SECTION 4 GIRLS' SOCCER: WHILE SEASON ENDS, HORSEHEADS GIRLS MAKE HISTORY (24 PHOTOS) (2024-11-02)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
WAVERLY — In what was one of the most memorable moments in program history, there was little celebration for the Horseheads girls’ soccer team.

The Blue Raiders played 110 scoreless minutes against the Vestal Golden Bears in the Section 4, Class AA final.

A scoreless tie meant a share of the Section 4 championship, the first in program history. But, in the shootout Vestal edged Horseheads 4-2, leaving the Blue Raiders season over as Vestal advances to regionals.

“It’s going to be awesome for them,” Horseheads coach Wes Kirk said of when the players look back and realize they are sectional champs. “One of the things I keep telling them is you have to go out there and play for the girls before you who never got here and carry yourself the way the girls who are watching and will be here after you want to be represented.

“I think we did that today. We played hard, we played fair. We got out here. Vestal is a quality team. They only lost two games all season, they just won the STAC title as well. We knew coming out here today was gong to be a tough challenge. I think we were up to it. Ending on PK’s is never a fun thing, because you want to play more soccer and get the job done on the pitch. But, it’s the cruel way soccer works sometimes.”

In the first half Vestal controlled a lot of the play in the game. But, neither team had many big scoring chances. Vestal had two shots in the half as Miley, Megan Wolf, Emma Kamas and the Blue Raiders defense stood strong in the half.

In the second half Vestal had six shots, but it was Horseheads who had some of the best scoring chances.

Wolf crossed the ball to Olivia Hornsby, who was one-on-one in front of the goal, but the Vestal goalie knocked the ball away for a corner. Two minutes later Kamas fired a long pass into Lauren Tournour, whose header went just wide.

Midway through the half Sydney Blunt went one-on-one with the defender and both went down, ending the threat. Kamas then hit a free kick from 20 yards out that flew into traffic in front of the net, but no one could connect.

Blunt took a feed from Maddie Ribble on the run and fired a shot just wide with three minutes left in regulation and the game went to overtime.

In the first overtime it was Vestal who controlled the play. They hit the cross bar on a long shot. The ball bounced straight down, narrowly avoiding bouncing into the net. Vestal got a clean shot inside the 18 that went high and they hit the football cross bar, and then had a shot go wide.

“We had prepped for not having a lot of possession,” Kirk said. “Gina Talbut’s teams have possession out the wazoo in games. We knew we were going to have to counter attack and wait until they get a little more tired and put ourselves on the front foot. Which, I thought we did in the second half and second overtime, we just came up a little short today.”

The second overtime was a barrage of chances for the Blue Raiders, none better than Ribble going one-on-one with the goalie in the opening minute of the second overtime and Vestal’s goalie making the save.

A minute later Blunt was stopped by the goalie and later in the overtime she had a one-on-one chance that the goalie stopped.

Vestal also had a couple strong chances, having one slide just wide of the goal and then they had a shot from 25 yards out with 1:15 left that hit off the football cross bar.

“Sometimes you get quality chances and the ball just doesn’t go in the net,” Kirk said. “We had a couple opportunities late in the game and the goalie came  up with two big saves and kept their team in it. Hats off to her.”

For the Horseheads you sometimes just have to give credit to the other teams goalie.

“Kudos to that goalie, she did great, she kept them in it,” Miley said. “I’m really proud of the girls. It happened once, it happened again, but we kept fighting. Especially since they are underclassmen, Maddie and Sidney, and they just kept pushing and pushing.”

The back-and-forth aspect of the game with each team having their share of chances is something Miley knows is part of the game.

“It’s so exciting, that’s the beauty of soccer,” Miley said. “Nobody is safe at any point in the game. It can go any way. Any five minutes it was changing and it was really exciting. That’s what was so special about this game, we kept in it. We kept fighting. There were a lot of opportunities, but the other team also had a lot of opportunities.”

For Horseheads players winning a sectional title was a big goal since before the season began.

“It was such an amazing feeling,” Miley said. “Being able to do this with girls you have been playing soccer with for so long and seeing us come so far. We really have grown so much as a team. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way, but there is always another chance we are going to keep working in the offseason. I am so proud of everybody. We put so much heart and hustle into this game. It’s not the best way to end, but it’s okay.

“In the beginning of the season we had a sheet. We had a bunch of goals on it. One of them was to go to sectionals and be a sectional final champion, so it’s kind of a full circle moment and I’m just really excited to see that in our school and something on the banner in the gym.”

For 10 seniors Saturday marked the end of their careers.

“The seniors this year are why this program is where we are,” Kirk said. “Whether it is on the field, off the field, whether it is soccer oriented or just human being oriented. The 10 girls we have who are seniors, they are great humans and they are all going to go onto do great things, whether it is in soccer, or other things. But, the Horseheads girls’ soccer program is where it is because of the 10 of them.”

For the underclassmen, the first sectional title is special, now the goal is winning the title outright and making states next year.

“It’s going to be the first thing on my list,” Miley, a junior, said. “That’s what we are going to be fighting for next year and we are going to implement it into every game and we are going to be here again next year, no doubt.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME:


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