To be sure, the Chittenango boys soccer team benefited from having a no. 8 seed in the Section III Class B playoffs and seeing the top seed take an early tumble – but that fortune only lasted for a pair of rounds.
In the opening round on Oct. 23, the Bears turned back no. 9 seed South Jefferson 3-1, and were all set to grapple with that no. 1 seed General Brown – until the Lions were stunned by no. 16 seed Holland Patent 1-0.
Quite glad to not have to make the trip to Dexter, Chittenango instead hosted Holland Patent in the Oct. 26 quarterfinals and roared past the Golden Knights 6-1, moving within two wins of a first sectional title since its state championship run in 2001.
However, what awaited the Bears in last Wednesday’s sectional semifinal at nearby Fayetteville-Manlius was the reigning sectional and state champions, who would put an end to Chittenango’s dreams.
Westhill only held the no. 4 seed following an 11-2-3 regular season, but had handled Oneida 5-0 in the first round and then, in a rematch of the last three sectional finals, again got the best of Cazenovia, rallying from a one-goal deficit to break the Lakers’ hearts in a 2-1 overtime classic.
Now it was the Warriors against the Bears. These teams had met two weeks earlier, and Westhill prevailed 3-1, so there was relative familiarity going into the playoff rematch.
For a half, it remained scoreless, Chittenango’s defense keeping the Warriors quiet even as it found it difficult to generate any of its own opportunities.
Once the second half started, though, Westhill broke through. Goals by Bo BenYehuda, Andrew Centore and Dan Carkner produced a 3-0 defeat for the Bears as Jackson Powers tacked on two assists. Chittenango goalie Will Simmons had five saves.
As the Warriors advanced to face Skaneateles (who knocked out Clinton 1-0 in the other semifinal) in the title game, the Bears finished an 11-7-1 season. In all, 11 seniors graduate, including the likes of Sean Larsson, Noah and Devon Hardy, Tom McIntosh, Mikel Pascual, Anthony Roberts, Austin Strickler and Brian Schermerhorn.
