Friday Roundup: Trailing 2-0 to C-R, And/Whi’s Lee scores back-to-back goals to complete 3-2 comeback victory; Rebels fall at Geneseo/MTM on gridiron
CUBA — As one of the all-time great Olympians, Michael Phelps once said: “It’s not how you start, but it’s how you finish.”
Andover/Whitesville saw a 2-0 hole cave in rather quickly in the first half of play when they went over the road to face Cuba-Rushford on Friday. But there was still one last set of 40 minutes to play in the second half. You could say that there was plenty of time left to turn the game around.
A response was created rather quickly in the second half to narrow the deficit down to one. But then, time began to run out. And fast.
Luckily for Andover/Whitesville, Zoey Lee came through in the clutch.
With under 10 minutes left to play in regulation, the senior stepped up when the team needed it the most, as she provided the game-tying and then, the go-ahead goal to put Andover/Whitesville in the driver’s seat, and ultimately for good to complete their comeback story with a 3-2 victory over the Lady Rebels.
“I think the girls learned a lot about themselves. We were short-handed again tonight, and we got down two goals early in the game,” said Andover/Whitesville co-coach Aaron Rawady. “A lot was working against us, and the girls could have very easily given up. But they continued to play extremely hard all game, and their efforts were rewarded.”
Andover/Whitesville had to fight their way back from behind early in the game, as Cuba-Rushford rolled out to a 2-0 lead at the break, with Taylor Searle breaking the ice nearly 10 minutes into the game on her unassisted tally. Just three minutes later, Sofia Riquelme added a goal of her own, finding the back of the net off a penalty kick chance to branch the lead.
It was now on the defense to keep Andover/Whitesville held still. But the visitors did not allow it to happen.
The two goal lead by the Lady Rebels (3-4) soon became one after a Kennedy Bledsoe penalty kick six minutes into the new session got Andover/Whitesville (4-3) onto the board. From that point, a midfield battle began to brew for the next 25 minutes until momentum was forged.
That was when Lee stepped up to the plate and delivered big for Andover/Whitesville, scoring back-to-back goals in nearly 90 seconds time to propel the team into a 2-2 tie with Cuba-Rushford, and then into the lead for good to finish off their come-from-behind triumph.
“I have to give a lot of credit to Andover/Whitesville. To be down in a 2-0 hole early on, and to be missing several players in the lineup is incredibly tough,” said Lady Rebels coach Aaron Wight. They showed a tremendous amount of guts, and they put together a more complete 80 minutes than we did to win this game tonight.”
Both teams were nearly dead even in the shot department, but Andover/Whitesville walked away with a 13-12 advantage over Cuba-Rushford. In goal, Brynn Scholl recorded nine saves to pick up the win, while Tara Duvall made four saves on the other side for the Lady Rebels.
Both teams return to the field with 5 p.m. first kicks on Tuesday, as Andover/Whitesville play host to unbeaten Fillmore back in Whitesville, while Cuba-Rushford looks to rebound back on the road in Wellsville, going against the Lady Lions.
Fillmore 8, Friendship/Scio 1
SCIO — Sophia Templeton made her presence known all over the field Friday night for the Lady Eagles of Fillmore, as she recorded a heavy 10-point evening after an offensive eruption saw her record four goals and dish out two assists to power up the team’s 8-1 road win over host Friendship/Scio to remain undefeated.
Templeton had a hand in seven of the eight goals scored by the Lady Eagles (6-0), including all five first half goals which started with an assist off to Hope Russell just six minutes in. Near the midway point, the lead was extended to three with a pair of goals being scored in two minutes from Templeton and Grace Russell’s connections, trading goals and assists during the exchange.
The two would hook up one more time in the half with eight minutes remaining for Russell’s second of the game, before Templeton finished off the half with her second a short time later off a helper from Mallory DeRock. In between all the scores, Friendship/Scio (1-6) would erase the possibility of a shutout at the 25 minute mark, as Grace Drumm tucked away a penalty kick for her first of the season.
In the second half, Templeton finished off her hat trick and then some, connecting with Grace Russell two more times in between Hope Russell’s second of the game. The Lady Eagles would go on to outshoot Friendship/Scio by a 25-4 total count, with Preslee Miller and Alex Thur combining to make two stops to record the win.
On the other end, Nevaeh Ross made 14 stops for Friendship/Scio, who heads back over the hill to Friendship for their next game on Monday, as they host Hammondsport in a 5 p.m. first kick.
As for Fillmore, they will aim for a 7-0 start when they return to the field in Whitesville on Tuesday, visiting Andover/Whitesville.
FOOTBALL
Geneseo/Mount Morris 36, Cuba-Rushford 14
GENESEO — The night began in Geneseo with the host Blue Devils getting on the board first in the opening quarter. With an 8-0 lead in hand, it would create a sudden burst of momentum that would see the bar being set for the remainder of the game, as they recorded a 30-6 halftime lead behind 22 unanswered points right from the start in their 36-14 win over Cuba-Rushford on Friday.
The Rebels (0-3) would snap the scoreless drought in the second quarter, getting on the board after the Blue Devils scored their third touchdown of the game right from the kickoff. From their own 20-yardline, Haven Kellogg received the kick and weaved his way through the Geneseo/Mount Morris special teams, breaking a couple of tackles on his way to the house for an 80-yard touchdown to erase the shutout.
But the Rebels could not maintain the momentum they built after fielding the kickoff, as the Blue Devils picked up where they left off by scoring 14 more unanswered points to increase their lead to 30 before Cuba-Rushford cut it back down to 22 one last time in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, led by deep Dom Bello pass to Kadin Pierce to set up shop in the red zone.
The drive was finished off after a series of runs led to a short-yardage gain for a touchdown by Allen Fuller. The Rebels successfully completed a two-point conversion on a Finn Ricketts score to finish off what was their final drive of the game.
Cuba-Rushford will return home and host the Alexander Trojans next Friday night. Kickoff is set for a 7 p.m. start.
Cuba-Rushford 0 6 0 8 – 14
Geneseo/Mount Morris 8 22 0 6 – 36
BOYS SOCCER
Scio 7, Friendship 0
FRIENDSHIP — The tone was set right away for the Tigers of Scio, as Jordan White exploded with a massive first half performance on offense while the defense held host Friendship to just a pair of shots in their 7-0 road victory over the Golden Eagles, Friday night.
Scio (2-4) broke loose in the first 40 minutes of play, taking advantage of a 5-0 lead behind a four-goal day from White, scoring his first just over six minutes into the game, and following up with his second one minute later. After Ethan Davenport got on the board with a goal of his own, White finished off with his last two goals in just over a minute’s span. Lazar Bulajic and Greg Wesche would pick up assists along the way.
Two more goals were scored in the last 40 minute session for the Tigers, with Brendan Loucks starting off four minutes in, and then Bulajic answering a call of his own to finish off a 21-shot performance by the offense to pick up the victory.
Landon Arnold made two stops for the Tigers in goal to earn the shutout, while Hunter Hill and Jacob Golden combined to record 11 saves for the Golden Eagles (0-7).
Both teams will hit the road after the weekend, as they get set for a pair of 5 p.m. first kicks on Monday, with Scio looking to pick up their third straight win in Whitesville against Andover/Whitesville, while Friendship continues the search for their first win in Hinsdale.
