CENTRAL NEW YORK – Changes to the way the Section III boys soccer playoffs were put together proved nothing but a benefit to Skaneateles and Marcellus, and may have held Solvay back.
As the three-time defending state and sectional champions in Class B, Skaneateles played a tough schedule and did enough against it to rise all the way to the top seed despite five regular-season defeats.
Marcellus had a 9-7 mark, but still earned the no. 2 seed, well ahead of Solvay, who went 12-4 but only got the no. 6 seed. Among other things, this meant the Bearcats had to play an extra round while the Lakers and Mustangs had first-round byes.
When it did enter the playoff fray Thursday night in the quarterfinal round, Skaneateles kept its remarkable four-year post-season unbeaten streak alive, turning back no. 8 seed Cazenovia 2-0.
Both goals came in the first half, one by Sean Kerwick, the other by Samuel Ryan. Heschel Eidel and Finnegan Ryan earned the assists, and the Skaneateles defense did the rest, limiting the visiting Lakers to just one shot all night.
Two days later, Marcellus had its own sectional quarterfinal against no. 10 seed Holland Patent, and with Aaron Weber at the forefront, the Mustangs earned a 3-0 victory over the Golden Knights.
Any time an attack proved successful, Weber was part of it, netting one goal (just his fifth of the season) and assisting on tallies by Connor Ciota and Liam Lundrigan. James Cox got an assist on Weber’s goal as, defensively, Marcellus held HP to just two shots.
The Class B semifinals Wednesday at Fulton have Skaneateles facing no. 4 seed Clinton before Marcellus takes on no. 3 seed Lowville, who ousted Solvay in the quarterfinals.
Back in the opening round last Tuesday night, Solvay hosted no. 11 seed Phoenix and, for the third time this season, pulled out a close one over the Firebirds, this one a 2-1 decision.
Having won 1-0 on Sept. 25 and 2-0 less than a week before their playoff clash, Solvay this time could not maintain the shutout, Owen Champion scoring for Phoenix.
However, with goals from Ole Matyiuk and Arkadii Ososkalo, the Bearcats got out in front and, helped by Redd Long’s five saves, earned a berth in the quarterfinals against no. 3 seed Lowville, who had taken out Jordan-Elbridge-Cato Meridian 4-0 in the opening round helped by Peyton Mattuszczak’s pair of goal that overcame six saves from Alex Kunz.
Now, against Lowville on Friday night, Solvay could not keep it going, taking a 3-1 defeat to the Red Raiders.
Josh Chipman scored for the Bearcats, assisted by Ososkalo, but Espen Matuszczak’s pair of goals allowed Lowville to advance while ending Solvay’s breakthrough campaign with a 13-5 record.
Away from all this, Westhill sailed in to the sectional Class A playoffs as the top seed, favored as a side that shut out all but one of its regular-season opponents.
Yet in Friday’s Class A quarterfinal against no. 8 seed Whitesboro, Westhill almost saw the whole thing end, saved by both its defense and by senior Owen Etoll in a nervous 1-0 overtime decision.
The wet conditions hampered both teams through 80 minutes of regulation. Yet if the pressure increased, Westhill kept itself cool, kept attacking and, in OT, Etoll, the senior captain, put the game-winner past Whitesboro goalie Devin Trevisani.
It earned the Warriors a spot in the sectional Class A semifinals against no. 4 seed Jamesville-DeWitt Tuesday at CBA’s Alibrandi Stadium, the winner to face New Hartford or South Jefferson in next Saturday’s final at Fulton.
Up in Class AA, West Genesee was unable to repeat its remarkable 2022 run to the sectional title game, the no. 5 seed Wildcats falling 1-0 to no. 4 seed Central Square in last Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
It was scoreless until the second half, when Gavin Ribarowski put it in the net for the Redhawks. No matter what it tried, WG could not answer, seeing all 12 of its shots stopped by Central Square goalie Andrew Watrous.
Bishop Ludden, in Class D, found itself unable to get past Faith Heritage in a 2-1 defeat to the Saints.
Holding the no. 8 seed, the Gaelic Knights went in front with Max Boyea’s first-half goal. Yet that 1-0 advantage could not hold up, Mike Peplinski and Jack Marziale each scoring for Faith Heritage and Landon Bregou making six saves, one more than Trey Dennis.
