Make no mistake about it, the Clarence boys soccer team will be chasing a state title this

weekend, not payback.

The Red Devils find themselves playing Long Island's Brentwood in Saturday's New York State

Class AA semifinals in Oneonta. The same team beat them in last year's final, 2-1. The same

team ended their season at 23-1. But that's not their motivation.

"We're trying not to play up the revenge factor," coach Mike Silverstein said. "Last year

we lost with a different group of guys. These guys are going at it like they want their own

identity. These guys want to get their own experience."

Brentwood (17-3) has eight starters back from last year's team while Clarence (16-3-1) has

four. The Indians lost three games since starting this season as the No. 1-ranked team in the

country by nscaa.com.

Clarence counts heavily on its defense. The Red Devils have won their last three postseason

games by 1-0 scores. Goalkeeper Hunter Hein has 13 shutouts. Ryan Schroen, Scott Berardi, Zak

Waters, Eric Funk and Derek Maier played plenty of minutes in last year's Brentwood game.

Maier leads the team with 12 goals.

For the second year in a row, Section VI has three teams in the state final four. Section

VI is looking for its first state title since North Collins won Class D in 1994.

CLASS B: If Grover Cleveland fails in its bid to bring a state title back to

Buffalo, it won't be the worst thing in the world. This team of international

student-athletes, most of African descent, has seen real suffering, poverty and hardship.

Instead, the players are just happy to be playing soccer. The Presidents (15-1) play

VIII-Center Moriches (16-3-1) at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday in Oneonta. Win and they play for the

title on Sunday.

"They don't understand going to states. They asked me if there was going to be a TV in their

rooms. They are more excited about staying in a hotel," said coach Telly Forcucci. "I can't

tell [if they're nervous]; they don't get nervous by the way they play. They don't realize the

history that they're writing and that helps us. They're not caught up in the hype and all the

craziness."

The other teams in the Class B bracket include III-Marcellus and II-Broadalbin-Perth, both

established programs with rich soccer traditions. By contrast, Grover Cleveland didn't break

into the state rankings until after the Presidents won the Section VI title. They came in at

No. 14 and jumped to No. 9 after knocking off V-Holley, the state's No. 1-ranked team.

"We came out of nowhere," Forcucci said. "This is something Disney should make a movie

about."

Opponents have trouble competing with Grover Cleveland's speed. Forcucci said Holly

couldn't catch them and often resorted to grabbing and holding his players. Adan Mukumbira

leads the team with 15 goals, while Mohamed Kanneh and Mohamed Musse are other scoring

threats.

CLASS C: Holland enters Saturday's game clearly playing its best soccer of the

season. The Dutchmen (15-4-1) meet VIII-Friends Academy (10-5-1) at 11:15 a.m. It's their

first trip to states since losing in the 2006 finals.

Holland knocked off two-time state champion Red Creek, 3-2, to reach states. Sophomore

midfielder Jordan Farrant shadowed Red Creek's best player and shut him down. "He's the most

athletic guy on the team," coach Rob Booker said. "He's great in the air, has great

anticipation."

Booker described senior center-midfielder Josh Radecki as the heart and soul of the team.

Senior forward Tom Wiskup has scored the game-winner in the last two wins, against Red Creek

and Silver Creek.

Girls soccer

CLASS C: Frewsburg is the lone Section VI representative to reach the state final

four. The Bears were the only team among the five classes to beat their Rochester counterpart.

Frewsburg (18-2-1) travels to Cortland State to face III-Sauquoit Valley (22-0) in a state

semifinal Friday at 9 a.m. The final is Saturday.

This will be the first appearance for the Bears, coming off the program's first Section VI

title. The team's top defender is Elisha Mesler. Nicole Pengborn and Breana Currie have been

playing solid in the midfield. On the striker line, sophomore Emily Foy scored the tying goal

to help beat Williamson in the Far West Regionals.

Girls volleyball

Section VI is sending too much talent to Glens Falls to return empty-handed. The Glens

Falls Civic Center will host the state championships, which begin on Saturday with pool play.

The Section VI lineup includes Eden (53-1-1), City Honors (18-0) and Cattaraugus/Little Valley

(20-2). The finals are Sunday.

CLASS B: Eden has won six state titles, the last in 2007. The Raiders have seen two

of their three opponents in pool play — John Glenn and Hendrick-Hudson — in

regular season tournaments.

"Hendrick-Hudson is a good team with a lot of club players. They're very athletic, a skilled

team, pretty balanced," Eden coach Stephen Pierce said. "John Glenn relies mostly on two

athletic kids, one middle and one outside. If somebody gets hot, that can make things more

difficult."

Eden has a core of players that will present any team with matchup problems: Stacey Smith,

Hannah Herc, Heather Feldman and Katie Eschner.

CLASS C: City Honors returns to states for the first time in 10 years. The Centaurs

won titles in 1990 through 1993 and made appearances in 1995 and 1997 through 1999. Looking to

cap off their senior years with a state title are: Natalya Burgess, Alysia Negron, Carly

Daniel, Naya Young and Brielle Sanson.

"They know all the history now, but what they don't know is what it feels like to be

there," coach Deb Matos said. "That's kind of fun too, and it's really helping them focus.

We're experiencing a lot of support from the City Honors community and the Buffalo Public

Schools."

CLASS D: Cattaraugus/Little Valley is convinced the eight players on its roster can

do the job. It's the first trip to the final since the school was Cattaraugus in 1998. The

districts merged in 2001.

The only returning team in the Class D bracket is X-Chateaugay, which lost to

Portville in last year's final. Running the offense is senior setter Casey Miller.

She's been successful this season setting to leading hitter Sara Crandall, senior middle Kara

Jackson and outside hitter Erin Crandall.

Field hockey

CLASS A: Williamsville North is two games away from winning its second New York

State title in three years. The Spartans were runners-up in 2008 and won it in 2007. North

(20-0) plays IV-Greene (18-0) in a Friday semifinal on the turf at Vestal High School.

"I think the entire A bracket is very strong," said coach Kris LaPaglia. "Three out of the

four teams that were in it last year are back in the semifinals including [defending champion]

Ward Melville."

North junior midfielder Allie Ahern, who had 20 goals and 24 assists a year ago, currently

has 29 and 24. Junior goaltender Jess Wess has 12 shutouts.

LaPaglia was grateful to Amherst for letting her team practice on its turf field all last

week. North's field is grass.

CLASS B: Amherst makes its first trip to states since losing in the 2004 semifinals.

The Tigers (14-5-1) play IV-Maine-Endwell in a semifinal on Friday. Amherst has won sectional

titles three of the past six years.

The Tigers fell behind, 1-0, in their last two games — against Williamsville

South and Pittsford-Sutherland — but came back to win. "That spurred our team to

become more focused and intense," coach Laurie LeGoff said. "We've played from ahead, played

from behind. We've responded well."

Katrina McQuiggan leads the team with 14 goals and 16 assists and Brooke Bullock has 10

goals and five assists.

Cross country

What will the East Aurora girls do for an encore after winning their fifth straight

New York State meet last weekend? That answer will come on Saturday after they compete in the

New York State Federation meet at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls.

"Our girls ran one of their best state meets ever [based on speed rankings]; they made it a

12-point meet," coach Walt McLaughlin said. "Our goal [for Federations] has always been to

finish in the top five. Our goal this year is top three. That would really be an awesome

accomplishment."

EA placed fifth last year. McLaughlin said he expects II-Saratoga, II-Shenendehowa and

II-Queensbury to present the biggest challenge.

While the Blue Devils qualified as a team, several Section VI runners made it individually.

Also running in the 12:15 p.m. girls race will be freshman Kaylea Rustay of JFK, junior

Jamie Wallace of Alden and senior Katie Niblock of Sweet Home. Section VI boys

competing in the 1 p.m. race will be senior Brendan Gregg of West Seneca West, Taylor

Yerrick of Clarence and Drew Perilli of Lockport.

Canisius and Nardin will represent the CHSAA. Individual qualifiers are Chuck Mule of St.

Joe's, Sean Redfield of St. Francis and Bill Lawson of Bishop Timon-St.

Jude. Girls competing are Gabby Leo and Kaitlyn Lopez of Immaculata and Paige

Peltan of Nichols.

The Checkers/Runners Roost All-High School Invitational is Sunday at Elma Meadows

starting at 10 a.m.

Girls swimming

Section VI has swimmers seeded in the top eight in nine of 12 events heading into this

weekend's 34th annual New York State Swimming and Diving Championships at Webster Schroeder.

The only top seed is Kenmore West senior Marissa Dressel, the favorite in the 100-yard

freestyle with a time of 52.08. She is the No. 4 seed in the 200 free. Dressel is the

defending state champion in both events.

Look for Section VI to pick up big points in the relay.

Olean's 200 medley is the No. 2 seed, Kenmore West and Clarence are 2-3 in the 200

free relay and Kenmore West is No. 3 in the 400 free relay. Amherst eighth-grader Aleza

Epstein is the No. 2 seed in the 50 free.

The prelims and diving are Friday followed by the finals in all of the swimming events on

Saturday starting at 10:15 a.m.