Shoreham-Wading River girls soccer team advances to state finals after win over New Hartford

After Shoreham-Wading River made the five-hour trek north to Cortland High School for the New York State Class A semifinals, nerves started to creep in right before game time. The semifinal against New Hartford was scheduled for 5 p.m. but because the Class B semifinal went to penalty shootouts, the rest of the schedule for the night was delayed. 

That delay ended up being a godsend.  

“The nerves were definitely there,” senior captain Grace Hillis said. “We all had anxiety on the bus ride over.”

The Wildcats spent the hour in the locker room, blasting music, dancing, singing and enjoying themselves.

“We grew closer as a team in that hour,” sophomore forward Mia Mangano said. “We just let loose and we were screaming different songs. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”

Following a deadlock for the first 28 minutes of the game, playing in blistering temperatures, Shoreham-Wading River (15-3-3) finally broke through when Mangano crossed the ball into the box and found Hillis who buried the volley in the back of the net. The goal was Hillis’ fifth of the postseason in as many games and the only goal the Wildcats needed to advance to the New York State Class A final. The 1-0 victory over New Hartford Saturday night at Cortland High School was the Wildcats’ fifth straight shutout in the playoffs.

“We knew we were going to win this game from the outside,” Hillis said. “That was our game plan from the start. As soon as I saw Mia dribbling the ball into the corner, I quickly jetted inside the box. I knew she would place it.”

“She’s got a nose for the ball,” SWR head coach Adrian Gilmore said. “There’s no ball she can’t get to. She’s really unbelievable. Ever since she was in 9th grade and transferred into our district from Riverhead, I knew she was something special.”

Scoring first is something Coach Gilmore has emphasized all season long. Because once the Wildcats are ahead, good luck trying to get the ball back. The ball rarely even comes into the Wildcat side when they’re in control. Mia Gengler, Bella Sweet, Olivia Pesso and Grace Hillis all have a defensive mindset but have the ability to move forward and hold possession at will. Even if they happen to lose the ball, the ability of these midfielders to track back and win the ball is uncanny.

Gengler and Hillis started the season in the center back position but have since moved up the field, leaving Naomi Harris and Maya Beyersdofer to man the middle. The duo, along with the wing play of Johanna Ochsenfeld and Chloe Bergen, make as solid a line as they’ve had all season. Whatever doesn’t get cleaned up the middle and happens to bounce outside, Ochsenfeld and Bergen are there to launch the ball back the other way. And if, by chance, the ball gets through that, the Wildcats have one of the most athletic goalies in the state in three-year starter Morgan Lesiewicz. New Hartford, in a state semifinal no less, didn’t even put together a true shot on goal. Most of the game was played in the midfield. 

“We knew what to expect coming into the game,” Gilmore said. “Even though we never played them, we watched a lot of tape. Their formation is very similar to Plainedge who we played in the Long Island championship. We kept talking about spreading our wings and keeping the pressure level high. Our defense has been stellar all year. We’ve only let in a handful of goals. And everyone knows their job and they do it well.”

Shoreham-Wading River will have a chance to win their second state title in school history on Sunday against Section I’s Rye at 12. Rye defeated Lewiston-Porter, 3-0 in the semifinals. 

“We watched their whole game in the freezing cold,” Gilmore said. “So we do have a sense of what they do and how they play. We’re going to watch more film tonight. Our jobs as coaches is to prepare the team the best we can. We’re going to settle into the hotel tonight, get as much information we can and hopefully we leave as state champions.”

Warm up that locker room, Cortland High School. Concert series part two incoming.