One squad looks to add a fourth straight Class AAA championship to its cabinet after winning five sectional championships in six years. Another is looking for its first Class AAA title after sharing its last two Class AA titles in the past decade. Three-time reigning champions Fairport will clash with Penfield for the Section V Class AAA Girls’ Soccer championship. Here’s the breakdown:
No 1. seed PENFIELD PATRIOTS
(6-4-4 / Monroe County Division I)
vs.
No. 2. seed FAIRPORT RED RAIDERS
(4-7-3 / Monroe County Division I)
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Penfield (No. 22 NYSSWA) kicked off the playoffs with a 9-0 shutout win in the semifinals over No. 4 RCSD United to advance to the championship. No. 2 Fairport advanced with a 2-0 victory against No. 3 Rush Henrietta to book a ticket to their fourth straight championship appearance.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.
Total goals scored: Penfield (28), Fairport (13)
Total goals allowed: Penfield (10), Fairport (17)
Trends: Penfield rolls into the championship with its last regular-season win coming on October 1st, going 1-2-2 to end the regular season. The Patriots went on an early-season four-game winning streak in 10 days from September 8th-10th, outscoring opponents 10-2 during that stretch with three shutouts. Penfield has scored three or more goals on four occasions this season, with a 9-0 win over RCSD United in the finals as the Patriots’ highest-scoring game. Penfield has scored five shutouts this season and has not allowed more than two goals this year. Fairport enters its fourth straight finals, winning two of its last three games and outscoring opponents 4-2 in that stretch. The Red Raiders won two out of three matches between September 26th and October 6th, outscoring opponents 8-5. Fairport has recorded a clean sheet in five games this season, while scoring two goals or more on five different occasions.
Regular season meetings: Neither of the neighboring-town rivals saw a winner in their season series after tying both times they met. The teams met twice, with a 0-0 double-overtime draw on both September 4th and 24th.
Players to watch for Penfield: Olivia Wittman Sr. M (4 G, 3 A); Hannah Dimperio Sr. M (4 G); Allie Walsh So. M (3 G, 2 A); Lily Ramsperger Jr. M (3 G, 1 A); Gianna Ciavarri Sr. M (1 G); Celina Ballou Sr. D; Addison Campe Jr. D; Ana Ferraro Jr. D/MD; Genevieve Hammond Sr. D (Defensive line that contributed 8 GAA); Cece Crane Sr. GK (94 saves, 8 goals against, 0.642 GAA, 92.1 save percentage).
Players to watch for Fairport: Gabby Fiorito Jr. F (3G, 1A); Charly Sisson Jr. F (3G, 1A); Eliana Biehler Jr. CM (1G, 2A); Ava VanHarssel Jr. D (2G); Lucy Sisson Jr. DB; Mallory Foote Sr. GK (95 saves, .73 GA, 5 shutouts).
Coaches: Kevin Stewart (Penfield), Thomas Natalie (Fairport)
History 101: Penfield is back in the sectional championship in a 2021 Class AA finals rematch, where they played a 1-1 draw against Fairport. The Patriots have shared their last two sectional titles with Fairport (2021) and Webster Schroeder (2019), having won their last championship in the 2009 Class A1 finals. Penfield looks to add a sixth sectional championship to its cabinet. Fairport seeks to continue its current dynasty by winning a fourth-straight sectional title and get revenge for being eliminated by Penfield on penalty kicks in the Class AA finals. The Red Raiders look to add an 11th sectional title in school history and their fifth in six years.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class AAA Far West Regional against the Section VI champions.
Kickoff is scheduled for Thursday, October 29th at 6 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School.
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