By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — One team is looking to win its first title since 2016. The other wants to win its second in three years. Fairport and McQuaid will meet Tuesday to decide the 2019 Section V Class AA Boys’ Soccer Championship. Here’s the breakdown:
No.1 seed FAIRPORT RED RAIDERS (13-3-2/Monroe County Division I) vs. No.2 seed MCQUAID JESUIT KNIGHTS (14-2-1/RCAC)
How they arrived here: Fairport (No.7 NYSSWA) defeated No.9 seed Webster Schroeder 2-0 in the quarterfinals before downing fifth-seeded Webster Thomas 1-0 in the semis.
McQuaid (No.12 NYSSWA) beat No.7 Rush Henrietta by a 3-0 score in the quarterfinal round. The Jesuit Knights shut out No. 3 Penfield, 2-0 in the semifinals.
Total goals scored: Fairport (39), McQuaid (61)
Total goals allowed: Fairport (13), McQuaid (11)
Last time they met in the postseason: Fairport downed McQuaid 3-2 in the 2015 Class AA quarterfinals.
Trends: Fairport has won seven of its last eight games. The Red Raiders have not conceded a goal in their last four matchups and have 11 clean sheets this season. McQuaid has won seven straight games outscoring opponents by a combined total of 22-1 during that stretch. McQuaid also has 11 shut outs over the course of the campaign.
Names to know: Fairport – Jude Rouhana (eight goals, three assists), Myles Palmer (six goals, two assists), Ryan Collins (two goals, six assists), Michael Nesser (48 saves, 13 goals against in 1199 minutes), Rorie Simpson (four goals, three assists), Caden Brunken (three goals, six assists), Kinglsey Malcolm (four goals, two assists).
McQuaid – Elliot Aguirre (nine goals, two assists), Carter Duncan (48 saves, 780 minutes played, 9 goals allowed), Andrew O’Hern (seven goals, three assists), Brad Talsania (five goals, nine assists), Caden Kress (six goals, five assists), Wilson Brauer (six goals, one assist), Justin Larry (five goals, two assists).
Coaches: Gianni Bussani (Fairport), Nino Pilato (McQuaid)
History 101: Fairport has won or shared six titles in the past dozen seasons including three this decade. The Red Raiders last won a championship in 2016. McQuaid finished 2017 undefeated and claimed the NYS AA crown – the first Section V team to do so in more than a decade (Penfield 2004).
Bussani, in his 26th year guiding Fairport, has won 329 games in his career. Pilato is the only coach in Section V history to win state titles on both boys’ and girls’ sides. Pilato’s 2017 McQuaid XI beat Half Hallows West (XI) 6-0 in the state finals. His Greece Odyssey girls’ squad won the 2012 NYS Class B crown.
What they’re saying: Bussani -“It’s our goal every year to play in the Section V championship game. When you get there, anything can happen.”
Pilato – “Looking forward to the one-two matchup. I know they’re a well-coached team. I’ve seen them a couple times. They play really well together. It’ll be fun to have the two teams out there.”
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Far West Regional against the Section VI champion Lancaster.
A 7:30 PM kickoff is scheduled Tuesday at Spencerport Central Schools.
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