By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — On a night in which both teams battled the weather, it was some fatherly advice that made the difference.
Senior captain Colin Krohn followed a Ben Burrows shot and found the back of the net with what proved to be the game-winning goal as Pittsford Mendon claimed the 2025 Section V Boys’ Soccer Class A championship with a 1-0 victory over crosstown rival, Pittsford Sutherland.
“I caught it clean,” Krohn said of the shot. “The keeper was on the ground, so I knew it was going in. I just ran right to my bench (to celebrate).”
Burrows got loose along the right flank and unloaded a right-footed blast from inside the 18-yard box that Sutherland keeper Joe Derisi blocked.
Corralling the rebound with the slick conditions was all but impossible, and the ball bounded to Krohn who alertly stayed with the play.
That Krohn happened to be central and inside the 18-yard box was a suggestion that came from a conversation with his dad prior to the game.
“My dad kept saying ‘Stay in the box,’” he said. “Slippery field. Wet game. I felt it at my feet. Can’t miss from there.”
A one-goal loss in last year’s Class A final, fueled the Vikings efforts in the months since then.
“Last year losing in the finals was tough, but we knew we were going in the right direction,” said Mendon head coach Mark Hurley. “These guys have been hungry for it big time since that loss to Brockport.
“They’re the right group of kids to win it. They’re so good. There have been no issues all year. Fantastic kids.”
The championship is the 22nd in program history but first since 2013 when Mendon won the state title.
“They celebrate each other’s victories,” Hurley said of his squad. “They don’t get upset when someone else gets the spotlight. There are no egos.”
Wind that whipped across the field at gusts of 20 miles per hour carried with it rain that didn’t not stop at any point during the match.
As for a game plan to counter the conditions?
“It was really tough to have a game plan for sure,” Hurley said. “We tried, but we knew it was going to be an ugly game. We knew it wasn’t going to be our normal skill game where we look to find feet. By the second half, we were telling them to just try and get the ball forward. We didn’t want to have any mistakes in the back just move the ball forward.”
The idea reaped dividends as the Vikings were able to get a pair of shots on frame in the opening moments before the Burrows attempt turned into Krohn getting the game winner.
“The wind was a factor in the first half with it in our face a little bit. Once we got to halftime at zero-zero, we felt good about that. It was nice to see them get on their horse and create those opportunities.”
Sutherland had its chances.
Mendon keeper Carm Esposito stopped a Max Morgenstern blast from just outside the 18. A free kick from 30 yards found the crossbar, and a Morgenstern attempt late in the second half was just wide of frame.
“It’s about being able to finish off a chance,” said first-year Sutherland head coach CJ Knapp. “That’s what the game’s about. Whoever creates more chances and capitalizes. They were the ones to pull it out.
“We thought we were going to push it to overtime. Credit to Mendon, they held us without a goal.”
The Knights were looking for their first title since back-to-back efforts in 2020 and 2021.
“It’s a testament to the kids. They did everything I asked of them from day one. This was our goal to get here and obviously, to win. We came up a little short.”
Mendon advances to the NYS quarterfinals where they will face the Section VI champion next Saturday.
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