Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Top-ranked Kendall stays unbeaten

by Leave a Comment

L-R: Ryleigh Denning (18), Izzy D’Agostino (12), Kaylie Bunn (15) and Sophia Picardo (7). (Photo: PAUL GOTHAM)

By PAUL GOTHAM

LE ROY, N.Y. — Ryleigh Denning needed reminding that she had hit the crossbar early in the first half.

That’s easy to understand considering that the junior forward sparked a second-half outburst. 

Denning snapped a scoreless tie in the 48th minute, and Kendall (10-0-0/No. 1 NYSSWA Class C) went on to defeat host Le Roy (6-4-1), 3-0 in non-league action from Hartwood Park, Thursday evening. 

Denning connected from inside the 18-yard box for her 14th goal of the season.

“Before I get the ball, I always think to try my best and tell myself that I got it,” the junior forward said. “That’s what I say to myself before I shoot the ball. I believe in myself. My adrenaline is so high that I just try my best to look up and find the back of the net.” 

The play started on the outer third along the left side where Payton Vogt ran down a diagonal ball from Addie Kludt. Vogt served a cross into the middle third that Sophia Picardo settled with a touch before passing to Denning.

“I was looking for gaps and for the open lanes,” said Picardo who added an assist later in the match for her eighth and ninth helpers on the season. “I saw Riley open up, and I just passed a through ball.” 

Denning cut back to avoid an initial defender before letting go of a right-footed shot. 

“That first goal definitely boosted our level of confidence and intensity, and we really went at them after that,” Denning said. 

Kaylie Bunn doubled the lead 19 minutes later. The sophomore was there on the doorstep to tap in a deflection off a shot from Denning.

“I was just kind of in the right place at the right time,” she said when referring to her second goal of the season. “I saw she (Le Roy keeper Maddie Paddock) was leaning towards the left side of the goal, so I aimed for the opposite corner.”

Izzy D’Agostino capped the scoring with her fourth goal of the season, a blast from just outside the 18-yard box that caught the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the goal line. 

Teagan Shaw made four saves for the shutout, Kendall’s third straight clean sheet and seventh of the season. 

The Eagles have outscored opponents by a combined total of 57-3 so far this season. 

Kendall has reached the sectional finals the past two seasons before dropping decisions on both occasions to Byron-Bergen. 

“We want it more this year, more than ever, after going to those two championships and not bringing home a brick,” said Picardo a senior captain who broke the program’s career assist mark last season. “I think Kendall really wants to get it this year, and I think everybody sees it, and we’ll do whatever it takes.”

Byron-Bergen won the state title in 2024 and advanced to the state semifinals last season. 

Kendall is under the direction of Nino Pilato this season. Pilato most recently served as head coach at Hilton. The Greece Olympia and Monroe Community College alum led the Greece Odyssey girls to a state championship in 2012. He also was the head coach of McQuaid when the Jesuit Knight made an unbeaten run to the 2017 state title. 

Le Roy’s Paddock made 10 saves. 

Kendall hosts Oakfield-Alabama/Elba for a 7 PM start on Friday. 

Le Roy welcomes Avon on Friday. That game is also scheduled for 7 PM. 

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *