Whether it was fully expected or a bit ahead of schedule, the same truth remains for the Skaneateles boys soccer team – that through lots of hard work and a bit of good fortune, it has made its way to the final weekend of the 2019 season.
the Lakers’ tough 1-0 victory over Section IV champion Oneonta in Saturday’s regional final at Liverpool High School Stadium featured so many of the features that have carried it through the post-season – a strong, complete effort on defense and an opportunism that produced all the offense it needed.
Three different times in these playoffs, Skaneateles has won 1-0 decisions, doing so over Marcellus and Clinton in consecutive sectional rounds before it did the same with the 16-2, state no. 5-ranked Yellowjackets.
One big difference was that, in those previous games, the Lakers went in front during the first half and then protected that slim margin for a long while. With Oneonta, the decisive tally would have to wait.
With a helping wind, Skaneateles controlled the game’s first 20 minutes, constantly pressuring and earning a series of corner kicks without converting them.
Gradually, the Yellowjackets, unaccustomed to playing games on Field Turf, got more comfortable with the surface and increased its possession time as the half wore on. Aside from a flurry in front of the net in the final minutes, Oneonta had to feel good about where things stood as it went to the break 0-0.
And once it gained the wind advantage, the Yellowjackets applied heavy pressure early in the second half. Like they had done so many times, though, back-line players Alex Arefyev, Will Pinckney, Andrew Moss and Gavin Cheney kept their cool and turned chances away.
Ultimately, the game turned on a single sequence near the midway point. A series of passes left Oneonta’s Dylan Davi point-blank in front of goalkeeper Andrew Neumann, but Neumann made a terrific diving stop.
Barely a minute later, the Lakers worked the ball to the left corner and then crossed it. when Yellowjackets goalie Brad Morell could not hold on to it, the ball rebounded to Owen Cheney, who slid it inside the right post.
For the last 20 minutes, Skaneateles worked well on both ends of the field, showing how to keep a slim lead, once it was attained, and securing its place at Middletown High School for the state final four.
Four years have passed since the Lakers were last in the state semifinals before a defeat to Plattsburgh. Now Skaneateles, who rose from a no. 6 seed to earn the sectional title, have made it back.
Once at Middletown, while trying to match its 2010 run to the state title, the Lakers will meet undefeated, state no. 1-ranked Bath Haverling (Section V) in the state semifinals Saturday at 1:45. The winner goes to the final Sunday at 3 p.m. against Schuylerville (Section II) or Center Moriches (Section XI).
