By PAUL GOTHAM
AVON, N.Y. — By the time Hornell girls’ soccer scored a third goal on Tuesday night, the Red Raiders had shown why they currently hold the top seed in Section V Class B.
A relentless offense that deftly uses the width of the field and then exploits seams created when an opposing defense is stretched. A stifling backline that gives opposing players little space within in its own third.
“They’re a group that like each other as people,” head coach Mike Wilkinson said after Hornell defeated host Avon, 3-nil. “Every day at practice, we don’t have down days. We might have a down five minutes, but it’s not something where we have to get on them as a staff. They get on each other. Like, hey! Let’s pick this up. We’re better than this.”
Sydney Crowe and Alexis Smith struck on goals less than a minute apart midway through the first half. Ella White added an insurance marker early in the second half.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.
The win was the seventh straight for Hornell (10-1-0/No. 16 NYSSWA Class B).
“We don’t rely on a kid or two,” Wilkinson said. “It’s the 11 kids on the field that kind of understand their role, and the way we’re trying to do things. They’ve just bought in as a collective into our system. It’s been really fun.”
Crowe, a sophomore, took advantage of a second ball opportunity off a free kick to start the scoring in the 17th minute. Fifty seconds later, Smith unleashed a banger from the 18-yard line that glanced off the underside of the crossbar and past the goal line.
White spent the first half working the right sideline and filling the 18-yard box with five crosses. The senior moved moved into the middle for the second half. She slipped behind the Avon defense and ran on to a Brynna Wilkinson through ball. She went one-on-one with Riverhawks’ keeper Alaney Griffiths and finished for the final margin of victory.
Allisa Haley and Addie Connors combined for the shutout – Hornell’s seventh straight clean sheet.
Using a three-back alignment, the Red Raiders have limited opponents to a total of four goals this season.
“It fits our style of play,” Wilkinson said of the formation. “It’s something we figured out when we went to team camp during the summer and tried some different things, shape wise. We, honest to God, just are not very good as a back four team. It doesn’t really fit our personnel.”
The senior backline of Silvia Carretto, Marianna Colson and Riley Harwood with junior Addie Schmidt coming off the bench, limited Avon to three shots on target for the game. Of those attempts, only one was a true scoring chance.
“The shape and the movement of the back three is a little more natural to the kids we have playing back there and they like it,” Wilkinson said. “So if they’re effective, it lets us get a couple more bodies in more dangerous places on the field. So it’s a good thing for us.”
Avon (7-1-2/No. 3 NYSSWA Class C) entered play having scoring two or more goals in all but one game this season.
“I would go to war with these girls,” said Avon head coach Jordan Mullen. “They’re fearless. They’re tough. They got each other’s backs. I mean, every time they would get fouled, they’re there picking each other up.”
It was the only meeting of the season between the two teams that play in separate classifications.
Of the 24 student-athletes on the Avon roster, six are freshman and six more are sophomores.
“We don’t have to play that team,” Mullen said of the matchup between teams from different classes. “And I don’t have a team in our bracket that is anything like that team. So I like that we can play with them as closely as we did. I’d take our team any day.”
Avon hosts Letchworth for a 7 PM start on Wednesday.
Hornell looks to avenge its only loss of the season when the Red Raiders welcome Livonia on Friday. That game is slated for a 6 PM start.
17’ Sydney Crowe takes advantage of a second-ball opportunity to get Hornell on the scoreboard. Less than a minute later (:50), Alexis Smith goes bar down to make it a 2-nil game. That score stands at halftime. pic.twitter.com/6zl7pbRUgj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 30, 2026
49’ Ella White gets behind the backline to give Hornell a 3-nil lead. pic.twitter.com/QG6AQQrkDZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 30, 2026
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