Saturday Sectionals: After 1-1 tie, No. 4 Wolverines survive and advance to Class C2 Semis behind 4-3 triumph over No. 5 Alfred-Almond in PKs

Written By Chris Brooks

BOLIVAR — The penalty kick stage is one of those designated paths no team should ever come across. In Sectionals, it is a point of no return. A point where one team faces immediate gratification, while the other, a devastating way for a season to end.

There isn’t another time or a feeling where your season hanging in the balance has mattered more than ever. A free kick 10 yards away between you and the goalkeeper.

A true face-to-face encounter.

For both Alfred-Almond and Bolivar-Richburg on Saturday, it was a scenario that became a reality during their Class C2 Quarterfinal matchup after they finished 110 minutes of pure, fast-paced soccer up and down the field with a 1-1 tie on the scoreboard officially down in the books.

It had now reached that significant stage of the Sectional Tournament where every kick mattered. The number to pass was four, and it was held by the Wolverines. With Alfred-Almond trailing by one and gaining a chance in the fifth round of the stage to tie it up, all Wolverines goalkeeper David Abdo had to do in between the pipes was remain patient for the incoming kick from Aritz Balboa.

After the official’s whistle, the kick came.

The shot from Balboa had sailed high and wide over the cage, as Abdo stormed out of the net and raced to his Wolverines teammates at midfield, as Bolivar-Richburg, after scoring on all four of their chances in the penalty kick stage, maintained their momentum built in both overtime periods to record the 4-3 win to advance into Wednesday night’s Class C2 Semifinal round — a vacancy they now fill for a second consecutive year.

“I’ll tell you what, the boys on both sides fought really hard tonight. It was nice to see them find a way and battle back, and keep going like they did,” said Wolverines coach Mike Zilker. “We scored first early, and then they ended up getting one before the first half was over. That kind of set the pace for the rest of the night. It was a hard-fought game, and it’s such a bummer to have it come down to penalty kicks. But you know what, we came away with a win to move on. That’s what matters most.”

Before the action reached its boiling point with the daunting penalty kick session, you’d have to rewind the tape nearly two hours ago to where the game first began, when the Wolverines (10-5-3) were the first team to strike within the game’s first 10 minutes, when a loose ball bounced in front of the Alfred-Almond cage. It was picked up by Reiss Gaines, who then headed it over to his left to a rushing Ian Unfus in on goal to poke the chance into the empty portion of the cage.

It was the type of goal that Zilker wanted to see from his group early.

“It showed that we wanted this to happen tonight. Ian coming out of the gate with that goal that quick, was huge,” he said. “It showed that desire, and he went for it. People were in the right spot and at the right time to make that happen, and it’s amazing what we can do when everyone finds a way to work together.”

With the 1-0 lead in hand, the rest of the first half would rest solely on the Bolivar-Richburg defense, as Alfred-Almond began to take over the midfield battle with possession, dominating much of play with multiple chances coming on the Wolverines. For the most part, Abdo helped ignite what was a dynamic performance in goal for the hosts in black and red by making multiple stops, primarily on Alfred-Almond’s leading scorer — Dylan Coots, who had multiple chances himself to score, but could not find the right one to put in.

On his third chance in as many rushes for the Eagles offense, Coots managed to put one past Abdo to tie the game with 10 minutes remaining in the half, ending with a Kouki Yatani pass across to set the play up. Along the way, some more chances were garnered between both squads, but nothing more was created imminently, as the first half wound down to its completion.

In the second half, the Eagles would continue where they left off with possession under their grasp, mounting more pressure onto the Bolivar-Richburg defense with multiple chances against Abdo in goal. Perhaps Alfred-Almond’s best opportunity came on back-to-back rushes into the offensive zone led by Coots and Brennan Lang, as both attackers would dig free from the defense to deliver strikes, both of which were ultimately covered by Abdo.

The game would remain tied heading into the two sets of 15 minute overtimes that were needed to advance the game a step further. In those overtimes, the Wolverines turned the tables and gained the upper hand in possession themselves, as they took their turn pinning Alfred-Almond deep in their defensive zone with a pair of chances coming from Unfus and Evan Pinney, both dishing along crosses in front of the net for the final touch, but the Wolverines could not find a way to make it there in time.

It was a chance from his group that Zilker wanted to see if they wanted a chance to win.

“It was actually nice to have that intermission, because we could finally have that opportunity to talk to the guys,” the Wolverines coach said. “They were losing their marks in the center, and it was killing us. It was nice that we were able to reel that in a little bit during overtime. We made some adjustments and it panned out for us very nicely. The boys played hard, and you can't take anything away from Alfred-Almond. They battled just as hard as we did.”

In the second overtime, more of the same for Bolivar-Richburg, as well as some of the best goaltending Abdo put on display for the Wolverines in the game, as he started the final extra session off with three straight saves on the same Alfred-Almond rush into the offensive zone, two of those off the foot of Coots next to the far post to keep them off the board just over halfway in.

The Wolverines, later on in the waning minutes, nearly put the stamp on their Semifinals ticket on a beautifully set up play from Landon Barkley on the far side, who fed along a cross to a streaking Ryder Easton, who was all alone in on the Eagles net. With the ball slithering toward his feet on the near side, he arrived just a touch too late to poke home the one-time shot that could have perhaps ended the game at that point.

But in the penalty kick session, Bolivar-Richburg would go a perfect 4-for-4, with Wyatt Karnuth, Hunter Stuck, Ian Unfus and Reiss Gaines all scoring their goals for the Wolverines, with Unfus connecting on his after Alfred-Almond’s Hunter Smith scraped the crossbar and out of play during the third round of kicks to allow them access towards the lead.

Gaines would cap off the win with one last goal to the top shelf before Balboa’s miss high and out of play in the fifth round officially ended the game in Bolivar-Richburg’s favor, sending Dunsmore-Latimer Field into a frenzy in what was the team’s final home game of the season in front of their cheering section.

Altogether, 34 total shots were recorded between both goals, as Alfred-Almond gained the 20-14 edge over Bolivar-Richburg on offense. Abdo remained vigilant in between the posts for the Wolverines, making 17 incredible stops to keep the Eagles off the board.

Ty Kenney made nine saves for the Eagles, whose season came to a halt, as they wrap up their 2021 campaign with a record of 10-8 overall. Along with Kenney, the team will part with six Seniors at the end of the year in Coots, Balboa, Chris Mormino, Gavin Dwyer and Zack Ledbetter.

Abdo’s efforts, along with the winning kicks, would allow Bolivar-Richburg to move into the Class C2 Semifinal round for the second straight season, as they now get set to make another run at the Finals next weekend with perhaps their tallest task of the year at hand coming up — last year’s defending Class D1 champion Keshequa is now on deck for the Wolverines, Wednesday night at a site and time to be determined.

“Back to back trips to the Semifinals, and I am excited for it. It’s about time that happened for this program.” said Zilker. “We’re going to have a battle in front of us no matter how you look at it going in. Wednesday is going to bring a tough challenge, and we will be ready for that.”

In the bottom half of the Class C2 bracket, No. 6 Kendall, who upset No. 3 Harley Allendale-Columbia earlier in the evening, will face No. 2 Bradford/Dundee in the other Semifinal contest to determine who fills in the opposite vacancy in next weekend’s Finals.

GIRLS SOCCER

Class D1 Quarterfinals

No. 2 Marion 3, No. 7 Genesee Valley/Belfast 1

MARION — One of Section V’s tallest hurdles in recent years from within the girls soccer arena has been the Marion Lady Black Knights. After showcasing seasons of dominance a step above in the Class C2 bracket, the chance to make some noise after dropping down to Class D1 for the 2021 season came on Saturday when they hosted No. 7 Genesee Valley/Belfast.

For the majority of the opening half between the two foes, it was a neck-and-neck battle with the Lady Black Knights finding their edge right before the closing act of the opening half. The momentum that was built would find its way in carrying over into the second half, where Marion scored two additional goals to cushion their lead.

Although the shutout put on by the Lady Black Knights came to a close toward the end of the game, it was just one of three total shots that went through their grasp, as the defense held up their end of the bargain while maintaining their lead to advance to the Semifinal round, eliminating Genesee Valley/Belfast with a 3-1 home victory, Saturday evening.

“Duane (Powers) and I could not have been more proud of their play, their resilience and never-give-up attitude,” said GV/Belfast co-coach Lisa Scott-Schneider. “We had a goal taken away that would have tied the game right before the half was over, but that gave them some fire to compete. We created chances and we finally capitalized at the end. We as coaches hope our ladies learned tonight that they can compete at any level, even against a perennial power like Marion.”

The Lady Black Knights were the first to strike with three goals in a row branching across both halves, with their first setting up a 1-0 lead over Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-9) at the break, with Abigail Marotta finding the back of the net with 6:52 left on the clock.

With the scoreless battle continuing through the beginning stages of the second half, Marion added to their lead with the help of Abby Conover and her goal inside the first 10 minutes of play. The scoring concluded after another battle at midfield with the Lady JagDogs ensued, as Payton Walters finished it off near the midway mark to give the Lady Black Knights the room they needed to keep their lead in tact.

The lead for the second seeds decreased back down to a pair in the last 10 minutes of regulation with Hannah Southwick-Powers scoring Genesee Valley/Belfast’s final goal of the season, finding the back of the net off a pass provisioned by Jaiden Enders, who recorded her final point of her Varsity career on the field. The goal was just one of three total shots the seven seeds would record on the Marion net, as the Lady Black Knights won the offensive battle by a 12-3 count in the shot department.

In between the posts, Ashley Burrows would set aside eight shots for Genesee Valley/Belfast.

The first act for the Lady JagDogs is officially history, as they wrap up their first campaign together as a combined unit with a record of 7-9. The team will graduate three Seniors between the two schools at the end of the year in Enders, Alicia Borden and Lexi Burrows.

Scott-Schneider said that in her first season together coaching alongside Powers, who was last season’s Class D2 Coach of the Year with the Allegany County Division II champion Belfast Lady Bulldogs in his first season, she says the time together has been a good experience, and hopes that the future will bring even bigger things.

“The marriage has been a good one, and it’s been wonderful to see all three levels be competitive,” she said. "We definitely have worked out some kinks and personalities, and these girls proved they can overcome obstacles. They all represented Genesee Valley and Belfast with style tonight. The last part of the season was not how we scripted it, but as we discussed in our last practice, we have to be proud of ourselves and our effort on the pitch, regardless of the outcome.”

The longtime Genesee Valley soccer coach added on the program’s future after this season, noting that “We will certainly miss our three Seniors in Alicia, Jaiden and Lexi. They all had a great final game tonight. We are already looking forward to the future and getting these younger ladies into shape, playing more and more together as a team, and we will be one team and the newness will be in the back of our minds. Overall, it was a great opening act for the JagDogs.”

Class D2 Quarterfinals

No. 2 Andover/Whitesville 12, No. 7 Friendship/Scio 0

ANDOVER — An electric first game of the Sectional tournament was provided by Andover/Whitesville, as they scored six goals in each 40 minute session with Gabby Terhune leading the way behind her massive 10-point night for the second seeds, pipelining what was a 12-0 home shutout against No. 7 Friendship/Scio on Saturday in Andover.

Terhune led the Andover/Whitesville (9-6) offense behind a hat trick, and four assists. Zoey Lee also chipped in with a hat trick of her own, and one helper to help further the cause for the attack, who started with a 2-0 lead of Friendship/Scio before branching their lead to six with their last four goals of the first half coming in the last 10 minutes of play.

The scoring was capped off in the second half with six more goals being scored in a span of 11 minutes. Adding in more help for Andover/Whitesville was Rachel Jackson, who recorded two goals and two assists of her own, while Kennedy Bledsoe had a goal and assist. Adreanna Buchholz and Ava Grice each scored once. Maria Riloba dished out a helper.

In goal, Brynn Scholl did not make a save for the hosts to preserve the shutout. On the other end, Nevaeh Ross made 20 stops out of 32 total shots applied to the net for Friendship/Scio, whose season comes to a close with a record of 3-13-1 overall. The team will graduate five Seniors in between the schools, in Melana Davenport, Kendra Gleason, Keely Sisson, Jaedyn Shields and Samantha Snyder.

Andover/Whitesville now advances into the Class D2 Semifinal round, which will begin on Wednesday at a site and time to be determined, as they get set to square off with No. 3 Avoca/Prattsburgh for a spot in next week’s Class D2 Finals.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Bolivar-Richburg 3, Cuba-Rushford 0

BOLIVAR — The regular season for the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg concluded with the hottest of streaks, as they recorded their sixth straight victory Saturday morning in straight-set fashion against visiting Cuba-Rushford, rolling to a 25-12, 25-19, 25-12 win — their ninth in the last 10 games.

Jianna Nix, who was been the team’s firepower all season long, recorded a game-high 20 kills to pair with five blocks and three aces from the service line to lead Bolivar-Richburg (12-4). On defense, Brena Walp and Haley Mascho combined to record 16 digs. Furthering the offensive cause was Kori Thomas, who had six kills, while Maddy Thorton added in five aces. Setter Kaitlyn Graves dished out 26 assists to help set all of the offense up for success.

On the other side of the net, Cuba-Rushford (5-10) was led by Ella Jaffe on offense, tallying a team-high six kills to pair with her one dig on defense. Lauren O’Keefe added in three more kills of her own along with two aces, and one dig. Setter Quincy Tyler handed out 12 assists at the front of the net, pairing them with six digs on defense. The Lady Rebels will conclude their regular season Monday night on the road with a 6:30 p.m. visit to Olean.

Bolivar-Richburg’s regular season has now ended with a record of 12-4 overall, as they now await their place in the Sectional Tournament, which begins next week.

FOOTBALL

Candor 48, Wellsville 8

WELLSVILLE — A promising opening drive to begin Saturday afternoon’s Senior Day contest for the Lions was foiled by a turnover right next to the goal line, forcing the ball over into State-ranked Candor’s hands. From that point, they would drive 99 yards down the field and score off the turnover to kickstart the early lead.

It would rise to as much as 24 at halftime, and 40 in the later stages of the game, as the lead they built on Wellsville was never lost, closing out the day with a 48-8 road win in the Lion’s Den on Saturday.

Perhaps the Lions’ best chance to get on the board early came right from the opening kick, when Caleb Price returned the ball all the way to 40-yard line of the Eagles. Wellsville (3-4), behind their run game led by John Mayfield and Jere Havens, would work their way to Candor’s 1-yard line, but could not go further, as a fumble occurred a quarterback sneak into the end zone by Alex Perkins. The ball was recovered by the visitors to set up shop for their drive that nearly used the length of the football field.

From that point forward, Candor would go on to score 40 unanswered points, including a 24-0 lead at the break. The Lions would find a way to snap the shutout on the board in the fourth quarter, as Perkins connected with Price on a long pass play that wound up being cashed in, along with the completion of a two-point conversion from Connor Ferguson in the backfield.

Further statistics for the Lions were not provided upon publication.

After the game, the Lions recognized all seven of their Seniors. You can check out a complete gallery of the celebration posted online now.

The Lions conclude their regular season, and will now await their fate regarding the Sectional tournament, as they finish up with a record of 3-4 overall.

Avon 40, Bolivar-Richburg 13 (Friday)

AVON — The defending Class D champion Avon Braves displayed their power on their home field Friday night, as they held Bolivar-Richburg’s run game in check across all 48 minutes on the board while capitalizing on offense of their own to close the regular season out strong behind a 40-13 victory over the Wolverines.

Further statistics and a complete box score were not made available upon publication.

Despite the loss and an Oakfield-Alabama/Elba win over Geneseo/Mount Morris, Bolivar-Richburg has officially been awarded a home Sectional game to begin next week’s postseason, being given the No. 4 seed in the Class D bracket behind a record of 5-3 overall.

The Wolverines will begin their postseason trek by taking on No. 5 Caledonia-Mumford/Byron-Bergen next Friday night at Dunsmore-Latimer Field. First kick is slated for a 7 p.m. start. Bolivar-Richburg won their last meeting back in Week 6 by a 9-7 count over the road.

Chris Brooks
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