NYSPHSAA GIRLS' SOCCER: HORSEHEADS RALLIES BACK, BUT FALLS IN REGIONAL FINAL (24 PHOTOS) (November 9, 2025)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Report
WAVERLY — Down 3-0, the Horseheads girls’ soccer team could have given up in their regional final game against Warwick.

But, the Blue Raiders fought back, cutting the deficit to 3-2, but in the end that’s how the game ended. 

“Team has heart,” Horseheads coach Lee Spencer said. “That’s all there is to it. They don’t have quit in them. It’s not in their vocabulary, which is what you want with a tea. I’m really proud of how we clawed back into the game. I think there was an opportunity there to finish one, tie it up and maybe it’s a whole different game, but Warwick is a quality tea, they played well so I’m proud of the effort the girls gave.”

Down 3-0, Sydney Blunt scored back-to-back goals late in the first half to cut the deficit to 3-2.

“She’s a spark plug,” Spencer said. “When she gets free she’s tough. She’s very tough to track down. I thought they held her in check pretty well in the second half, better than the first.”

Ellie Janckowski had a big game in goal for the Blue Raiders, recording double digit saves in the second half alone.

“Ellie balled out, she went after everything, she made some phenomenal saves,” Spencer said. “There were a couple I was like, oh no, and she got it. I’m really proud of it. For a sophomore in this game in this situation, she played really well.”

Getting a taste states is something that will just help the younger players going forward.

“It’s going to be huge, they are going to have that game mentality of being in the big games already next year going into the season,” Spencer said. “So, the bright lights aren’t going to phase them at all.

“First one in program history for us going to a regional game. They came, they didn’t quit, it’s like I’ve said all year they have a ton of heart and they showed it all season.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM GAME:

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