By PAUL GOTHAM
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Cat Wall corralled the final shot sent her way as the countdown of seconds on the game clock began. Out of routine or as means to empty her hands, the Spencerport senior goalkeeper punted the ball toward midfield.
The horn sounded, and fellow senior captain Julia Viavattene turned and leapt into her teammate’s arms.
The rest of the Rangers XI sprinted into the gathering circle. Spencerport’s bench emptied.
Celebration ensued.
“I literally started crying when they all came running back to me,” Wall said after the Rangers downed Pittsford Mendon, 2-0 in the 2019 Section V Class A championship game. “Tears of happiness. It’s amazing.”
One year after graduating 12 seniors, the Rangers (No. 9 NYSSWA) claimed their fourth straight sectional title.
Make that 4 in a row. @Rangers_GSOC 2 @mendonsoccer 0 Rangers claim fourth straight sectional title. pic.twitter.com/NKJ7uVjtfN
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 2, 2019
“We came back with so much pressure on us this year, half of our starting lineup is new,” Wall added. “It was just every day the same mentality: Go for four.”
Wall made eight saves for her second clean sheet of the post-season and third in Spencerport’s last four outings.
“We came out knowing that we didn’t want today to be the end. We wanted to come out on top again.”
Sabrina Trapani connected on a free kick opportunity to get Spencerport on the scoreboard with 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Less than seven minutes later, Bre DeHond converted on a corner kick, and the Rangers had all the offense they needed.
Sabrina Trapani tucks one under the bar to give @Rangers_GSOC a 1-nil lead over @mendonsoccer 12 to go. First half. Class A GSOC final. pic.twitter.com/hLfcVGWOKT
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 2, 2019
“I just think it’s great that we could do it,” Trapani said. “Some people have doubted us. It’s just great to show them that we could continue tradition on through these years.”
35’ Bre DeHond converts the corner kick from Maddie Tortora. @Rangers_GSOC 2 @mendonsoccer 0 Class A GSOC final pic.twitter.com/SxYfaOI017
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 2, 2019
Spencerport’s defense, as it has so many times in past years, delivered when it needed. Mendon (14-4-1) came in averaging nearly three goals per game over their previous five outings. The shutout was the just the third this year for the Vikings (No. 14 NYSSWA).
“On the defensive side of the ball, we really put a lot of work in,” head coach Jamie Schneider said. “Getting to know Mendon, doing what we need to do defensively. They have a really good forward there in Grace O’Hara. To keep them at zero, that was the first key.”
O’Hara had topped Monroe County Division III with 19 goals. The junior forward also added seven assists on the season.
“We switched a little bit of our personnel to follow where she went and contain her in certain spots and not let her get her teammates involved or let her get involved,” Schneider explained.
The appearance in the finals was the first for Mendon since 2014.
“We didn’t put away any of our chances and free kicks off set pieces cost us the game,” head coach Eric Pritchard said. “That was the difference. Other than that, it was fairly even. I thought second half we put on a lot of pressure, but it was probably because they were up two goals on us.
“Whether you win or lose a sectional title, the experience is just great just to be here and do it. We hope that the experience will carry over for next year because we do have a young team.”
Next weekend, Spenceport (14-3-2) will look to win its fourth straight NYS Far West Regional when it takes on the Section VI representative either Hamburg or Grand Island.
“They keep getting more special and more fun because the excitement of it, the new group, the tradition they have going,” Schneider said of the championship string. “It keeps getting more special. Every one gets better.”
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