By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Jaden Deming snapped a scoreless tie with 4:48 remaining in regulation, and top-seeded Aquinas (18-1-0) went on to defeat No. 2 Pittsford Sutherland (15-4-0), 1-0 in the championship game of the 2025 Section V Class A tournament, Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.
Deming alertly followed teammate Sienna Fallone’s shot from the right flank and used a left-footed volley for the game winner.
“I was able, luckily, to be there for the rebound,” said the junior midfielder. “I just took a deep breath right before and placed it in.”
The play started at midfield where eighth-grader Ava Barbone won possession before leading Fallone along the right side. Fallone took on a pair of opposing defenders before sending a right-footed shot on frame that Sutherland keeper, Lea Kenney stopped.
The ball bounced to Deming inside the 6-yard box.
“I looked at the back of the net and hit it as hard as I could,” she said.
The title was the second in three years for the Li’l Irish and 15th in program history.
Aquinas head coach, Adam Schwartz, tempered the initial celebration.
“It was a hard-fought game,” he said. “It’s obviously an adrenaline rush, joy and yet there’s still four minutes left. Several years ago we were in a state championship final and we gave up a goal with 40 seconds left. It’s never over until it’s over. Probably shaved a couple months off my life that last four minutes.”
Briar Hinds made three saves for the shutout – the 12th clean sheet of the season for AQ. Schwartz credited the sophomore keeper along with center backs Talia Norton and Vivi Oliveri.
“Sutherland, I give them a lot of credit, they put us on our heels,” he said. “But that backline and Briar just played very well. Those kids have played in big games before, so the moment wasn’t too big for them.”
Sutherland had won 11 straight entering action. The Knights came out of halftime and built momentum.
Kate Pinto, running far post, redirected a Sarah Fields cross from the left wing for the Knights first of two shots on goal in the opening five minutes of the second half.
The Knights continued the pressure and worked for four corner kicks in the first 18 minutes after the break.
“In the first half, we were going against the wind and maybe some nerves,” said Sutherland head coach Adam Palumbo. “We settled back in to start that second half and our goal was to make sure we would go forward and put pressure on Aquinas. I think we did that for 40 minutes of the second half, so I was proud of the effort.”
The Knights were looking to win their first title since 1994.
“These girls have been to the finals three years in a row,” Palumbo said. “That’s been their mission to end the season with a sectional championship. They didn’t everything they could on the field today.”
Aquinas advances to the state quarterfinals where the Li’l Irish will face either Starpoint (18-0-0) or Lewiston-Porter (14-4-1) of Section VI.
Excellent recap of the AQ-PIttsford Southerland championship game. Even the officiating was first rate as they immediately made it clear by early calls that some of the overly physical play that has unfortunately become common in girls soccer wasn’t going to fly that day benefiting both teams.