By PAUL GOTHAM
HONEOYE FALLS, N.Y. — Josh Smith turned in a shutout over 110 minutes then traded his keeper gloves and converted from 12 yards away as No. 2 Churchville-Chili advanced to the 2023 Section V Class AA Boys’ Soccer championship.
The senior went to his right and slotted a ball into the back corner as Churchville outlasted No. 3 Hilton in penalty kicks, 7-6.
“Pick a side,” he said. “I walked up there just like how I would in practice. Luckily, he (the opposing keeper) dove the wrong way.”
Smith made 10 saves over 110 minutes in Churchville-Chili’s ninth shutout of the season. He was the ninth Saint to attempt a penalty kick.
“It was scary. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to me. It came to me. I had to focus myself. Honestly, while the others were shooting, I was thinking in my head ‘Where am I going to go?’”
Starting keeper Josh Smith clinches it in PKs for @CCCSDbsoccer 7-6 pic.twitter.com/HZYyd0SQSW
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 27, 2023
Sophomore Mason Simmons took over the goalkeeping responsibilities after the second 15-minute overtime failed to produce a goal.
During the season, the pair divided time with Smith playing 820 minutes in goal and Simmons getting 280 minutes.
Saints’ head coach John Mahoney wanted his senior keeper to get ready for his chance.
“I told him I wanted him to concentrate on that,” Mahoney said. “I knew we had a good enough keeper to spell him for a little bit and get calm for a penalty kick.
“We practice penalties a lot. We’ve been doing it for the last three, four weeks. Josh is one of our best penalty kick takers. Mason, he’s good. I wanted to give him a role, and yes give Josh a chance to calm his breath a little bit and concentrate on the kick.”
Hilton beat C-C, 2-1 in overtime when the two teams met on September 20th. It was the last time the Saints allowed more than one goal in a game – a stretch of 11 matches.
“The standard in our program is a shutout,” Mahoney said. “Even when we do give up goals, it’s not a lot.”
Smith and Hilton keeper Shawn Cavey both traded highlights denying the opposing shooters on point-blank opportunities.
Massive save Shawn Cavey. Going to a second overtime. Hilton 0 Churchville-Chili 0 pic.twitter.com/oCozQjEE5q
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 27, 2023
Big save from Josh Smith. @CCCSDbsoccer pic.twitter.com/zjPKFnxR8W
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 27, 2023
Churchville and Hilton had separate goals disallowed during the first overtime.
“They love playing us; we love playing them,” Mahoney said. “It’s quality soccer. Both teams want to knock the ball around. We want to play good, quality, high-class soccer. It was an excellent game between two fantastic teams. We did what we do which is we tend to limit chances.”
Churchville (13-3-2) will face top-seeded Spencerport in the finals. The Rangers took both regular season meetings by 1-0 scores.
“It’s exciting,” Smith said. “The work starts now. We have to watch some film, go in and practice as hard as we can.”
A 7 PM start time is scheduled Tuesday, October 31st at Honeoye Falls-Lima High School.
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