CENTRAL NEW YORK – Four different area high school girls soccer teams found themselves with real opportunities to bring home Section III titles without having to make long or spectacular post-season runs.
In the best position was East Syracuse Minoa, the no. 2 seed in Class AA, who loudly announced its intentions in Thursday’s quarterfinal round by pounding no. 7 seed Central Square 9-0.
This was the best game of Bailey Rehm’s varsity career. Not only did she earn three assists, but Rehm delivered a three-goal hat trick for six total points.
Leah Rehm wasn’t quiet, either surpassing the 150-goal mark for her career with four more tallies to give her 46 for the season. Sophia Brooks scored twice and added an assist, with Khloe Welch, Ayzlei Winans and Michaela Hurlbut also getting assists.
Both ESM and top seed West Genesee would be heavily favored in this Wednesday’s semifinals at Fulton – the Spartans against Fulton, the Wildcats against Whitesboro – leading to a possible title-game showdown Saturday at 5:30 at SUNY-Cortland.
As the no. 2 seed in Class A, Jamesville-DeWitt had a far different experience in its sectional quarterfinal, with no. 7 seed South Jefferson pushing the Red Rams all the way to the wire before it prevailed by a 1-0 margin.
During a scoreless first half J-D kept probing and kept getting turned back, requiring it to stay patient in the face of a consistent Spartans defense and wait to break through.
It would come when Noor El-Zammar put in an unassisted goal, one which propelled the Rams into the semifinal round Tuesday at Nottingham against Mexico or Homer, the winner to get New Hartford or Central Valley Academy in the title game.
Holding the no. 2 seed in Class B, Christian Brothers Academy would get no. 7 seed Skaneateles in the quarterfinals and need every bit of its determination to eliminate the Lakers in another 1-0 decision.
Just as in J-D’s game with South Jefferson, Most of the game was played in the Lakers’ end, CBA applying constant pressure that finally paid off in the second half.
Olivia Jones, taking a pass from Emma Hill, put in the game’s only goal to set up a semifinal Tuesday at Jordan-Elbridge against no. 3 seed Lowville, the winner to get Marcellus or Holland Patent in the finals.
Back in the opening round CBA handled no. 15 seed Adirondack 6-0, putting up four of those goals in the first half to quickly seize control.
Only Katherine Williamson scored twice, with single goals credited to Hill, Jones, Neveah Bacheyie and Ciara Duggan. Not only this, but Duggan tacked on two assists, Eleanor Noles and Betelhem Brown getting single assists.
Having survived Skaneateles, CBA would now put its attention to facing Lowville in Tuesday night’s sectional Class B semifinal at Jordan-Elbridge, knowing it could face undefeated, state no. 1-ranked Marcellus if it gets to the finals.
Over in Class AAA, Fayetteville-Manlius owned the no. 3 seed and a tricky assignment in last Friday’s sectional quarterfinal against no. 6 seed Syracuse City.
But the Hornets passed the test in a 3-0 shutout, getting away from a 1-0 halftime margin late as Una Vlasak, Elyssa Barnhart and McKenzie Romocki all found the scoring column, with assists going to Lacey Teaken and Addie Constanza.
The sectional semifinal Wednesday at J-D has F-M up against no. 2 seed Cicero-North Syracuse, the winner to go to SUNY-Cortland Saturday night for the title game against Baldwinsville or Rome Free Academy.
Manlius Pebble Hill had the no. 13 seed in Class D but could not make it past the round of 16, taking on no. 4 seed Watertown IHC and falling 3-1 to the Cavaliers.
The Trojans’ lone goal came in the first half, where IHC still went up 2-1. It then doubled that margin in the second half as Mary Curtis, Samantha Johnson and Scarlet Delaney had the goals. MPH finished 2-11-1.
Bishop Grimes also took an early playoff exit, the no. 10 seed Cobras traveling in last Tuesday’s Class C opening round to face no. 7 seed Westmoreland and taking a 4-0 defeat to the Bulldogs.
With a berth in the quarterfinals against defending champion Sauquoit Valley at stake Grimes fell behind 2-0 by halftime and saw that deficit double late.
Olivia Bitz did make 12 saves, but led by Victoria Downs’ pair of goals Westmoreland put away the Cobras, whose season concluded with a 7-9 mark.
