By MIKE DESANTO
The Class D2 semifinals will give Section V soccer fans two rematches, one from last season’s quarterfinals and the other nearly a decade in the making. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 1 seed SCIO TIGERS (15-2-0/Allegany County Division I) vs. No. 5 seed PRATTSBURGH VIKINGS (12-5-1/Steuben County Division II)
How they got here: Scio defeated No. 8 Mount Morris 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Prattsburgh opened the playoffs with an 11-0 first round win over No. 12 Friendship, then beat No. 4 Bradford 4-3 in the quarterfinals.
Total goals scored: Scio (69), Prattsburgh (59)
Total goals allowed: Scio (18), Prattsburgh (26)
Last time they met in the postseason: Scio and Prattsburgh last postseason meeting came in the 2018 quarterfinals, a match won by Scio 2-0.
Trends: Scio has won three of its last four games, allowing less than two goals each game during that stretch. Prattsburgh won its last two games after losing three of the previous four games.
Names to know: Scio- Luraritz Kruze (18 goals, 12 assists), Elia Travaini (15 goals, 10 assists), Bahrul Ulum (11 goals), Jake D’Arcy (six goals, 10 assists), Cam Loucks (seven goals, seven assists), Cory Bolzan (729 minutes in goal, six goals against).
Prattsburgh- Mason Putnam (27 goals, 14 assists), Kris Johnson (13 goals, six assists), Evan Campbell (five goals, six assists), Ammon Anderson (1,530 minutes in goal, 26 goals against).
Coaches: Dillon McFall (Scio), Cameron Groff (Prattsburgh)
History 101: Scio will make its third consecutive appearance in the semifinals. The Tigers are seeking their first title since winning the Class Class C championship in 1979. Prattsburgh had not appeared in the semifinals since 2015 and has not won a championship since 1993.
The match is set for a 6:30 PM start Tuesday at Cohocton.
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No. 2 seed NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS (12-4-1/Private/Parochial) vs. No. 6 seed BELFAST BULLDOGS (11-5-2/Allegany County Division II)
How they got here: Northstar took down No. 10 Hinsdale 4-0 in the quarterfinals. Belfast won its first round matchup 6-2 over No. 11 Whitesville, followed by a 4-2 win over No. 3 Houghton in the quarterfinals.
Total goals scored: Northstar (59), Belfast (57)
Total goals allowed: Northstar (25), Belfast (27)
Last time they met in the postseason: The two teams last locked-up in the playoffs in 2010, facing off in the Class D finals. Northstar took the matchup that day, winning 2-0.
Trends: Northstar enters with wins in two of its last three matches. Belfast has won three of its last five games, including one tie.
Names to know: Northstar- Josiah Bradley (21 goals, four assists), Joe Hinds (12 goals, six assists), Jerry Miller (six goals, 12 assists), Joshua Caporaletti (eight goals), Daniel Miller (six goals, seven assists), Trevor Nasso (three goals, five assists).
Belfast- Matt Weaver (17 goals, five assists), Stiven Lopez (seven goals), Hunter Enders (seven goals, seven assists), Andrew Biocho (seven goals, four assists), Caleb Caiazza (three goals, four assists), Jason Drozdowski (four goals).
Coaches: Randy Nasso (Northstar), Mark Sullivan (Belfast)
History 101: Northstar’s last semifinal appearance came in 2014 as a combined team with C.G. Finney, making a run to the D1 finals and losing the championship game to Webster Christian. Belfast is making its fourth straight semifinals appearance and is seeking its third consecutive finals appearance. The Bulldogs last won the D2 title in 2017.
The match is scheduled for a 5 PM start Tuesday at Avon.
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