Beyond the results, what area boys and girls soccer teams could savor last weekend was the mere fact that they took the field, which was far from a guarantee earlier this year.
The COVID-19 outbreak wiped out the high school spring sports season and affected fall sports,too, but soccer, deemed a “low-risk” sport, was allowed to proceed, and after 10 mandated days of practice it was time for some games.
West Genesee led the parade with high-profile games last Friday against Baldwinsville that included the boys Wildcats pushing the reigning Section III Class AA champion Bees into overtime before taking a 2-1 defeat.
Quite eager for another chance at upending B’ville having lost to them in last fall’s sectional Class AA semifinals, WG didn’t get rattled whenMalik Davis, off a feed from Jack Branigan, netted a first-half goal to put his team in front.
Still trailing 1-0, the Wildcats pulled even in the second half, Justin Byrne getting a shot past Bees goalie Owen Tracy as Josh Rimualdo got credit for the assist. For the rest of regulation and most of two sudden-victory overtime periods, it remained even.
But with 15 seconds left, Davis flashed open and, again getting a well-timed feed from Branigan, put home the game-winning goal.
While it lost the game, WG could take some solace in knowing it would get another chance against B’ville Oct. 20, just when the girls Wildcats and Bees clash again.
Their first encounter was accompanied by a full pre-game double rainbow above the skies at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, where WG was fully expecting an all-out effort from the Bees after the Wildcats stunned them in last fall’s sectional semifinals.
Indeed, B’ville did win, 3-0, scoring all of its goals in the first half. The game’s biggest sequence came early, when Eva Poissant’s attempt to put WG in front was stopped by a diving Jenna Boutilier.
Less than a minute later, Hannah Mimas scored off a corner kick, and the Bees would convert in the same manner in the 28th minute on a goal by McKenna Miller.
Brownyn Madden expanded the margin in the last minute of the first half, her shot eluding the grasp of WG freshman goalie Jenna Orr, who along with teammate Cameron Rosenthal would make eight saves.
Rain throughout the second half hurt both teams, but WG’s defense did keep the Bees off the board, though its own attack managed just three shots throughout the game.
That same night, Jordan-Elbridge had both of its soccer teams debut against Mexico, with the boys Eagles falling in overtime 2-1 to the Tigers.
Owen Barrigar’s second-half goal erased a 1-0 Mexico deficit, only to have the Tigers prevail in the first OT, Carter Jock getting one goal and assisting on the other by Mason Clarke. Keegan Ferris finished with 10 saves.
In the girls game, Mexico beat J-E 5-0, with five different Tigers – Adria Arola, Grace O’Gorman, Alecsis Buda, Mollie Menter and Adrianna Denton – netting goals, overcoming seven saves by Eagles goalie Erin LaVancha.
