By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Plans for the annual Spencerport girls’ soccer Halloween practice needed to be changed this year.
The Rangers had other business on All Hallows’ Eve.
While one tradition was put aside for now, another stayed intact: the Rangers continued their hold on Section V Soccer, Saturday afternoon at Webster Schroeder.
Yana Gross and Bella Valentino netted a goal apiece while the defense turned in another clean sheet. No. 2 Spencerport (16-2-2) clinched the Class AA championship with a 2-0 victory over No. 4 Webster Thomas.
The title was the 11th straight for Jamie Schneider’s squad which rewrites the Section V record book with each consecutive championship it wins.
“This group just always had a winning story in their heads,” the 24th-year head coach said. “Even when things weren’t going our way, we had a little lull in the season, they just kept the winning narrative. I think that’s what separates them as being elite soccer players, elite athletes, just never, never letting that winning story go out of their heads. They always found a way.”
Despite being outshot 5-1 during the first half, the Rangers went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Connecting from just outside the 18-yard box, Gross tucked a shot under the bar.
The Rangers came out of halftime with a renewed level of energy and worked for a pair of corner kicks and three free kicks inside of 45 yards from the Thomas goal.
Schneider pointed to the conditions having an impact on the game.
“The wind didn’t help,” Schneider said of the steady breeze that Rangers had in their faces during the first half. “They had that wind, and we had to survive that first 20 minutes. We were really pleased actually. We were pleased with going against the wind and having the scoreboard in our favor.”
Valentino’s goal was one for the personal highlight reel. The junior mid served a corner kick from the left flag that may have borrowed on that wind as it bent into the frame caroming off the far post and bounding into the near side netting.
“We just practiced corners yesterday, so that definitely helped,” she said.
Class AA 62’ Olimpico! Bella Valentino off the far post into the near-side netting . Spencerport 2 Webster Thomas 0 https://t.co/y3X4K5Z0yd
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 31, 2026
In late September, Spencerport dropped back-to-back decisions for the first time since 2019. The second of those setbacks was a 1-0 loss to Webster Thomas.
Up to that point, the Rangers had allowed six goals in nine games.
Since then, they are unbeaten in 11 straight and have relented three goals during the current stretch.
“We just learned from little mistakes,” Schneider said. “We knew the content was good. Obviously, we own the results… It was just the little details, but those are hard to conquer sometimes when the scoreboard’s not lighting up your way. So for them to work on those little details and know that, all right, we didn’t get the result, but the content was good. Let’s just clean up a few things to flip the script was incredible.”
A hint of what was to come may have been in the regular season finale when Spencerport held Greece Athena, averaging better than four goals per game, to one tally.
“We are really good about learning our opponents, kind of seeing their style of play and then not changing ourselves, but being aware of what we need to do in that game,” said junior defensive center mid, Calla Crowley. “We never want to change what we’re doing, and we never want to be somebody else, and play to somebody else’s style.
“Like especially today, they’re such a strong offensive team, and all credit to Thomas. We knew maybe we needed a little more help, so I dropped from my role of the defensive midfielder, and I played a little deeper than normal, but I was still able to help move the ball, and we still maintained our shape.”
Last season, Spencerport shared the Class AA championship with Churchville-Chili. The Saints advanced to the state tournament on PKs. That abrupt end to the season fueled the current team.
“That was motivation for us,” Schneider said. We did not like how we left being co-champs. Respectfully to Churchville, but just to have your season end that way, left a lot of motivation. The players, the team, stepped up and came back, and finished business.”
Senior keeper Addison Lynch posted her 12th shutout of the season.
The Rangers enjoyed a haunted walk along with a team dinner this past Thursday.
The Halloween party, which dates back to the 2016 season, is in the mix for Monday.
Some traditions are too good to let slip by the wayside.
And some high school athletic programs are too good to not enjoy while they’re on a run.
Spencerport’s season will continue next Saturday when the Rangers face Section VI champion, Clarence in a state quarterfinal matchup.
SPENCERPORT HALLOWEEN PARTIES OF THE PAST
(Photo provided)
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