It’s a battle between Section V and Section VI in the Class D regional finals Section V champion Naples Big Green Machines from the Finger Lakes West takes on the champions of Section VI Ellicottville Eagles out of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division II. A 7:30 p.m. kickoff is scheduled Friday, November 8th at Geneseo High School. Here’s what you need to know:
ELLICOTTVILLE EAGLES (9-6-2/CCAAII)
vs.
NAPLES BIG GREEN MACHINES (18-1-0/Finger Lakes West)
How they arrived here: Naples (No. 1 NYSSWA Class D) opened the Class D playoffs with a 10-0 win over No. 15 Friendship-Scio and followed up with a 6-1 victory over No. 10 Lyndonville in the quarterfinals. The Big Green Machines went on to defeat No. 6 Fillmore in the semifinals 2-1 and won the Section V Class D title after they shut out No. 4 Arkport-Canaseraga 3-0. Ellicottville (No. 12 NYSSWA) earned a bye in the semifinals to advance to the Section VI Class D championship. The Eagles went on to defeat No. 2 North Collins 3-1.
Total goals scored: Naples (89), Ellicottville (56)
Total goals allowed: Naples (5), Ellicottville (20)
Trends: Naples is on a 14-game winning streak with 11 of those victories coming by shutout. In that stretch, they have outscored opponents 67-3. The last time the Big Green Machines allowed a goal was in a 2-1 win over Fillmore in the semifinals on Oct. 29th. Naples hasn’t allowed more than one goal in a game all season. The only loss on the season for Naples came in a road loss to Dundee/Bradford (1-0) on September 18th. Ellicottville enters this matchup on a three-game winning streak and has won five of its last seven. The Eagles have outscored opponents 26-3 during that stretch. They have six shutouts in total on the season and the last time they lost was on Oct. 9th at Portville 2-0.
Players to watch for Naples: Matthew Lincoln Sr. (29 goals, 13 assists); Connor Betrus So. (17 goals, 17 assists); Oscar Austin Jr. (14 goals, 14 assists); Jacob Betrus So. (eight goals, 11 assists); Isaac Ward Jr. (five goals, seven assists); Landon Gleichauf Sr. (four goals, six assists); Evan Rischpater, Sr. (two goals, three assists); Lukas Hall, Sr. (two goals, one assist); CJ Fuller Sr. GK (47 saves and 4 goals against in 1090 minutes)
Ellicottville: Owen Doherty, Sr., F. (21 goals, 10 assists); Tosh Klein, So., MF. (seven goals, four assists); Maddox Johnson, Sr., MF. (seven goals, two assists); Rian Johnson, Fr., F. (five goals, one assist); Christopher Edwards, So., MF. (three goals, four assists); Jaxson LaCroix, So., MF. (three goals); Kyle Robinson, Sr., MF. (two goals, six assists); Holden Basher, Fr., MF. (five assists); Jackson Kruszynski, Jr., GK. (43 saves, 20 goals allowed)
Coaches: Ryan Betrus (Naples), Matt Finn (Ellicottville)
History 101: Naples is making its first regional finals appearance since 1999. The Big Green Machines defeated Chautauqua 1-0 in ’99 and are 4-0 in state quarterfinal matchups as they also earned victories in 1984, 1989, and 1995. Ellicottville is making its fourth regional appearance in as many years. The Eagles knocked off reigning state champion, Fillmore in last year’s state quarterfinals. That was the first win in five regional appearances for Ellicottville dating back to 2013.
The winner will face either Hamilton (III) or South Kortright (IV) in the state semifinals next Friday, November 15th, at Middletown High School.
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