Williamsville North crowned in Class A field hockey
Adjustments push Spartans past Lancaster; Barker takes Class C by blanking Akron
Kristine LaPaglia and Kathleen Majeski know each other like sisters. They coach the same club field hockey team during the offseason and are the first to congratulate each other at game's end. So it's no surprise that Saturday's Class A sectional championship between LaPaglia's unbeaten Williamsville North squad and Majeski's scrappy Lancaster team held no surprises.
"We know our strategies," LaPaglia said. "It was like a chess match today."
That chess match shaped up as a defensive battle and ended in a 2-1 North victory and the Spartans' third straight sectional title (six in the last seven years). Despite the outcome, it was a battle the Redskins wanted.
"We both have potent corner attacks," Majeski said. "We know their attacking battery. I changed our whole strategy to help deny some of our shots."
That adjustment included starting a recently promoted junior varsity player because she fit Saturday's strategy better. And while the Redskins controlled North's attack for most of the game, Allie Ahern split the Lancaster defense early to score the first of two first half goals (Chelsea Smith scored the other) that proved to be the difference.
"They're huge," LaPaglia said. "It was crucial for us to get those early goals."
North played in Lancaster's end for most of the first half despite Melissa Kurzdorfer's laser strike for Lancaster. While Lancaster spent more time in North's circle in the second, they were unable to clear the ball in the final 10 minutes.
While North had a few disallowed goals (the last because the ball didn't hit the striker boards in the back of the net), Lancaster goalkeeper Alyssa Zaidel played strong with 16 saves.
Majeski, who converted Zaidel to a goalie after her sophomore year, said her leadership — even in a loss — isn't out of character.
"She has a great mental outlook on the game," Majeski said. "She's great to lead the team because she tells it like it is."
In the Class C final, Barker beat Akron, 3-0, with most of the action coming in the second half.
Akron goalkeeper Shannon Winney saved a five-hole shot by Savanna Gancasz halfway through the first, but 30 seconds later Sienna Dear's off-speed goal put Barker ahead, 1-0.
After taking that lead into the half, Barker extended its lead with Aileen Hinton's goal that smacked off the boards and left a loud thud in Tiger ears.
Barker coach Judith Otto said her team's persistence was a weeklong battle, with most of her players fighting through illnesses.
"They just had to put it all in perspective and go for the game," she said.
Senior captain Crystal Mott said her team's acceptance of that battle wasn't ever in question.
"You just want it so bad, you're willing to do pretty much anything," she said. "You just sub your sick players out, give them rest and bring them back in. It's the heart you have for the game."
The Raiders scored their final goal with just over 12 minutes remaining when Rebecca Quackenbush tapped a cross-field shot passing through the legs of the Akron defense into the left side of the open net.
Williamsville North (19-0) and Barker (19-0) will play the Section V (Rochester area) champions in the Far West Regionals at Medina Veterans Park Wednesday at 3 p.m. The Class B final between Amherst and Williamsville South will be played Monday at 3 p.m. at Amherst.
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