SECTION IV GIRLS SOCCER: WAVERLY WINS FIRST-EVER SECTIONAL TITLE — BLANKS LONGTIME NEMESIS CHENANGO FORKS, 2-0, IN CLASS B FINALS (24 PHOTOS) (2024-11-02)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportONEONTA — Freshman Gianna Soprano and Kaylin Twedt scored goals, and Waverly's defense and keeper junior Clare Clonch posted a clean sheet to lead the Wolverines to the program's first-ever Section IV championship — a 2-0 win over longtime nemesis Chenango Forks in the Class B title game — here Saturday afternoon at the Wright National Soccer Campus.
Longtime coach Tara Hogan piloted Waverly into the Class B title game in three consecutive seasons — 2016, '17, and '18 — but all three ended with losses to Chenango Forks.
"It feels especially good to beat (Chenango Forks)," laughed Hogan.
"The first time we beat them this year, some of our former players like Zoe Mennig and Kayla Kromelbein were reaching out to congratulate us," she noted. "That was a frustrating time — same team, same location, same loss.
"This year, we were fully expecting Watkins Glen, but when they got knocked out, it changed everything," she continued. "Then, it was like 'Forks again, what are the odds?'
"Yeah this one feels really good," Hogan added.
Hogan said the history-making win was a "total team effort.
"Every single girl on this roster has made a difference," she said. "They have all worked so hard to be at practice, worked hard at practice, and never, ever given up.
"They made program history today and we couldn’t be happier," Hogan added.
Senior Addison Westbrook, who missed all of last season with a knee injury suffered on the first day of preseason camp, was also pumped after the win.
"Last year was horrible, just sitting and watching, and not being able to help my team," she said.
"It feels so much better now that I'm able to help out, and we won a Sectional championship," added Westbrook. "I'm happy to be part of it."
Senior Kiley Stillman, playing her fifth season of varsity soccer, doesn't sound like she's ready for the season to end.
"This is very exciting," she said. "I can wait to go on and keep playing."
The regular season was Waverly's second in the STAC after a 35-year association with the IAC. Hogan was not originally a proponent of the move, but said it has definitely been the right one for her program.
"I was not a fan, but in hindsight, it's pretty clear the move to the STAC was a big benefit to us.
"The girls didn't understand the seeding points, and were confused that Watkins Glen was 12-2, but seeded behind us," said Hogan, whose team was 10-4 at the time the seeds came out. "I told them, 'they don't play the teams we do.'"
Stillman said the team was more prepared coming into this postseason.
"Last year, we got a really good view of how good teams in the STAC are.
"Coming into the season this year, we had a good idea of who we would have to watch out for," she said.
"And working at practice on what we learned from last year that we needed to do really helped us," added Stillman.
Chenango Forks controlled the action for the first 5 minutes of the game, and whistled a shot over the crossbar less than 60 seconds into the contest.
Westbrook and Kennedy attributed the slow start to playing on grass for the first time in 2024.
"Not having played on grass all season, I think it caught us off-guard a little at the beginning of the game," said Westbrook. "After a little bit, though, we got our composure."
"We haven't played on grass at all this year, and that contributes a lot ... it's not the normal speed we play at," said Stillman. "Our first-touches are way harder on grass than on turf."
Hogan didn't want to blame the surface.
"It takes us a little while to get going, I won't even say it was the grass.
"I can't even blame it on the grass, I think it Sectional championship game jitters, but once we got the jitters out, and gained our composure, we played our game," said Hogan.
Waverly started to take control about 8 minutes into the game, and over the next 15 minutes, just Kaitlyn Sutton whistled three shots at the Forks net — one just outside the far post, one just over the crossbar, and another right at the keeper.
The Wolverines kept up the pressure, and in the 34th the Forks keeper was unable to handle a cross, and the rebound caromed toward Soprano, who took it toward the net. Her shot was deflected by the keeper off a Forks defender and into the net.
"I just kept going at the net, I tried not to stop," said Soprano. "I shot it, the goalie got her hand on it, and it hit off the (defender) and kicked in.
"I scored," added Soprano. "It was great."
"Gianna had just gotten in the game, she was fresh," said Hogan. "She has good foot skills, good speed, and doesn't give in.
"She doesn't shy away from contact, and in this instance you don't give up until the ball is in the keeper's hands," added Hogan. "It paid off for her."
Waverly led 1-0 at the half, but added to its advantage less than a minute after the intermission when Twedt ran down a through-ball, dribbled toward the goal, and tipped it past a charging keeper to make it 3-0.
"I was dribbling up the field, and had a lot of adrenaline," she said. "I really wanted to score to get a bigger lead, we weren't really comfortable with a 1-0 lead.
"The goalie came at me, and took out my legs, but I got a touch on the ball, and it went in.
"When I shot and I saw it going in, I was so happy, and all my teammates running to me and congratulating me," added Twedt. "It was really awesome."
The Wolverine defense did the rest, with Clonch recording a pair of athletic saves in the final 39 minutes to preserve the save.
"Our four defenders — Haley Larrabee, Makenzie Olmsted, Kendall Rockwell, and Maci Wheeler at sweeper — are unbelievable," said Hogan.
"The way they work together is seamless. I have to give them little to no direction.
"And Clare is getting better and better," noted Hogan. "She's been playing with an injury that's been bothering her all season, but she's as tough as nails, and she's going to play.
Claire had a great game today and came off the line a bit more than she’s used to which paid off," added Hogan. "She is so confident, and so incredibly reliable."
Waverly had a 13-12 advantage in shots-on-goal, and Forks had a 2-1 edge in corner kicks.
Clonch recorded 12 saves in net for the Wolverines.
Waverly, now 13-4, will play in the Class B state quarterfinals next Saturday. Hogan is excited to prepare for the state tournament.
"I've never been in this situation, so I'm really excited.
"No one really knows much about us, so I'm hoping to catch people off guard, and get to play a little longer," said Hogan.
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PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY. (MORE PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK.)
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