terrific chances to put his team in front, breaking free in the open field in front of the Northstars’ net. With open teammates, Priced passed to them, but Tyler Johnson and Jason Hahn could not convert.
This still proved effective, because Price, for the rest of the game, would draw constant double teams and plenty of physical contact, which even made him leave the game for a few minutes late in the second half.
When Price returned, it was still 0-0, and C-NS was still bent on smothering him – and would immediately pay for it, with 4:29 left in regulation, thanks to the combination of Jacob Way and Michael Allen.
On another push down the left side, Way dribbled to the left corner. Then he lofted a pass toward the middle, and with Price marked, Allen made his move.
“We prepare for everything and we practiced this a lot,” said Allen. “I knew I could beat my man there.”
Indeed, Allen did get the step and, with a perfectly timed header, flew it past C-NS goalie Ethan Doerschuk into the net to put the Bees in front.
Though C-NS would get some late chances and even earn a corner kick, the Bees stuffed them again, and in the last minute Price forced a turnover, charged toward the net past several defenders and, when Doerschuk ran out, Price deftly converted a touch shot for the clinching goal.
For the Bees’ players that lost the sectional final on this same field to F-M a year ago, winning this title had added meaning.
“Last year was real tough,” said Allen. “But we knew we would come back strong.”
B’ville will faced the Section II champion (Albany CBA or Niskayuna) in Saturday’s Class AA regional final at Liverpool High School Stadium, with the winner advancing to the Nov. 10-11 state final four in Middletown.
