By PAUL GOTHAM
HILTON, N.Y. — Kent Brown prefers not to discuss it, but his Webster Schroeder girls’ soccer team is pretty tough defensively.
How tough?
The last time the Warriors surrendered a goal, Antonio Brown played for the Oakland Raiders and the Chicago Cubs still had a chance to make the MLB playoffs.
Antonio Brown, currently without a team, has since left Oakland for New England. The Cubs, in position for a wild card spot on September 7th, have dropped their last nine and are looking ahead to next season.
The Webster Schroeder Warriors, on the other hand, continue holding opponents to zero.
“We’re not going to talk about it, knock on wood,” Kent Brown said with a smile Thursday night.
Freshman goalkeeper Megan Fry made nine saves, and the Warriors (No. 8 NYSSWA Class AA) improved to 8-0-3 on the season with a 2-nil win over Monroe County Division I foe, Hilton.
Morgan Adams and Ashley Jacobs connected on their first goals of the season to help Schroeder keep a one-game lead over Penfield (5-0-3/3-0-3) for the division title.
“Ashley Jacobs has been knocking on the door all year to score a goal,” Brown stated. “She had two great looks tonight. That’s a great little curling ball she hit.
“Morgan got the goal she’s good at. The ball bouncing around inside the box, mix it up, toe-poke it, get my body on it and she got the goal for us.”
And the defense put together its seventh straight shutout.
Led by juniors Emma Leonardo, Mikayla Morelli and Sidney Smith, Schroeder has not allowed a ball in the net in over 600 minutes of game time.
“We work a lot on defending,” Brown said. “Those three are very comfortable in rotating who’s going to be the center back, who’s going to rotate up into the defensive mid, and they handle it really well.
“Sometimes I don’t think they’re communicating with each other because you never hear a word out of the three of them. Then you look out on the field and they’ve got everything organized, so whatever they’re saying quietly I’m not going to say a word to them. I’m not going to interfere with it.”
Giving the Warriors a triangle in the middle of the field, Leonard, Morelli and Smith seamlessly shift as one unit throughout the match. They have helped Schroeder outscore its opponents by a combined total of 20-2 this season.
“They have been outstanding this year. All three of them came up as freshmen. They have gotten better each year. They really know how to lock a game down when it comes time to lock it down.”
Adams scored just before halftime on a set piece from 45 yards out. Jacobs added the clincher on a corner kick with 2:22 remaining.
35’ Morgan Adams gets @SchroederSports GSOC on the scoreboard. Abby Neill started the play with a free kick from 45. Warriors lead @HiltonCadets 1-0 pic.twitter.com/ku2E31qQJI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 27, 2019
Abby Neill assisted on both markers.
“That’s Abby’s strength,” Brown said of the junior defender. “She gets that big, long leg whip going and she just drives the ball. This year it’s really become a weapon because she is more consistent on her aim. When she was a freshman and sophomore, the ball sprayed all over the place. The kids are starting to realize she’s more direct in where she’s playing it and they realize where they can run off on it.”
77’ Ashley Jacobs converts the corner kick. @SchroederSports GSOC 2 @HiltonCadets 0 pic.twitter.com/UkH9DnQwEQ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 27, 2019
Hilton was the last team to find the back of the net against Schroeder. Autumn Edwards converted on a set piece in overtime to salvage a 1-1 draw when the two teams met previously on September 7th.
“They’re very organized defensively,” first-year Cadets head coach Jim DePrez stated. “The difference that made Webster stronger was more grit, a little more fight on all those one-to-one balls. They beat us on the battles.”
Schroeder hosts cross-town rival Webster Thomas next Tuesday for a 7:15 PM start. Hilton (4-2-2) travels to play Greece Athena on Monday for a 4:30 PM kickoff.
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