All attention in girls soccer now turns to the Section III playoffs, where in Class B Westhill holds the no. 11 state ranking and Marcellus has the no. 17 ranking, each of them intent on regaining championship glory.
If they both win in the first two rounds, the no. 2 seed Mustangs and no. 3 seed Warriors could meet up in the sectional semifinals, though they open with first-round matches Thursday as Marcellus welcomes no. 15 seed Mexico and Westhill meets no. 14 seed General Brown.
Before this, Marcellus played last Tuesday against Homer and fought past the Trojans 2-0. In the 30th minute, the game was still 0-0 when Sarah Fallon’s cross found Sara Milenicki, and she one-timed it just inside the post.
Then, in the 55th minute, it was Katie MacLachlan’s turn, providing a nice dribble with her chest on a pass from Julia Schoeneck before putting the shot past Homer goalie Melina Settineri.
A day later, Marcellus rolled past Hannibal 7-0, scoring six times in a rain-soaked first half and getting some contributions from two new players called up from the JV ranks.
Annalise Bird had her first two varsity goals, with Lucy Powell also new to the team and also finding the net. They complemented Mei LaMarre, who also scored twice, with Mielnicki and Hannah Durand getting the other goals.
Sarah Hutchings got three assists and Lily Locastro added two assists, with MacLachlan and Sarah Fallon also earning assists.
Skaneateles is also in the Class B sectional tournament as a no. 12 seed with a first-round game Wednesday at no. 5 seed, Holland Patent. Prior to that, the Lakers and had a chance to make a big statement in last Thursday night’s game against Westhill at Hyatt Stadium.
And it was scoreless for a half, but in the second half the Warriors converted twice to beat the Lakers 2-0, both goals coming from Erica Gangemi, one unassisted, the other assisted by Ciarra Rudnick. Lauren Bendall stopped all four Skaneateles shots she faced.
Without any rest, Skaneateles had to turn around and visit Marcellus Friday night, and the Mustangs, improving to 14-2 overall, shut out the Lakers 3-0.
Twice in the first half less than seven minutes apart, Katie MacLachlan struck for unassisted goals to put the Mustangs in charge. It stayed that way for a while, but with 9:15 left Emma MacLchlan’s pass found Durand, who drilled a 25-yard shot past Lakers goalie Tatum Pas’cal.
Westhill hosted Christian Brothers Academy on Saturday, and got one more impressive victory before the post-season, the Warriors defeating the Brothers 2-0.
This time it was Rudnick at the forefront, netting both of Westhill’s goals as Gangemi and Ashley Bolesh picked up the assists. The Warriors held CBA to four shots, all stopped by Bendall.
West Genesee, getting ready for the Class AA sectional playoffs, met state no. 14-ranked Baldwinsville last Wednesday in a game moved to the turf at Mike Messere Field due to wet weather.
Having lost 3-1 to the Bees late in September, the Wildcats looked for payback, and got closer, but still lost by a 2-1 margin.
Less than five minutes into the game, B’ville went in front on Anya Putszai’s goal, assisted by defender Gwyneth Madden, but WG’s defense kept the Bees quiet for the rest of the half.
Deep into the second half, the margin was still one when, with 14;34 left, Hannah Mimas converted. That was needed, since the Wildcats answered less with 11:57 to play on Eva Poissant’s unassisted goal.
Though it had a chance to get to overtime, WG could not quite do so, held to four shots overall as, in the net, Liz Croft and Caitlin Mills combined for 11 saves.
The Class AA sectional bracket has just six teams. If the no. 3 seed Wildcats knock off no. 6 seed Rome Free Academy on Friday, it will get another shot at B’ville, the no. 2 seed, in the Oct. 30 semifinals at Central Square.
