Monday Roundup: GV/Belfast girls issue Fillmore 1st regular season loss in 6 years behind goals by Scott, Tallman in 2-0 blank; Larabee’s 2nd half marker sets up C-R’s road shutout in Wellsville
By CHIRS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
FILLMORE — The number is 94.
It is an even-numbered integer of utmost significance. In order for that number to come into play, you would have to reverse the course of time to 94 regular season games in the past. That day fell on September 25, 2018 on the calendar — the last time the Lady Eagles of Fillmore suffered defeat before entering the Sectional realm, in a 2-1 game against eventual Class D2 champion Hinsdale.
Six long years. That all led up to Monday night with the top spot in the Allegany County standings hanging very much in the balance.
The target on their back, bigger than ever before.
There was a bit of a sting left behind after a 3-1 halftime lead by Genesee Valley/Belfast fell victim to one of the more herculean comebacks you may see anywhere this season, when the Lady Eagles accounted for six unanswered markers in the second half to score a gargantuan 7-3 win in Belfast back in early September to aid in opening the 2024 campaign.
To say that there was redemption on the top of the minds of Genesee Valley/Belfast heading into their regular season finale with the Lady Eagles, would be a massive understatement.
Following one of their biggest wins of the season on an emotional Saturday afternoon against Cuba-Rushford, Genesee Valley/Belfast was soaring higher than ever before. And after their visit to Fillmore to open the new week, they could very well be on Cloud Nine.
In short, redemption has never tasted sweeter before.
Courtesy of big-time strikes in the first half of play from both Danika Scott and Bayleigh Tallman, Genesee Valley/Belfast did not flinch. With a two-goal lead in hand, the weight on the shoulders was now passed along to the defense to hold their end of the bargain in the last 40 minutes of play.
Despite numerous attempts from the Lady Eagles to possess and apply opportunities, the defense never wavered, as Genesee Valley/Belfast went on to hand Fillmore their first regular season loss in six years with another momentous victory for the ages — their eighth in a row, in the shape of a 2-0 shutout of the defending Class D State Finalists.
“We have been fortunate to pull out many games like this, this season and beyond, but tonight that didn’t happen,” Lady Eagles coach Jon Beardsley said. “Genesee Valley/Belfast played a very smart first half and played consistently the whole half, making us pay for two mistakes. In the second half, I thought we turned the tide and played as well as we could without finishing. Genesee Valley/Belfast deserved to win, 100 percent, but I appreciated how our girls played in the second half. It was a battle right to the end and both teams left it all out on the field.”
The Genesee Valley/Belfast (10-1-1) offense took advantage of the game right away in the first half, as they set the tone for Fillmore going forward with two gigantic goals — the first of which stemming off a direct kick near the top of the Lady Eagles 18. On the kick was Danika Scott, who airmailed a shot straight to the far post to beat Grace Clark in net for the hosts in green to break the ice with a 1-0 lead approaching midway.
The battle for possession carried on after the score, with the visitors earning another prime chance to double their lead from Tallman, who used a magnificent solo effort to dig herself free from the Fillmore (11-1) defense, which remained on their feet across all 40 minutes of the half, letting a shot ring directly off the far post after gathering a pass from Hannah Southwick-Powers near midfield.
But Tallman would eventually find the back of the net after knocking on the door again.
With eight minutes remaining until the break, the Genesee Valley/Belfast sophomore was chased down by Clark in net for the loose ball next to the near post. With two Fillmore defenders shielding the ball for Clark to pick up, Tallman evaded both of them to jar it free and out of their grasp, sending a cross directly to the front where it pirouetted right to the far post netting and in to officially double their advantage.
Just like in their battle with Northstar back on Saturday, the Lady Eagles turned the tide in their favor once again in the last 40 minutes, as they began to dig their way out of the first half trench Genesee Valley/Belfast had created, turning the pressure up to the highest level possible to create a bounty of scoring chances against a defense that ultimately remained as firm as possible.
Among the opportunities: Two direct kicks off the foot of Ryleigh Goodliff — both recording the right speed and projecting the right arc to sail right in on the Genesee Valley/Belfast goal. But both times, they were met by Morgan Yackeren, who was simply undeniable in between the posts from start to finish, as she put a stop to all eight shots she faced to keep the Lady Eagles silenced for the shutout.
Fillmore would go on to claim a narrow 8-7 advantage in the shot department, with Grace Clark making five saves in goal for the hosts.
Both teams approach the pitch once again on Wednesday in a pair of 7 p.m. contests, with Genesee Valley/Belfast taking aim at a ninth straight win with a visit from Andover/Whitesville inbound at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast, while Fillmore looks to provide a major response on the bounce back with Wellsville coming to town.
Cuba-Rushford 1, Wellsville 0
WELLSVILLE — In a game filled with midfield battles from start to finish, you have to do whatever it takes to survive and advance.
After enduring another difficult and hard-fought defeat to the hands of Genesee Valley/Belfast this past weekend, the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford were on the mend, looking to get back on track on Monday back on the road.
There was another challenge waiting ahead however — the Lady Lions of Wellsville, a team they went the distance with in their previous battle back in early September.
Fast forward to their second and final night together in the Lion’s Den, it was more of the same feeling once again when Cuba-Rushford and Wellsville raced, fought and clawed all through the midfield scavenging anything and everything they could possibly muster to alter a game-long scoreless tie on the board.
But then, some heads-up ball movement up field began to open up the field of view for the Lady Rebels. On the far sideline, Cloey Larabee made a run.
And it was a run she did not lose.
The Cuba-Rushford senior galloped straight on the Lady Lions goal with one defender to beat. Approaching the halfway mark, Larabee made the most of the opportunity in every way possible, as she knocked home the game’s lone marker to put the Lady Rebels on top for good, using the 1-0 lead to secure a big bounce back win under the lights.
“This was a midfield battle from start to finish,” Lady Rebels coach Aaron Wight said. “Wellsville moves the ball and possesses it very well. They play like they have a lot of experience, but they’re very young. We created some great chances in both halves, and Cloey finally got in behind and finished well to get us the lead. Our girls did a great job of managing the game to hold onto it.”
Larabee’s score for the Lady Rebels (9-2-1) rang the dinner bell with 23:02 left in the game, as she picked up a ball following two passes up field, including one from Brynn Lavery right behind her. Larabee then did the rest of the work herself, as she ran stride-for-stride with one Lady Lions defender to beat on the way in, completing the 30-yard scamper by sneaking the ball underneath Lydia Kaye and down the middle of the net.
Despite the goal, the Lady Lions (5-7) were presented with a multitude of opportunities to try and tie the game, including an opportunity with 10 minutes remaining off a drop ball that was centered right in front of the Cuba-Rushford net, settled by Raegan Vogel before her open look sailed straight over the crossbar and away from danger.
A massive scramble would come into formulation in front of the Cuba-Rushford net later on after Wellsville delivered a deep ball back into the offensive zone. Lady Rebels goalkeeper Annaleece Melton was caught out of the net, which allowed the Lady Lions to zoom in and battle for the loose ball with an empty net in sight, but in the end, Melton was able to catch sight of the ball to force it back out of the defensive zone.
That prime opportunity, coming with five minutes remaining, as the Lady Rebels defense was able to hold the fort down until the end to capture the win.
The Lady Rebels went on to claim an 8-6 advantage in shots over the Lady Lions, with Melton making all six stops to record the shutout. On the other side, Kaye made seven saves for the hosts in black and orange.
Both teams return to action Wednesday night, with Cuba-Rushford heading back home to host Friendship/Scio in a 5 p.m. contest, while Wellsville hits the road for a 7 p.m. visit to Fillmore.
Andover/Whitesville 2, Hammondsport 1
ANDOVER — There’s no better feeling than sending your seniors out on the strongest note possible.
Senior Night arrived in its entirety for three of Andover/Whitesville’s upcoming graduates: Graci Lewis-Ellison, Leigha Phelps and Bella Pepiciello, as they took the field to embrace the warm glow from the lights on the pitch in Andover for one of their very last times together.
After a lengthy first half battle for possession with visiting Hammondsport, the knocking that Andover/Whitesville provided on the door ultimately received its answer, as Lewis-Ellison had a hand in the scoring of both of the team’s scores to set the bar for the second half.
Despite a goal from Hammondsport to cut the deficit in half later on, Andover/Whitesville was able to maintain their advantage to the end of the game, as they secured a 2-1 win on Monday.
“It was nice to be able to recognize Leigha, Graci and Bella on Senior Night. They have meant a lot to our program,” said Andover/Whitesville co-coach Aaron Rawady. “Each day, they show up and give us everything they have and do whatever is asked of them. We will definitely miss this group.”
Andover/Whitesville (3-9) connected with their first goal just past 10 minutes remaining in the first half, when the collaborated and put together a two-goal sequence in nearly six minutes, as Lewis-Ellison handed out a helper to Brynna Gaylord for the team’s first marker before scoring herself with 3:26 remaining off a pass sent along by Stella Bledsoe to close out the stanza by doubling their lead on the Lady Lakers.
The advantage would remain in place leading up to Hammondsport’s deficit cutter with 17:45 left to play, as Morgan Conley capitalized off a pass dished along by Zayda Braun.
But despite the added pressure going down the stretch, the hosts in black were able to shut the door and lock it for good, as the defense held the Lady Lakers still to score the Senior Night win.
Andover/Whitesville went on to outshoot Hammondsport by a 13-4 count, with Olivia Waters recording the win between the posts by making three saves.
Up next, Andover/Whitesville will hit the road for battle at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast, as they prepare to take on Genesee Valley/Belfast in a 7 p.m. contest.
