Quite the comeback for GI girls

The Grand Island girls soccer team’s season wasn’t going to end in the quarterfinals again.

Even if it was down, 3-0, in the second half.

The Vikings scored four second-half goals to come from behind and beat Iroquois, 4-3, in Saturday’s Section VI Class A quarterfinals. Jordan Dudish scored twice, including the game-winner with five minutes left.

“After we went down, 3-0, we knew we weren’t going to be kept off the board, but would time and the [rainy] conditions allow us to come all the way back?” said GI coach David Bowman, whose team lost to eventual champion East Aurora in last year’s quarterfinal round after going seven seasons either sharing or winning the sectional title.

“The girls really put it all together. It was a team effort not to look back and keep pressuring until we got where we wanted to be. There was a lot of team hustle all over the field.”

Danielle Braun had a tremendous game for Iroquois, scoring all three of the Chiefs’ goals. She made great one-on-one moves to score twice in the first half, then scored on a pretty long shot three minutes into the 40-minute second half to put Iroquois up, 3-0.

“We outshot them, 29-9, but they made their opportunities count,” said Bowman.

The Grand Island comeback started with 29 minutes to play when Jenna Raepple sent a long shot over the goalkeeper. With 22 minutes left, Dudish banged in a ball that was sent across the penalty box. With 13 minutes left, GI tied it when Lexi Amato scored off a free kick.

Dudish’s game-winner came off a crossing pass from Liz Lawrence, who came off the bench to provide some great play for the Vikings. “She really helped the team in ball control and distribution — she set up multiple plays that led to chances,” said Bowman.

Two girls games washed out

Grand Island will host Amherst in Wednesday’s semifinals. Stephanie Scime and Allison Rogers had the goals and Casey Maguire had the shutout in the Tigers’ 2-0 win over Albion.

Teresa Delabio and Katie Hale each scored twice as Starpoint beat Lew-Port, 7-2; the Spartans are waiting on their semifinal opponent as the matchup of Hamburg at top-seeded Williamsville East was postponed to 3:30 p. m. Monday by the wet weather.

The Class AA final four is also waiting to see if its top seed will join due to a postponement due to wet weather. Clarence will host West Seneca West Monday at 3:30 p. m. with the winner facing fifth-seeded North Tonawanda, which won at fourth-seeded Orchard Park, 2-0. The seedings held in the other games as No. 2 Williamsville North and defending champion No. 3 Kenmore West advanced.

Elena Lesse and Alexis Kroses both scored in the second half to give Williamsville North (13-4-1) a 2-0 victory over Niagara-Wheatfield. The North defense limited the Falcons to three shots on goalkeeper Courtney Ball.

The Class D championship will come down to Maple Grove and Ellicottville after both won big in their semifinals. Top-seeded Maple Grove (16-3) rolled to a 5-0 win over North Collins while Ellicottville beat West Valley, 7-0.

The Class D final on the boys side was also set by two semifinal shutouts. Chris Saxton scored twice and Connor Meekins added one goal as Maple Grove (17-1-1) beat Ellicottville, 3-0. Dan Kehr had two of North Collins’ goals and Stevie Ray Foit got the shutout in a 6-0 victory over Brocton.

The Class B final four consists of City Honors, Akron, Wilson and East Aurora.

Christian Central wins IAC

Christian Central cruised to the IAC championship with a 10-2 victory over Park.

Saye-Lyne Noel scored three times while Ruth Rissinger and Abby Whittlinger each had two goals. Rachel Cook had a goal and two assists to give her 41 goals and four assists on the season.

GI, Canisius spike tourneys

Grand Island tuned up for next week’s Section VI boys volleyball tournament with a win in its own tournament, and it came against a familiar foe.

Senior Scott Holler had 11 kills, three blocks, four digs and two aces as the Vikings beat Kenmore West, 25-17, 24-26, 25-19, in the finals of the 10-team tournament. Grand Island dropped just one game in pool play — to Lockport — to win its third tournament victory of the season.

GI beat Kenmore West on Tuesday for first place in the Niagara Frontier League, and Grand Island also beat the Blue Devils in the finals of the Kenmore West Tournament. Grand Island also won the North Tonawanda tournament.

Kyle Thompson earned MVP honors as Canisius rolled to the championship of the Hamburg Tournament. Canisius, which lost just one game all day— to St. Joe’s in pool play— paid its rival back in the championship match with a 25-16, 25-15 win.