By PAUL GOTHAM
HILTON, N.Y. — Caio De Medeiros left Friday’s match during the first half with an injury. He later returned with his head wrapped in a bandage. The senior midfielder didn’t allow the head dressing to keep him from taking advantage of an opportunity.
De Medeiros redirected teammate Sam O’Connor’s free kick, and the Brighton Barons outlasted Spencerport, 1-0 in Section V Class A boys semifinal soccer action from LeBeau Field Friday night.
“Sometimes in the game, it’s only one chance that we have,” De Medeiros said after the win. “Fortunately, we got that chance and we scored.”
O’Connor delivered a cross from the right flank just outside the 18-yard box, and De Medeiros climbed above a cluster of players to nod in the game winner with 11:03 left on the game clock.
Caio De Medeiros nods home the Sam O’Connor direct kick. Head bandage not required. 10 to @BCSDSports 1-0 pic.twitter.com/HWCYxEWq7d
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 26, 2018
“Sam played a great ball,” De Medeiros added. “We’ve been practicing that a lot with free kicks and corners. We’ve always been getting that and scoring those goals.”
With the win, third-seeded Brighton (No. 14 NYSSWA) advanced to Tuesday’s Class A final where they will meet top-seeded Churchville-Chili (No. 6 NYSSWA). The Barons handed second-seeded Spencerport (No. 19 NYSSWA) its first loss since September 8th – snapping an unbeaten streak of 13 games.
“Attitude was the biggest thing from the get go,” O’Connor said. “We were dialed in. We played with fire.”
Both squads had early opportunities. Brighton’s Gabriel Barraclough-Tan’s shot in the sixth minute glanced off the right post before bounding across the goal mouth.
VIEW MORE MIKE GENTILE PHOTOS HERE.
Fourteen minutes later, it appeared Spencerport’s Justin Hockenberger snapped the scoreless tie when his redirect of a Ajan Rajamohan free kick glanced off the underside of the crossbar.
20’ Justin Hockenberger comes this close pic.twitter.com/sBcdb9viW9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 26, 2018
De Medeiros gave the Barons their seventh straight win with his eighth goal of the season.
“It’s the connection,” De Medeiros said of the combination with his teammate. “We’ve been playing together for almost four years.”
The shutout was the eighth this season for Brighton and fifth in the last six games.
Christian Burkhart ???? out of the corner kick. No score the 25:00 pic.twitter.com/cfrCzgXDIW
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 26, 2018
O’Connor, who had been denied a scoring chance moments earlier by Spencerport goalkeeper Jadon Schlierf, picked up his third assist of the season and helped clinch Brighton’s second straight finals appearance.
59’ Jadon Schlierf denies Sam O’Connor. Still no score. pic.twitter.com/219QLeWjso
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 26, 2018
“Caio is our best winner of the ball in the air,” O’Connor said.
Brighton lost to Brockport in last year’s Class A1 final.
A 5 PM kickoff is scheduled Tuesday at Spencerport Central Schools.
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