Play4Paige: Mendon and Penfield unite for cause

By PAUL GOTHAM

PENFIELD, N.Y. — They lined up as usual on opposite sides of the pitch. Pittsford Mendon’s girls wearing their road white uniforms with burgundy numbers. Penfield clad in home red with white numbers.

On this day, though, the two sides were bound by one cause: Penfield’s Paige Marino.

“It’s just super-special,” said Marino’s teammate Kacie Garofalo. “We all don’t take it for granted just because what Paige is going through. She can’t come out and play for us, so we play for her. It’s just nice to be here for her.”

Earlier this year, Marino was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma – a form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The Penfield junior began aggressive chemotherapy in April at the Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Wednesday was World Lymphoma Awareness Day and a chance for the community to come together and show support.

“We play for Paige every day,” fellow Penfield Patriot Ali Wharton said. “We go to practice. We work hard. We try to win for her. This game everyone came for her. It was really special to bring the community around and make it a big deal for her. She deserves that.”

Marino’s mother, Esther, is a teacher in the Pittsford Mendon school district. That the schedule was able to work so that the Vikings could be a part of the event only added to the meaning.

“The fact that it happened to be us playing them it was luck of the draw,” said Mendon senior tri-captain Danielle Strauf.  “We are just so grateful for what we have. We knew we were coming into today and it was not about soccer. It was about promoting her and being here for her and supporting the cause and trying to get the word out. Anything we could do to help was our purpose.”

Mendon’s coaches wore shirts with a green ribbon and and the words “Play4Paige.” Players all wore green socks.

“We just knew that we wanted to do something to support, something as little as wearing socks,” Mendon tri-captain Kate Hennessey commented. “We had a green ribbon in our hair. At the end of the day we were playing for something much greater than ourselves. That’s for Paige.”

An honor student at Penfield High School, Paige Marino is also a member of the competitive cheer team at the school as well as a member of the Penfield Strikers Travel Soccer Team.

Readers can learn about Paige’s story through Caring Bridge and offer support by following this link.

To learn more about World Lymphoma Awareness Day follow this link.

“When I scheduled the game, I had no idea that this was all going to line up,” Penfield head coach Libbie Tobin said. “It’s really a great atmosphere for the Marino family. I know they’re fighting hard. Paige comes out when she can. We love having her. We’ll do whatever we can to support the family.”

Penfield’s players and staff also donned Play4Paige gear.

“I was really happy that we had the opportunity to do it,” Wharton added. “Obviously, finding out back in February that she was diagnosed was really hard for our whole team and everyone in the soccer community. Being able to see everyone come around for her meant a lot. Mendon did a great job. They posted about it. They brought a lot of support. Having this game and bring all that support to her meant a lot.”

That the game went overtime only added meaning – 20 more minutes of game time along with breaks between to consider Paige Marino’s battle.

Alice Marchese scored in the 100th minute and lifted Penfield (6-1-0) to a come-from-behind win. Delaney Tellex set up the game winner with a rush along the left side and a cross into the box. After a brief scramble, Marchese connected on her third goal of the season.

Delaney Tellex gets to the end line for a cross. Alice Marchese finishes it. FINAL: Penfield 2 Mendon 1 pic.twitter.com/oL58kVNOuK

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 15, 2021

Nora Winkler gave Mendon (3-2-0) an early lead when she redirected an Elena Barr pass in the 14th minute.

Nora Winkler redirects an Elena Barr cross to give ⁦Mendon an early 1-nil lead. pic.twitter.com/aIQJ3FyZfR

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 15, 2021

Courtney Felton leveled the match with 35:15 remaining in regulation.

“We all brought the energy today because we knew what we were here for,” Garofalo said. “We were here just for Paige. It was a team mentality. We knew we wanted to play this game to get the support from the entire community to support Paige and what she’s going through.”