BINGHAMTON — Just when Oneonta thought it had Chenango Valley where it wanted the Warriors, a late goal sunk the Yellowjackets chances for a trip to the state tournament Saturday, Nov. 1.
Declan Clark scored the game winner with 12:36 left in regulation to give No. 5 seeded Chenango Valley a Section IV Class B boys soccer title with a 1-0 win over No. 3 Oneonta, in a match where CV was the host because of previous scheduling but not the home school based on seedings.
Clark’s game winner was set up by Kosta Battisti, who took a ball up the left sideline and made a great cross to Clark in front of the goal.
“I thought we were taking it to them,” said Oneonta Coach Todd Scanlon.
“It’s tough, because you could see the play developing. We had two or three chances to stop him. He made the play. We didn’t. Sometimes soccer is like that,” he said.
Prior to that, the Yellowjackets had been on the attack for much of the second half, outplaying the Warriors after an occasionally lackluster first half. The Oneonta coaches told their players throughout the second half how close they were to breaking through, how well they responded, how well they were playing as individuals and as a team, and perhaps most importantly, how tired the Warriors looked on the other side.
Yet, when the game-winning play came, it was Battisti who made it.
Aiden Wamsley made eight saves for Oneonta (11-5-3), which was outshot 12-7, but had a 6-1 advantage on corner kicks.
Bryan Weaver made four saves for Chenango Valley (10-3-3).
It was the first section title in boys soccer for the Warriors, who will play the Section X winner in a state quarterfinal match at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 8, at Union-Endicott High School.
For Oneonta, it was a bitter loss, but Scanlon said his team will learn from it and he expects them to be a contender again next season.
“We’ve got a great junior class,” Scanlon said. “They’re hard workers and good kids, good leaders. We’ll be back.”