Mount Morris and Houghton to decide Boys’ Soccer Class D2 title

One team is seeking its third sectional title in the past decade. The other is looking for its second championship in program history. Mount Morris and Houghton will meet Friday to decide the 2022 Section V Class D2 Boys’ Soccer Championship. Here’s the breakdown:

No. 1 seed MOUNT MORRIS BLUE DEVILS (12-6-0/Livingston County Division III) vs. No. 2 seed HOUGHTON PANTHERS (12-5-1/Allegany County Division II)

How they got here: Mount Morris (No. 15 NYSSWA Class D) opened with an 8-0 win over No. 8 seed Andover/Whitesville in the quarterfinals before advancing past No. 4 seed Hinsdale, 5-0, in the semifinals. Houghton defeated No. 7 seed Jasper-Troupsburg, 3-0, in the quarterfinals and took down No. 3 seed Northstar Christian, 2-1, in the semifinals.

Total goals scored: Mount Morris (62), Houghton (44)

Total goals allowed: Mount Morris (21), Houghton (24)

Trends: Mount Morris has won three of its last four matches. Houghton is unbeaten in its last five contests.

Players to Watch for Mount Morris: Ben Bacon Sr. MF 14 goals, four assists; Payton Bownds Sr. MF 16 goals, four assists; Navier Ford Sr. A 21 goals, three assists, two saves, zero goals allowed, 40 minutes in goal; Jack Lonsberry Sr. MF five goals, 21 assists; Mason Santini Jr. MF one goal, six assists; Aidan Stanley Jr. GK 83 saves, 21 goals allowed, 1,395 minutes in goal; Chase Young Jr. D three goals, five assists

Houghton: Lucas Matias Sr. A 14 goals, 13 assists; Brian Patipewe Sr. A 15 goals, five assists; Pedro Rebello Sr. D seven goals, four assists; Shams Zia Sr. MF five goals, five assists

Coaches: Joe Connolly (Mount Morris), Jeff Prentice (Houghton)

History 101: Mount Morris is seeking its fourth sectional title in program history and third in the past nine years. The Blue Devils won the class D2 championship as the No. 2 seed in 2014 and the D1 chip as the No. 3 seed in 2017. The Blue Devils’ other sectional title occurred in 1940, which was only the fourth year of Section V hosting Boys’ Soccer. Houghton is seeking its second sectional title in program history and first since 2003. In 2003, the Panthers came out on top in class D as the top seed by defeating Belfast, 3-2.

A 5 p.m. kickoff is scheduled at Perry High School.