By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
GIRLS SOCCER
Wellsville 1, Campbell-Savona 0 (F-OT)
CAMPBELL — The chance to leave a 9-0 defeat to the hands of State Final Four Finalist Keshequa in the rearview mirror, would arrive in its entirety for the Lady Lions of Wellsville on Wednesday with a road trip to Campbell-Savona.
They would have to piece together another fight for their lives for well over 80 minutes of closely contested soccer across all angles on the pitch. But when it would matter the most in a scoreless battle with the Lady Panthers, the Lady Lions dug in and hit gold.
In what was their fourth overtime game of the season, Wellsville ended the game with nearly six minutes left on a phenomenal score from the foot of Caelyn Stevens to break a game-long tie to get back into the win column in shutout fashion, as they departed Campbell-Savona with the 1-0 victory.
“These girls work hard no matter what. But the last couple of games, we started to lose our confidence in how we play,” said Lady Lions coach Erica Aftuck. “Tonight, we played our game, we moved the ball well, we communicated and we finally put one in the back of the net. We have some injuries, and I had to move girls all over the field, but they adapt easily and it works for us.”
Stevens was assisted by Lauren Viglietta during the approach into the Lady Panthers zone. The goal was one of 29 total shots that the Lady Lions (3-5-1) applied on net, as they outshot the hosts in blue by a 29-5 count. In goal, Lydia Kaye recorded the four-save shutout.
Wellsville is back on the road Saturday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. visit to Cuba-Rushford.
GIRLS TENNIS
Wellsville 5, Wayland-Cohocton 0
WAYLAND — The dominance on the tennis court rolled on for the Wellsville Lady Lions, this time back over the road on Wednesday, as they took full advantage of the action with another 5-0 sweep of the host Lady Eagles of Wayland-Cohocton to push their incredible start to nine straight victories.
In the singles matches, Samantha Bidzerkowny (first singles), Meagan Riley (second singles) and Amy Majoros (third singles) took control right from the start in pro-set play with the Lady Eagles, as Bidzerkowny and Riley each recorded 10-1 wins, while Majoros provided a 10-0 shutout of her own to finish off the sweep of the department.
Wellsville (9-0) would finish off the match victory by claiming both doubles victories — a 10-1 decision for the first doubles team of Caitlin Bittel and Hanna Miles, and a 10-3 victory for the second doubles squad of Peyton Cawley and Allison Denhoff.
The Lady Lions are back home Friday night to host their annual Senior Night celebration against another team of Lady Eagles, hailing from Fillmore beginning at 5 p.m.
Singles
1. Samantha Bidzerkowny (WLSV) def. Pearl Walker (W-C), 10-1.
2. Meagan Riley (WLSV) def. Chloe Hoffman (W-C), 10-1.
3. Amy Majoros (WLSV) def. Merissa Slayton (W-C), 10-0.
Doubles
1. Caitlin Bittel/Hanna Miles (WLSV) def. Virginia Carr/Cora Hosmer (W-C), 10-1.
2. Peyton Cawley/Allison Denhoff (WLSV) def. Harlee Grodis/Mia Swingle (W-C), 10-3.
B-R breaks early 2nd half tie, Gaines nets hat trick to help seal 4-1 home win over Lions; GV/Belfast, Fillmore boys record shutouts
BOLIVAR — The Lions of Wellsville have spent the last eight games hopping on the bus and hitting the road for battle, with the final path ending at Dunsmore-Latimer Field against host Bolivar-Richburg on Wednesday.
The aim was to finish off the road swing strong, but for the Wolverines, they aimed to remain in the fast lane towards victory. For much of the first half, the midfield battle was on until the hosts broke the ice with a big momentum burst going into the break with the lead in hand.
But Wellsville wouldn’t allow it to continue much further, as they bounced back and delivered a quick score in the second half to tie the game. But in the game of soccer, it can also quickly become a game of responses.
After already having one in his back pocket, Reiss Gaines changed the complexion of the game at the drop of a hat. Three of them all together, to be exact.
Just over three minutes removed from the game-tying score by Wellsville, the Bolivar-Richburg senior began his pursuit of the Lions cage. In a span of 1:24, Gaines then flipped the game on its head with two go-ahead markers to clinch the hat trick for the Wolverines, giving them the lead right back and ultimately for good to finish off what was a 4-1 win.
Bolivar-Richburg (5-3) would have to outlast Wellsville through much of the first half time across the midfield, with their best opportunity to score coming on a run into the offensive zone by Gaines, who shifted a pass up to Waide Karnuth, and then a wide-open shovel to his right for a potential one-timer for Caleb Miller, but the shot his straight off the post and the Lions were able to clear the zone from any more danger.
But right back up the field on their next offensive rush, the Wolverines cracked through with Gaines netting his first of three scores after shimmying past the defense in front to deliver a rocket to the far side of the cage to set up a 1-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Wellsville (1-7) flipped the script and started fresh with Blake Kalkhof doing the honors with a long kick from 20 yards out, sailing straight over David Abdo in between the posts and into the back of the cage. Cooper Brockway was credited with the helper on a short pass on the rush upfield.
The deadlock was now in effect, but just as quick as Wellsville forced it, Bolivar-Richburg unlocked it for good with the help of Gaines once more, as he scored two clutch goals in a span of nearly 90 seconds to pull his team ahead once and for all with a 3-1 lead. At the 24:21 mark, Cayden Gaines would finish off the scoring for the Wolverines off a corner kick taken by Landon Barkley.
All four goals were accounted for off 15 total shots for the hosts in black and red, as they outshot the Lions by a 15-5 count. Abdo made four saves to record the win, while Gavin Haggerty made 11 saves for Wellsville, who now gets set to host Genesee Valley/Belfast in their home opener on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Bolivar-Richburg’s return to action will occur on Friday with a trip to Hinsdale, as they prepare for a big Allegany County clash with rival Cuba-Rushford — winners of four straight, beginning at 7 p.m.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 4, Friendship/Scio 0
BELMONT — The scoring was ever in Genesee Valley/Belfast’s favor on Wednesday on a chilly night at Judy Bliven Field in Belmont, especially for Evan Turybury and Callahan Tallman, each scoring a pair of goals to ignite what was a 4-0 home shutout over visiting Friendship/Scio.
To go along with a strong offensive presence all through the game, the Genesee Valley/Belfast (5-2) defense was just as strong on the other side of the pitch, as they held Friendship/Scio to just a single shot on goal while completing a 16-1 advantage in the shot department.
Kyle McCumiskey would go on to make the one save to record the shutout for the hosts in black, while Deacon Brown made 12 saves on the other end for Friendship/Scio (1-8), who will now get set for a 1 p.m. first kick at Houghton Academy on Saturday.
Genesee Valley/Belfast will stand pat at Judy Bliven Field to welcome in the undefeated Eagles of Fillmore for a 7 p.m. visit on Friday.
Fillmore 8, Andover/Whitesville-Jasper-Troupsburg 0
ANDOVER — An electric first 40 minutes of play saw the Eagles of Fillmore soar to big heights with five different scorers all helping charge their seventh straight win to open the season on Wednesday in Andover, including Eben Schilke and his pair of goals to help set the pace for an 8-0 shutout win over Andover/Whitesville.
“It was a good night for us tonight in Andover. We were able to play some great possession soccer while maintaining a clean sheet defensively, allowing the defense to give Ryan (Vedder) and the defense our sixth shutout this year,” said Eagles coach Jarrett Vosburg. “Any time you can get six different people involved in the scoring, it’s a great night for the team. Credit to Andover/Whitesville-JT, they were hustling for the ball and working hard all night.”
The tone was immediately set by the Class D State Champions right in the first 15 minutes of play, all captained by the efforts of Schilke, who had a had in the team’s first four goals, scoring one of his own sandwiched between markers from Zach Sisson at 6:13 to open the scoring, and later from Henry Sardina and Jack Cool to complete what was a six-point night for the Eagles (7-0).
Schilke would go on to record his second of the game off a feed from Cool to pair with Layton Sanasith’s score with four minutes left in the opening half to extend the Fillmore advantage to 6-0.
The second half saw two more goals come to fruition to complete their 19-shot output on the attack against Andover/Whitesville (4-4), as Sardina recorded his second goal of the game just six minutes in before handing out a helper to Brayden Hennard for his first of the season near the midway mark. On defense, the Eagles allowed just five shots — all of which were stopped by Ryan Vedder for the shutout.
On the other end, Skyler Orpet made 11 saves for the hosts in black, who are now off until Tuesday when they host Alfred-Almond in a 6 p.m. contest back in Andover.
“The boys played a much better game against a tough Fillmore squad,” AWJT coach Cody Borden said. “They always show up to play and are coached extremely well. I have a ton of respect for Jarrett (Vosburg). We grew up playing against one another, and it’s always fun to coach against him. But credit to our boys for stepping up and playing a solid game.”
Fillmore will now go for eight in a row on Friday, when the road swing continues to Judy Bliven Field in Belmont for a 7 p.m. visit with Genesee Valley/Belfast.
