By CHRIS BROOKS, sports editor, wellsvillesport.com
ARKPORT — Three different scorers had a hand in chipping in a fast and furious start for the Arkport/Canaseraga Wolves on Wednesday, as they posted a first half against Andover/Whitesville-Jasper-Troupsburg that saw them remain in the driver’s seat from start to finish to claim a 6-2 season-opening victory.
Jacob Bacon, John Marcus and Eli Merry all tallied scores across the first portion of time to begin the night, with Marcus scoring back-to-back goals in a span of just two minutes at the 31 minute mark to give Arkport/Canaseraga an early command of a 3-0 lead against Andover/Whitesville-Jasper-Troupsburg (0-1).
The visitors would cut the deficit down to 4-1 at the break with the first of two Robert Bradley goals coming just past the midway mark of the opening half. But the momentum would pick right back up for the hosts with two more goals from Zach Smith and Koehler Preston to help finish off the victory before Bradley tallied his final goal at the 17:52 mark.
Arkport/Canaseraga outshot Andover/Whitesville-Jasper-Troupsburg by a 24-9 count, with Taylor Pragle recording seven stops for the win in goal. On the other end, Derek Perkins made 18 saves for the visitors.
Andover/Whitesville-Jasper-Troupsburg is back in action next Thursday night at the Brock Young Tournament in Scio, where they face host Friendship/Scio in a 7 p.m. first kick.
Arkport-Canaseraga Girls Soccer
Portville defeated Arkport/Canaseraga, 3-0 after a strong start on both ends of the field allowed the Lady Panthers to set the tone against the Lady Wolves.
The Lady Panthers carried a 2-0 lead into halftime, where they evaded the Lady Wolves and their most prime opportunity to cut the deficit right down the middle near midway in the second half in the midst of back-to-back corner kicks. But the Portville defense was able to shut down the chance quickly and clear the zone, allowing their third piece of insurance to formulate off the momentum shift with 14 minutes remaining to seal the game for good.
All four teams will return to action to close out the tournament Saturday night, with Arkport/Canaseraga taking the stage first against Holland in a 5 p.m. first kick, while Fillmore closes out at 7 p.m. with Portville.
FILLMORE — The Lady Eagles of Fillmore finished up their weekend in the most perfect of ways, Saturday night. After a dominant shutout performance over Holland, they would close out a 2-0 tournament outing through a strong performance from the Lady Panthers of Portville, using three second half goals to propel their ascension to glory with a 4-0 blank.
“We were certainly challenged from the beginning. We expected Portville to be a handful and the first half was as advertised,” Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley said. “We had a few more chances in the first half but couldn’t break through. At halftime, we regrouped and with our leadership, the girls responded and upped their intensity and level of play. Hope (Russell) came out and scored the next two goals and our overall play showed more effort and comfortableness. Our defense was rock solid against a very good Portville offense. It’s all about being effective, especially in a game like this, and they were.”
Through a stout defensive battle in the opening 40 minutes, the Lady Eagles (2-0) were able to somehow find an open window through all of it with the game’s first goal near the midway mark, which was set up by a pretty corner kick off the foot of Amelia Rose and straight to the front of the Portville cage where Grace Russell met the ball with ease to put the score away for her third of the season.
It would give Fillmore the upper-hand on the Lady Panthers going into the break, but the decibel level on the field to start the second half went straight through the roof with Hope Russell’s back-to-back pair of scores in rapid succession upping the Lady Eagles to three, with the first coming on a helper from Grace before taking the next all by herself to the Portville net.
The three-goal lead would hold until Tenlee Miller helped put the finishing touches on the victory and the perfect weekend for the hosts in black just past the halfway mark on a Hope Russell apple up the field to make it a 4-0 lead. The four Fillmore goals came on 14 total shots they would apply against the visitors in white and maroon, compared to the five in return that the Lady Panthers had.
In goal, Preslee Miller was rock solid, stopping all five shots to record her second consecutive shutout to open her senior season in between the posts.
The Lady Eagles are now off until Tuesday night, where they prepare for a 5 p.m. visit to Andover/Whitesville, in Whitesville.
GIRLS TENNIS
Canisteo-Greenwood 3, Fillmore 2
HOUGHTON — It came down to the wire between Canisteo-Greenwood and Fillmore to open up the new tennis season on the court, but a pair of strong victories in the doubles department for the Lady Chargers helped pave the way towards their first victory of the season on Wednesday at Houghton College by a 3-2 count.
“I’m really happy with how we played, considering it was our first match,” said Lady Eagles coach Randy Crouch. “We still have a lot to learn, but it was great to see the team implement so much of what we have worked on. Most importantly, they were excited and enthusiastic to play.”
Fillmore (0-1) garnered their two lone victories from within singles action, with their first coming from Claire Schilke at first singles, as she provided a dominant display over Canisteo-Greenwood’s Aaliyah Tigner with a 10-2 win in pro-set play. Spencer Hopkins would follow with a third singles win for the hosts by forfeit.
The Lady Chargers were propelled by a sweep of the doubles matches, with the first doubles team of McKenzie Clark and Serenity Sanford taking control with a 10-2 win over Kira Morley and Indigo Knapp, while the second doubles team of Amelia Stewart and Alli Jackson helped finish off the sweep with a 10-3 win against Fillmore’s Kirra Bentley and Lena Tucker.
At second singles, Canisteo-Greenwood collected one final victory from Bailey Gliesel, who scored a 10-4 win over Molly Mahoney to help finish off win number one for the Lady Chargers.
Fillmore will return to the court over the road next Wednesday night with a 5 p.m. visit to Avoca/Prattsburgh.
Singles
1. Claire Schilke (FIL) def. Aaliyah Tigner (C-G), 10-2.
2. Bailey Gliesel (C-G) def. Molly Mahoney (FIL), 10-4.
3. Spencer Hopkins (FIL) by for.
Doubles
1. McKenzie Clark/Serenity Sanford (C-G) def. Kira Morley/Indigo Knapp (FIL), 10-2.
2. Amelia Stewart/Alli Jackson (C-G) def. Kirra Bentley/Lena Tucker (FIL), 10-3.
Addison Tournament: Lady Lions hold steady behind big 1st half goals to capture title game spot
ADDISON — The first 40 minutes of play was the sufficient time frame where all the scoring took place to help open up tournament action in Addison between the Lady Lions of Wellsville and the host Lady Knights, Thursday night.
Falling into an early hole out of the gate, the Lady Lions were tasked with providing a big response in return.
They would go on and double their answer.
In a span of six minutes, Wellsville made sure they went into the break with the lead in hand, as they weaved their way through the Addison defense twice to tie and ultimately take the lead away from the Lady Knights, using the final 40 minute portion of time to solidify their defense led by an exceptional showing between the pipes from Lauren Viglietta to help the Lady Lions lock up their first win of the season by a 2-1 count and a spot in Saturday afternoon’s Championship game.
“What a way to start the season. This team has the drive and intensity to win games,” said Lady Lions coach Erica Aftuck. “Lauren Viglietta stepped up and played goal for us tonight. She played great, and she was aggressive and fearless. We worked as a team and never gave up. I am looking forward to this season with this group of athletes.”
After an early goal from Payton Smith nearly 10 minutes removed from the opening kick at center for Addison, the Lady Lions (1-0) were put on their feet for the remainder of the opening half. Despite the pressure, they would deliver a game-tying goal courtesy of a header from Talia O’Connor at the 25 minute mark to create even playing ground.
Not long after the deadlocking tally, Wellsville would snip it in favor of a go-ahead goal by Ayla Faulkner just six minutes later to give them the lead going into the break. The Lady Lions would remain in the driver’s seat all the way until the end, as the defense, led by stellar goaltending by Lauren Viglietta, fended off the Lady Knights once and for all to claim their first win of the season.
Both Wellsville goals came on 11 shots, as they were narrowly outshot by Addison, 15-11. In goal, Viglietta put a stop to 14 total shots to record the victory.
Up next, the Lady Lions will battle for the tournament’s championship title against the Alfred-Almond Lady Eagles on Saturday in a 3 p.m. first kick.
Bolivar-Richburg 2, Andover/Whitesville 1 (F-2OT)
ANDOVER — In the very first game of the season between Bolivar-Richburg and Andover/Whitesville, overtime was in the cards. After a scoreless first half went and gone, the heat was turned up in the last 40 minutes of play where both teams found the back of the net once to force not one, but two extra sessions.
With nearly five minutes left in double overtime and a potential tie waiting in the wings, the same scorer who helped ensure overtime late in the second half was the very same person who became the first game’s hero.
That being Cassidy Stives.
The Bolivar-Richburg junior called game deep in the Andover/Whitesville zone on a massive special teams opportunity, finding the loose ball right out in front of the cage and burying it home to put the Lady Wolverines into the win column in style to open up the new campaign on Thursday in Andover, as they edged their way towards a 2-1 double overtime victory under the lights.
After a fierce first half battle emanated all through the first half of play, the action began to ramp up when the final set of 40 minutes kicked into gear almost immediately. That was the case for Andover/Whitesville (0-1), as they struck gold first just 100 seconds removed from the kick at center, as Leigha Phelps sent along a picture-perfect cross across the front of the Bolivar-Richburg box to the foot of Brynna Gaylord for the score.
The lead for the hosts would hold steady all the way down to the wire, when the Lady Wolverines (1-0) were able to navigate their way onto the board with the first of two Cassidy Stives strikes, capitalizing on the first at the top of the Andover/Whitesville box after a pass from Emma Sisson was shifted along to assist in setting up the game-tying play with nearly 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
Upon entering the pair of overtime periods, the tie would hold as the midfield battle between both teams raged on.
But with 5:12 left on the clock and a potential season-opening tie remaining a possibility, Stives erased that chance with her final tally with a stellar position parked out front of the Andover/Whitesville cage, scoring the golden goal off a corner kick to give the Lady Wolverines the winning edge.
Despite the defeat, the Andover/Whitesville offense outshot Bolivar-Richburg by a 15-7 count, with Olivia Waters recording five saves to pick up the win. In turn, Rylee Whiting made 14 stops for the visiting team in white and red.
Both teams are now off until after the Labor Day weekend, when they take the field on Tuesday, as Bolivar-Richburg continues their road swing with a 7 p.m. battle against Genesee Valley/Belfast at Judy Bliven Field in Belmont, while Andover/Whitesville heads over the hill to Whitesville for a 5 p.m. meeting from Fillmore.
Addison Tourney: Cowburn nets hat trick for Lions, but Alfred-Almond swipes 6-4 Consolation win
ADDISON — Despite a strong offensive night from the foot of Aiden Cowburn to pace the Lions offense, the Alfred-Almond Eagles were able to ward off a late second half push from Wellsville in the Consolation round of tournament action in Addison on Friday, as they escaped with a 6-4 victory in a high-scoring affair to help close out the two-day twinbill.
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