By PAUL GOTHAM
HILTON, N.Y. — Trevor Scoppa scored the go-ahead goal with five minutes and twenty-five seconds remaining in regulation as top-seeded Fairport (15-0-0) outlasted No. 4 Rush-Henrietta (7-10-0), 2-1 on a rainy night at Hilton High School’s LeBeau Field.
Scoppa made a diagonal run on to a ball from Jackson Piacitelli and beat Rush-Henrietta keeper Dominic Mariano for his ninth goal of the season.
“All year long we’ve been making those runs,” the junior attacker said. “I saw the opportunity to do so. I looked up and made eye contact. I knew I could get to the ball before the keeper and hit it around him.”
Moments earlier, Scoppa unloaded a shot from inside the 18 that skipped off the wet turf. Mariano deflected the attempt and it caromed off the cross bar.
“I was pretty mad at myself about that one,” Scoppa said. “I’m glad I could capitalize a few minutes later.”
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Fairport took a pair of regular season decisions from the Royal Comets by scores of 3-1 and 7-0.
Thursday’s tilt, though, was a different affair.
Alexander Arthmann-Martin converted off a corner kick for R-H with less than 17 minutes remaining to level the match.
Fairport head coach Bill Teasdale pointed to the adjustments R-H made which included taking leading scorer Dimitri Lebron (7 goals, 4 assists) and putting him along the backline to slow the Red Raiders’ offense.
“We were creating some chances early, but it was an even game,” he said. “You got to give them all the credit. They showed up ready to play. They battled hard. They’re a quality team.”
Fairport entered play having allowed one goal in its past six games and averaging better than three goals per contest for the season.
It looked like they had found their rhythm early in the second half when the Red Raiders worked for three corner kicks. All they had to show for it, though, was a Sean Griffin shot off the post.
And with less than 10 minutes left in regulation, the reigning state champs were staring at a stalemate.
“They don’t quit,” Teasdale said of his team. “They always find a way. This is just another example of it.”
Alex Grejda headed in a Sean Griffin service from 55 yards out to start the scoring with 6:53 remaining in the first half.
For a third straight year, Fairport will meet McQuaid Jesuit in the Class AAA championship.
Oliver Aguirre scored twice as McQuaid beat World of Inquiry/Edison/ Padilla/SOTA, 5-1 to clinch a spot in the final.
A 6:30 p.m. kickoff is scheduled Tuesday at Pittsford Sutherland High School.
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