By STEVE BRICKLER
WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Section V Class AAA Champion Fairport (No. 9 NYSSWA Class AAA) fell to Lancaster (No. 8 NYSSWA) of Section VI in the Far West Regionals, 1-0 at West Seneca West High School on Saturday afternoon. The Legends scored the game winner off a corner kick in the 72nd minute.
A physical, evenly-matched game was played mainly in the midfield third with both defenses allowing few clear-cut scoring opportunities throughout. Both teams did, however, find themselves with one golden opportunity each in the first half. Fairport had the first good look when forward Daniel Van Aaardt laid off an entry pass on one touch to midfielder Jackson DuBose who went in on a breakaway from the right side in the 14th minute. Lancaster goalie Owen Davenport came out hard and made a sliding stop as DuBose looked to slot the ball far post from just inside the 18.
Lancaster had its best first half chance about four minutes later when a cross from the left flank made its way across the box to a wide-open Mikey Defelice. His shot from about 12 yards out went directly into the hands of Fairport keeper AJ Nelson.
The second half continued to find both teams finding it difficult to generate scoring chances in the run of play. Fairport’s best opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the second half came on set pieces from inside midfield that were placed in dangerous areas inside the box but could not be converted on the back end. The Red Raiders best opportunity came in the 67th minute when Van Aaardt was fouled at the top of the box. Ryan Mathis’ free kick got past the five-man wall but was saved by Davenport diving to his left. On the ensuing Fairport corner kick, the ball was served to the back post but was shot wide.
Lancaster finally broke the scoreless tie when an out swinging corner kick was headed down by the Legends’ Lincoln Counihan and was redirected on the bounce into the back of the net by sophomore Noah Okeke for his third goal of the season.
Fairport sent numbers forward to try to equalize in the time remaining. Their best chance was on a free kick with 1:17 remaining but a service from Mathis was covered up on the near post by Davenport.
“They were a good team. It was a very physical game and our guys hung in there”, said Fairport Coach Bill Teasdale. “When you give up a goal with eight minutes left, it’s hard because they dropped back into a 5-4-1 (formation) and we still had some chances. We had the direct kick, we just didn’t get on the other end of it. This game is won and lost in the box and they put one in and we didn’t.”
Lancaster (12-4-3) moves on to play Baldwinsville of Section III next weekend while Fairport finishes at 10-5-2.
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