DRYDEN, N.Y. — To unseat a two-time state champion was going to take an effort worthy of such feat.
Jamesville-Dewitt’s girls’ soccer squad not only put together 80 minutes of championship-level play. The Red Rams battled 20 more minutes. And that’s what mattered.
On a night when the mercury barely pushed into the low 30s and a consistent breeze made the air feel less than that at Tompkins-Cortland Community College, Jamesville-Dewitt (III) stopped a New York State record in its tracks and advanced to the finals of the Girls Class A tournament with a 1-nil victory.
Hayley Quackenbush will get credit for connecting on the game winner.
This victory, though, was the direct result of Jamesville-Dewitt’s Katie Cappelletti. Every time the Red Rams needed a save the junior goalkeeper was there. Cappelletti was ready from the opening whistle taking away a couple of early Ranger chances. She was tested often, but no single sequence was more significant and impressive than the stop of a point blank blast off the foot of Olivia Wall and the ensuing rebound chance that Cappelletti swarmed.
Flurry in front of J-D GK Katie Cappelletti. Still no score @Rangers_GSOC pic.twitter.com/QSwscFaUHU
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 11, 2018
Yes, Cappelletti had help like the stop Grace Thomas made on a Erin Coykendall rebound opportunity. After Cappelletti stopped Leah Wendgender along the right side, Thomas stayed with the play as the loose ball bounced in front of empty net and Coykendall was there.
More opportunities for @Rangers_GSOC pic.twitter.com/qPPj344mxF
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 11, 2018
But Cappelletti cleaned up any and every potential mess in front of her goal.
As a result, Jamesville-Dewitt did what has only been done twice to Spencerport in the past years: shut out the Rangers. And the Red Rams also accomplished something that hasn’t occurred since the fall of 2015: they beat Spencerport.
Quackenbush twisted a corner kick from the left flag that fluttered the far side netting with 5:37 to go in the second overtime. With that Jamesville-Dewitt ended Spenceport’s NYS record 64-game unbeaten streak and stopped the Rangers run at a third state title.
J-D will play Valley Stream South (IIX) in Sunday’s final.
Spencer port beat Janesville-Dewitt in the 2016 state final.
The Rangers had allowed just six goals this season prior to Saturday.
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