ONONDAGA COUNTY – In a venue and in a tournament where it has enjoyed previous glory, the Westhill boys soccer team is poised to go for a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A championship.
To get there, the Warriors first had to survive a harrowing Section III tournament where all three games it played went to overtime and one of them was decided in penalty kicks.
Things got a bit less stressful when the state tournament got underway, even though Westhill still had to win two regional playoff games to earn its return trip to Middletown.
The tougher of the two games appeared to be last Wednesday’s regional opener at Liverpool High School Stadium against Section II’s Ichabod Crane, who had beaten Glens Falls for its sectional title three days earlier.
Ignoring the chilly, wet conditions, Westhill finally was able to play a post-season game without much late drama, defeating the Riders by a score of 2-0.
All through the post-season, the Warriors had found itself put under pressure because it didn’t get early goals. Here, though, it took barely 12 minutes to find the net.
Eric Holstein, so dangerous every time he can get the ball and find open field, did so and, taking a hard shot, saw it glance off a Crane defender and find the net.
Then, in the 36th minute, Calvin Petrone, whose goal in the final minute of double overtime won the sectional final against New Hartford, got one in a similar fashion, again positioned well on a corner kick from left-footed Luke Infanti and heading it home.
Once more, the Westhill defense preserved the margin, adding to its post-season shutout streak and setting up a match against Plattsburgh (Section VII) Saturday in the regional final at Fayetteville-Manlius.
In yet another 2-0 decision, the Warriors prevailed, early goals by Tim Cowin and Hasan Altheblah making the difference.
Both of these scoring plays were set up by a defender – Mike Madigan, the back-line star also known for his strong throw-ins that can get near the net.
Just three minutes had passed when one of those Madigan throws soared to the middle and, amid a scramble, Tim Cowin poked in the go-ahead goal.
As the first half wound down, the Warriors doubled the margin. Another Madigan throw was sent high into the air, then tapped out to Altheblah staioned near the net, who converted.
Again the defense did the rest, assuring that, for Westhill, its season would conclude with a chance at a state title, which Westhill last claimed in 2018 when it was still in Class B.
The expansion of the NYSPHSAA tournament to six classes means it will take place over three days, and on Friday at 1 p.m. the Warriors face Section V’s Rochester Aquinas at Middletown High School, the winner going to Saturday’s 1 p.m. state title game against Byram Hills or Mineola.
