By TIM IRVING
Bath-Haverling’s dominance over Class B boys soccer is remarkable. From 2007-2011, the Rams reigned over the class but from 2012 to 2017 there was a drought.
The last four years, Bath-Haverling has regained the mantle, dominating Wayland-Cohocton in the Class B2 finals, 9-2 for the program’s 18th Sectional title.
“It means a lot. Our coach brings it up a lot and it obviously reflects off on us, “ senior Keefer Calkins said while holding the Sectional block.
Before the midway point of the first half, the Rams had built a 4-0 lead. Ezra Hoad set up Zach Musso and five minutes later, DJ Smith hit Calkins flashing across the top of the box for his Section V leading 41st goal of the season.
Smith then carried the ball up the middle of the Eagles defense and scored, 40 seconds later, Calkins ran on to a ball cleared out of midfield for a breakaway and it was 4-0.
“Wayland had won three games in a row so, they got things going at the end well so, you don’t know how it’s gonna work out,” coach Matt Hill said.
The players know each other from playing together in the off season, Brogan Cotter among them and his free kick nearly got Way-Co on the board in the first half but AJ Brotz got a finger on it.
With just over 15 minutes left, Smith hit a ball from the top of the box that Eagles keeper Michael Recktenwald made a brilliant save on, but the bounce off the bar left Calkins with a rebound and the hat trick. 5-0 Rams (19-0) at the half.
Early in the second half, Braden Yartym was taken down in the penalty area and senior Cayden Mattison converted, the sweeper back’s first goal of the year.
Freshman Spencer Wheeler scored his first goal off an assist from Calkins. Hoad and Yartym also scored in building a 9-0 lead.
The Eagles scored two impressive goals in the final 15 minutes of the game, Charles Feinman sent a shot low along the wet turf from the top of the box in and Michael Gammel hit a ball from 45 yards out under the cross bar before the sixth-seeded Eagles Cinderella run ended.
Ranked third in Class B in the New York State rankings, the Rams have some goals yet to achieve.
Calkins said, “Usually we say Sectional Finals is the goal overall but obviously, we all have hopes and desires to go on in the State tournament, so yeah, we’re hoping to go farther.”
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