Earning the #1 seed in Sectionals is a tremendous accomplishment, and commands respect from every other team in the bracket. With eight tournaments and eight Sectional bricks on the line, let’s meet the top contenders in each class.
Penfield Patriots:
Class: AA
League: Monroe County Division 1
Record: 11-4-0
For the second year in a row, the Patriots enter the Class AA Sectional tournament as the #1 seed. Despite a less-than-ideal end to their season, including three losses in a row, the Patriots are still the team to beat in Class AA.
A combination of speed and athleticism up front and on defense makes the Patriots an exhausting team to face. Senior Delaney Tellex’ dynamic play allows her to beat multiple defenders, setting up scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. She had 15 goals and four assists on the season.
On the defensive side, goalkeeper Emma Buckley and central defender Emily Hach provide great play and solid leadership to lock down the box.
Pittsford Mendon Vikings:
Class: A
League: Monroe County Division 3
Record: 14-0-2
Can the Vikings from Pittsford Mendon ride the longboat all the way to a Sectional title again? They’re certainly favored to, with a team drenched in talent on both offense and defense.
Three-year starter Bridget Merkel rounded out her senior year with 20 goals and 10 assists, while goalkeeper Leah Shaffer and the Mendon defense kept opposing offenses honest. The Vikings might win the award for most consistent and patient soccer team in Section V, and even though they didn’t wipe many teams out, they went in and did their job to secure victory every time they stepped on the field.
The only blemishes on their record are two ties to strong competition, including crosstown rivals the Sutherland Knights, and the next team on our list…
Palmyra-Macedon Red Raiders:
Class: B1
League: Finger Lakes East
Record: 14-1-1
The Red Raiders continue to soar to new heights in girls soccer, especially on the defensive side of the ball. In their 16 regular season games this year, which included tilts against top-ranked teams from Pittsford Mendon, Hornell, and Charles Finney, the Red Raiders only gave up three goals to the opposition.
That’s not to say the defense alone carried this team: a selfless offense drenched with goal-scorers makes this flock of Red Raiders very dangerous. Junior sensation Maya Ikewood continued to build her legacy with a team-leading 30 goals and 14 assists. Senior box-threats Emma Robinson and Molly Seither earned their crust with nine goals and seven assists, and seven goals and 16 assists respectively, while the sophomore tandem of Jenna Santelli and Lily Boesel notched 14 goals and five assists, and eight goals and eight assists respectively.
“It’s been a fun year,” said head coach Mike Karns. “They’re great kids, and are looking forward to Sectionals.”
Haverling Rams
Class: B2
League: Livingston Division 1
Record: 16-0-0
The rumbling you hear coming out of Steuben County is from the Haverling Rams Girls Soccer team, who have stampeded the competition to earn the #1 seed in Class B2.
They are one of only four teams in all of Section V with a 16-0-0 record: undefeated, and untied. This record is even more impressive when you look at their schedule, which included tough league matchups against Hornell, Livonia, and Dansville, as well as out-of-league opponents in Corning-Painted Post, Addison, and Geneseo.
Up front, the Rams are led by Ella Yartym and Keegan Smith. Yartym has 29 goals and 29 assists to her name, while Smith has punched in 22 goals and recorded 13 assists. Senior sweeper Kelsey Thorp and goalkeeper Lola Coots buoy a rock-solid defense that has only allowed eight goals all season.
This is one team that will be tough to tame.
Gananda Blue Panthers
Class: C1
League: Wayne County
Record: 16-0-0
The Blue Panthers have emerged from an uber-competitive Wayne County league as the #1 seed in Class C1. When you factor in a perfect 16-0-0 record, including wins over tough out-of-league competition in Wayne, Honeoye, and LeRoy, it’s clear that Gananda should be the hands-down favorite in Class C1.
The challenge with Gananda is knowing who to guard. They have three attackers with over 15 goals: Isabella Hoffmann (25), Ella Lathrop (24), and Nicole Cruz (15). A total of 14 different Blue Panthers have notched at least one goal this season.
That’s a lot to worry about, and we haven’t even mentioned their defense yet. Led by goalie Lyndsey Valetta, with 64 saves on the year, they’ve held the opposition to only nine goals all season.
“I am lucky to coach a team that works very well together, both on and off the field,” said coach Emily Slentz. “My players have great passing skills and field vision, and they hold each other to a high standard of play.”
Byron-Bergen Bees:
Class: C2
League: Genesee
Record: 16-0-0
After their spirited run to the regional Class C title in 2021, the Bees from Byron-Bergen have made good on their promise of following up on that success. Their goals scored/goals allowed differential is the best in all of Section V: 104 goals to three goals allowed. It’s that scoring differential that has put the Bees at #2 in the entire state in Class C.
“We’ve returned a strong nucleus from the team that went to the state semifinals last year,” said coach Wayne Hill. That includes Mia Gray, the sophomore sensation who just picked up her second Genesee Region player of the year honor. She has 34 goals and 22 assists on the season.
She is joined by fellow Genesee Region all-stars Mackenzie Hagen, Ava Gray, Ava Wagoner, and Emma Starowitz. These Bees know how to swarm the goal with a balanced attack, and can defend the nest with equal ferocity. Class C2 will have their hands full with the reigning Western Regional champs.
Fillmore Eagles:
Class: D1
League: Allegany
Record: 16-0-0
It feels like there are only three certainties in life…death, taxes, and Fillmore soccer dominance. This season the Eagles notched their 8th consecutive Allegany league title, their 4th consecutive undefeated season (67 straight regular season games!), and yet another #1 seed in Sectionals. Considering many of their top players were underclassmen this year, that’s an even more impressive accomplishment.
“We have a great soccer community and support system at Fillmore,” said coach Jon Beardsley, who also serves as Section V girls soccer coordinator. “Ultimately, it’s the commitment and dedication to our girls that makes this success happen.”
Junior Hope Russell made her presence felt on offense, with an astounding 43 goals and 15 assists on the season. That’s more than half of their goals all season! Her twin sister Grace notched 19 goals and 25 assists in her own right, while seniors Malory DeRock and Magi Gertman chipped in nine goals and two goals respectively.
Junior goalkeeper Preslee Miller led a soar of defenders that only allowed four goals all season. With a lineup as deep and young as this, including two freshmen, an eighth grader and a seventh grader, Fillmore will be a threat this year and beyond.
Northstar Academy Knights:
Class: D2
League: Private Parochial
Record: 14-1-1
Rounding out our list are the Northstar Academy Knights, who made for quite the journeyman team this season. In addition to a slate of league opponents that included goliaths like Class AA School of the Arts and Class B1 Greece Odyssey, the Knights made two trips into the competitive Genesee region to play Kendall and Oakfield Alabama/Elba. When it was all said and done, the primary tenants of Grace and Truth Sports Park only suffered one loss to fierce rival Bishop Kearney and settled for a tie with Finney.
A good mix of experience and promising newcomers make up a red-hot Knight offense, including top scorer Grace Kearney, a sophomore who punched in 20 goals and assisted with 12 others. Eighth grader Allie Skeval and junior Katelyn Demarest each notched 13 goals, while senior Ava Thomas-Guzman rounded out a solid career with 17 goals and six assists.
Eighth grade goalkeeper Alisha Demarest led the shields with 101 saves, only allowing 13 goals all season.