By PAUL GOTHAM
GENESEO, N.Y. –For now, it appears only Covid-19 can keep Matt Hill’s Bath-Haverling boys’ soccer team from reaching the final eight.
The Rams overpowered league rival Hornell, 7-2 Tuesday night at SUNY Geneseo and will play in Saturday’s New York State Class B Far West Regional.
“That really doesn’t happen in a Bath – Hornell game,” Hill said of the lopsided score. “It was very unusual, but obviously, we’re pleased with it.”
Zach Musso scored his first of three goals in the opening minute. Nine minutes later, Ezra Hoad added tallies 36 seconds apart, and Keefer Calkins found the back of the net with 27:17 remaining in the first half. Bath-Haverling (20-0-0) rolled from there.
10’ Ezra Hoad runs on to a Keefer Calkins pass and gives @HaverlingRams a 2-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/J7kMYna3Oe
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 3, 2021
“We’ve been passing the ball pretty well lately,” Hill said of his team’s performance. “Guys have been making good runs off the ball, a lot more so than in the middle of the year. When you’re doing it and everyone’s on the same page and a lot of those guys upfront are, I guess good things happen.”
The two teams met earlier in the season with Bath-Haverling taking a pair 1-nil decisions. Wednesday’s night’s outcome was easily the worst loss of the season for Hornell (15-3-1) which over the past weekend had won its first sectional title in 10 years. The Red Raiders entered play Wednesday with a 12-game winning streak and had outscored three opponents in the post-season by a combined total of 11-1.
Less than one minute into the game, and @HaverlingRams is on the board. pic.twitter.com/fmgtAz8jge
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 3, 2021
By the time Hornell’s Shawn Rose scored his first of two goals on the night, the Red Raiders season was within the sight.
56’ Shawn Rose redirects a Liam Khork cross to cut the deficit to three. @HaverlingRams 5-2. pic.twitter.com/sBFAqaHyvA
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 3, 2021
“Both of the teams know each other well,” Hill said. “We know they’re players. They know our players. We play in the same league against each other every year, at least twice. We know what we’re getting when we play them, and they know what they’re getting when they play us.”
Musso gathered the rebound from a Braden Yartym shot to give B-H a 5-1 lead heading into halftime.
Calkins converted a PK with midway through the second stanza, and Musso capped off his hat trick with 3:28 remaining in the game.
“There are a lot of weapons up and around the goal,” Hill said. “You just don’t know who’s going to score.”
The Rams advance to Saturday’s Class B regional against Section VI’s East Aurora (17-2-1). Saturday’s regional appearance will be the third in as many attempts. The Rams fell to East Aurora in 2018 before advancing to the NYS semi-finals in 2019. Last year’s state tournament was cancelled as a precaution surrounding the pandemic.
“It doesn’t get old,” Hill said of the opportunity to continue the season, now at the state level. “It’s new every single year. It’s a new group of kids. There are some kids that have not gone to that game. Some kids up from JV that are smiling ear-to-ear.”
A 5:00 p.m. kickoff is scheduled at Williamsville South High School.
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