BY JONATHAN SKUZA
The final weekend of the 2022 high school soccer season will see four Section V Girls’ teams competing in the New York State semi-finals. Spencerport will battle New Hartford in Class A. Haverling will take on Westhill in Class B while Byron-Bergen faces Sauquoit Valley in Class C and Keshequa takes on Cincinnatus Central in Class D. Here is the breakdown:
Class A: Saturday, Nov. 12, 12:30 PM at Tompkins Cortland Community College
SPENCERPORT RANGERS (17-1-2/Monroe County Division II)
vs.
NEW HARTFORD SPARTANS (20-0-1/Section III)
How they arrived here: Spencerport (No. 6 NYSSWA Class A) opened with a 2-0 win over a No. 7 seed Our Lady of Mercy then advanced with another 2-0 victory over No. 3 Greece Athena in semifinals and defeated No. 4 seed Churchville-Chili 2-nil in the Class A finals. The Rangers defeated Williamsville East in the Far West Regional Championship.
Top-seeded New Hartford (No. 1 NYSSWA Class A) opened the post-season with a 7-nil over Watertown before beating Jamesville-DeWitt (7-0) in the semifinals and East Syracuse-Minoa (2-1) in the finals. The Spartans defeated Massena 2-0 in subregionals and Columbia 2-0 in regionals to reach the state semis.
Total goals scored: Spencerport (64), New Hartford (101)
Total goals allowed: Spencerport (11), New Hartford (4)
Players to Watch for Spencerport: Lindsay Lenhard So. MF 19 goals, 14 assists; Emily Peacock Fr. F nine goals, 10 assists; Liana Tata Fr. F nine goals, three assists; Aleena Solano Jr. MF four goals, nine assists; Cate Burns Jr. GK 107 saves, nine goals allowed, 1398 minutes in goal.
Players to Watch for New Hartford: Anna Rayhill 29 goals, six assists; Willa Pratt 23 goals, 16 assists; Amanda Graziano 11 goals, three assists; Talia Vitullo three goals, eight assists; Savannah Cole 54 saves, three goals allowed, 1095 minutes in goal.
History 101: These two teams have combined for three state titles since 2016 with New Hartford looking to make it two straight. New Hartford is unbeaten in its past 57 games. Spnecerport holds the state record going undefeated in 64 games from 2016 to 2018. The Rangers have been to the state semifinals six times in as many attempts.
What’s at stake: A spot in Sunday’s NYS Class A final against the Albertus Magnus (I) vs. MacArthur (VIII) winner.
Class B: Saturday, Nov. 12, 5:30 PM at Cortland High School
HAVERLING RAMS (21-0-0/Livingston Conference Division I)
vs.
WESTHILL WARRIORS (19-2-1/Section III)
How they arrived here: Haverling opened sectionals with an 8-0 victory over No. 8 seed Attica then defeated No. 5 seed LeRoy in the semifinals and captured the Class B2 title with a 3-2 victory over No. 2 Hornell. Haverling clinched their first trip to states with a 1-0 victory over Palmyra-Macedon. The Rams defeated Lewiston-Porter 3-2 in the Far West Regional championship to reach the semifinals.
Westhill (No. 4 NYSSWA Class B) started sectionals with a 4-0 victory over Clinton then a 2-0 win over Mexico in the quarterfinals and then clinched a sectional title with a 1-nil victory against Skaneateles in the semifinals and a 2-nil victory versus Central Valley Academy in the finals. The Warriors won 5-0 over Gouverneur in subregionals and defeated Saranac 3-2 to reach the state semis.
Players to Watch for Haverling: Ella Yartym Jr. F 39 goals, 32 assists; Keegan Smith Jr. MF 27 goals, 17 assists; Meredith Czajkowski Sr. MF nine goals, 11 assists; Natalie Krelie Sr. D/F 10 goals, eight assists; Lola Coots So. GK 46 saves, eight goals allowed, 945 minutes in goal.
Players to Watch for Westhill: Kate Bendall Sr. 76 saves; Lily Kinsella Sr. 15 goals, 2 assists; Hannah Goodness Jr. nine goals, five assists; Ashley Bolesh Sr. eight goals, six assists; Jules Bleskoski Sr. seven goals, five assists.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM SHAWN TURRI HERE.
History 101: Haverling is making its first appearance in the state semifinals. Westhill is returning to the state final four for the first time since sharing the Class B state title in 2017.
What’s at stake: A spot in Sunday’s NYS Class B final against the Irvington (I) vs. Seaford (XI) winner.
Class C: Saturday, Nov. 12, 12:30 PM at Cortland High School
BYRON-BERGEN BEES (22-0-0/Genesee County Division 2)
vs.
SAUQUOIT VALLEY INDIANS (17-2-1/Section III)
How they arrived here: Byron-Bergen (No. 2 NYSSWA Class C) started sectionals with a 10-0 win over No. 16 seed Perry then continued a strong sectionals with a 9-0 victory over No. 8 Cuba-Rushford/Hinsdale. The Bees claimed the Class C2 title with 6-0 victory in the semifinals over No. 4 Warsaw and a 2-0 win over No. 3 Wheatland-Chili in the finals. Byron-Bergen defeated Gananda 3-2 in overtime to reach the state tournament. The Bees won 6-2 over Frewsburg in the Far West Regional to reach the semifinals.
Sauquoit Valley (No. 3 NYSSWA Class C) opened the Section III Class C tournament with an 11-nil victory over APW then defeated
Dolgeville 4-1 in the quarterfinals then secured the sectional title with two shutout victories over Beaver River and Watertown IHC. The Indians won 1-nil over Watkins Glen in the regional final.
Players to Watch for Byron-Bergen: Mia Gray Fr. MF 43 goals, 24 assists; Mackenzie Hagen Jr. F 33 goals, 22 assists; Emma Starowitz Jr. F 18 goals, 22 assists; Elizabeth Starowitz Fr. MF 16 goals, 11 assists; Novalee Pocock Jr. GK 72 saves, seven goals allowed, 1496 minutes in goal.
Players to Watch for Sauquoit Valley: Olivia Kalil Jr. 22 goals, seven assists; Addison Lazarek Fr. 17 goals, 10 assists; Kaitlyn Corr Sr. nine goals, 12 assists; Ella Dischiavo Fr. 12 goals, four assists; Jadyn Land Sr. 58 saves.
History 101: Byron-Bergen is making its second straight state semifinal appearance (and second in program history) after falling 2-0 to Carle Place (VIII) a year ago. Saquoit Valley fell in the 2021 regional finals.
What’s at stake: A spot in Sunday’s NYS Class C final against the Millbrook (IX) vs. Waterford-Halfmoon (II) winner.
Class D: Saturday, Nov. 12, 12:30 PM at Homer High School
KESHEQUA INDIANS (15-6-0/Livingston Conference Division 3)
vs.
CINCINNATUS CENTRAL LIONS (20-0-0/Section III)
How they arrived here: Keshequa (No. 4 NYSSWA Class D) opened sectionals with a 4-nil victory against No. 4 Avoca/Prattsburgh then defeated top-seeded Fillmore 1-nil in overtime and claimed the Class D1 title with a 2-1 overtime victory No. 2 Genesee Valley/Belfast. Keshequa reached the state tournament with a 2-nil victory over Class D2 champion Northstar Academy. The Indians won the Far West Regional championship with a 3-nil victory over Ellicottville.
Cincinnatus Central (No. 2 NYSSWA Class D) won its sectional opener with a 5-0 win over Remsen and then won 7-1 over Copenhagen in the semifinals before taking sectionals with a 3-2 victory over Poland. The Lions defeated Schenevus Central in double overtime in the regionals 3-2 to get to the semifinals.
Total goals scored: Keshequa (54), Cincinnatus Central (169)
Total goals allowed: Keshequa (21), Cincinnatus Central (9)
Players to Watch for Keshequa: Ava Thayer So. F 16 goals, nine assists; Braelyn Isaman 8th MF 12 goals, four assists; Libby Benner Jr. D/MF six goals, six assists; Kelsey Davis Jr. MF six goals, five assists, Isabella Hugi So. GK 80 saves, 19 goals allowed, 1348 minutes in goal.
Players to Watch for Cincinnatus Central: Kyla Sustad Sr. 69 goals, 34 assists; Cassia Schuyler So. 39 goals, 25 assists; Jarisa Temple Sr. 14 goals, 17 assists; Ava Larrabee So. 10 goals, nine assists; Madelyn Pittsley Fr. eight goals, 11 assists.
History 101: Keshequa is making its first trip to the state semifinals since back-to-back appearances in 2011 and 2012. The Indians advanced to the 2012 state title game.
What’s at stake: A spot in Sunday’s NYS Class D final against the Mount Academy (IX) vs. Chazy (XII) winner.
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