By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As the seconds ticked off the scoreboard at Hilton’s LeBeau Field, smiles broke across the faces of the Fairport boys’ soccer team. The final horn sounded, and the Red Raiders celebrated their fourth regional title of the decade.
Section V boys’ soccer celebrated a clean sweep of the weekend.
Five games played equalled five wins.
Starting with Keshequa taking its first regional title on Friday in the Class C game and continuing with Greece Athena, Fillmore, Bath-Haverling and culminating with Fairport, Section V sides went undefeated over the two days and will send five participants to Middletown this weekend (Nov. 16-17) for the state semifinals.
Section V squads didn’t just win games, though. They dominated, outscoring their Section VI counterparts by a combined margin of 16-1. The only goal allowed came in the waning moments of Keshequa’s 4-1 win over Maple Grove. It was a game in which the Indians handed Maple Grove (17-3-0) its worst loss of the season equalling half of the goals allowed (8) in their previous 19 outings.
Athena surpassed that effort later in the night with a 3-nil triumph over Niagara Wheatfield. The Trojans’ three markers representing more than half of the Falcons five goals allowed in their previous 19 results.
On Saturday, Fillmore made light work of North Collins in a 3-0 win. Bath-Haverling (No. 1 NYSSWA) beat a Lackawanna team averaging better than four goals per game by a 2-0 count. Fairport capped the weekend finding back of the net twice in the opening 10 minutes in a 4-nil takedown of Lancaster.
“We’re excited to not let Section V down,” Fairport head coach Gianni Bussani said. “We won all of them here this weekend. We were the last team. We were excited that we didn’t let anyone down.”
Bussani’s squad was part of Section V’s last clean sweep of regionals in 2013. Faiport beat Clarence 1-0 that year and advanced to its first of three appearances in the state finals over four years. Pittsford Mendon downed East Aurora, 1-0 in the Class A game that year and went on to take a share of the state crown. Livonia defeated Akron 2-1 in Class B while Williamson dominated International Prep 4-1 in Class C. Jasper-Troupsburg shut out Ellicottville, 3-0 in Class D and also grabbed a share of the 2013 state title.
This year’s success on the pitch caps a decade in which Section V boys won 37 games against Section VI counterparts in regional matchups while dropping just 13 contests. Since the beginning of the state tournament in 1979, Section V boys have won 129 of the postseason meetings with Section VI while dropping 38 and playing to six draws that resulted in penalty kicks to determine which team would advance.
“Maybe our league is a little tougher,” Bussani said after the win on Saturday. “We play maybe a little more hard-nosed soccer.”
Fairport will take on Shenendehowa (II) Saturday in the state semifinals. Section V is 15-11-4 all time against Section II opponents. The Red Raiders advanced on PKs against Bethlehem of Section II in 2016 and ousted Guilderland, 3-1 in 2013. A 9:15 AM kickoff is scheduled.
Athena plays Jamesville-Dewitt (III) in the Class A semifinals. Section V is 22-11-2 all-time against Section III opponents. An 8:45 AM start time is scheduled on Saturday.
Bath-Haverling, making its first trip to the state final four since 1996, will meet Skaneateles (III) in Class B. A 1:45 PM opening is slated. Keshequa gets the day started with an 8:30 AM kick off in Class C against Lansing (IV). Fillmore will play Marathon (IV) in the Class D game a 1:30 PM start is slated. Section V is 21-16-2 versus Section IV.
Section V girls did nearly as well as the boys this past weekend taking four of five from Section VI in the Far West Regionals. In Class A, Spencerport advanced for the fourth straight time with a 2-1 win over Grand Island. The Rangers will meet Pearl River (I) in a rematch of the 2017 state final that ended in a 2-2 draw. Spencerport won the 2016 crown outright. A 12:30 PM kickoff is scheduled at SUNY Cortland.
Greece Olympia advanced in Class B defeating Iroquois 1-nil in overtime. The Spartans will take on Pleasantville (I). A 3 PM start is slated at Cortland High School. Marion ousted Frewsburg, 4-0 and will meet Stillwater (II) in the Class C semifinal Saturday, 12:30 PM at Cortland High. Avoca left no doubt in a 7-1 win over North Collins to clinch its first regional crown. Avoca will play Hammond Central (X) in the Class D semifinal, 12:30 PM at Homer High School.
Over the past decade, Section V girls have won 33 regional games against Section VI while dropping 17. Section V girls’ teams have won or shared 10 state titles over the past decade.
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