Bronxville takes on Section 4 champion Oneonta Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Greene High School. This is Bronxville’s third year in a row making the regional final. Last year, the Broncos made it all the way to the state semifinals before losing to the eventual state champion in Class B.
Despite graduating eight seniors last season, the Broncos had a stellar regular season, which earned them the No. 2 seed in the section playoffs. Following a 110-minute clash with a strong Pleasantville squad that resulted in Bronxville advancing via penalty kicks, the Broncos charged past Lourdes, North Salem and Albertus Magnus en route to the section title.
In their 4-2 win over Spackenkill in the regional semifinals, Bronxville took it to the opponent right away, scoring seven minutes into the game on a perfectly executed counterattack. Killian Donohue (one goal, two assists) and Lucy Kohlhoff (three goals) had superb games, and the defense kept a fast Spackenkill offense at bay for basically the entire game. Aislinn Speranza, an ultra-quick forward with great change-of-direction ability, had her array of moves to the goal constantly foiled by Bronxville’s defenders.
The Broncos really pack the middle well. Meredith Donovan is great at center back. Elise Weir and Taylor Sears are versatile and quick on the outside. Claire MacMillan-Bell presents a physical presence in the middle, and the other mids constantly come down to help out. Charley Warble is a savvy goalkeeper with great awareness.
Oneonta will of course present a new challenge. Oneonta was ranked No. 1 in the Class B statewide rankings at one point this year, though that ranking is hardly definitive or predictive considering how these teams change throughout the year. Still, it indicates that this game will likely be incredibly competitive.
“I know they’re strong, well-prepared,” Bronxville coach Don Cupertino said. ”Got a couple good midfielders, got a good forward. I think they’re 17-2 or something like that.”
No injuries to report on Bronxville. They’ll be going in as healthy as can be this late in the season.
“Obviously playing those two games Friday and Saturday, it wasn’t easy, but their fitness has been very good throughout the year,” Cupertino said.
If Bronxville wins, they will play in the state semifinals on Saturday.
4 Comments
With all due respect….(from above) “the Broncos charged past Lourdes” ...
Watched the game (no horse in the race)- Bronxville won 1-0; but should not have won that game.
Yes – they did win, and we’re all rooting for them as they go on – but they certainly did not “charge past” the Lourdes team. They were simply lucky to win when they shouldn’t have.
Maybe it was a wake-up call for the next games.
Good Luck.
Upstate… are you a Lourdes, Fan…Relative…
Ask a lot of the parents that have gone to Bronco country over the past 2 years. Lucky or not, good or bad. They win…and do it consistently. Plus not sure if I remember exactly how but I think that fast track girl just beat the defense one time. That’s the frustrating thing with soccer you can dominate and still lose.
Anyway, given Bronxville’s speed and mascot I’m pretty sure that the writer was just going for some descriptive writing that fits. But I can completely understand you are probably still upset about the loss. Was anything unfair in the game? Refs? I’m curious why the well coached (so everyone on this blog says) broncos didn’t deserve to win.
Just curious and like to hear different opinions that’s why I ask.
class b – I think it is fair to say that as the Bronco’s have meet the better teams in the playoffs their wins have not been as convincing as in the past. In fact a parent of one of your standout players admitted to me that North Salem should have won the semi-final game. He was not being heretical or disloyal, NS had the better of the play, had more chances (albeit more misses too) but they nevertheless came up short. Bronxville was able to stop a great scorer because the coaches knew how to utilize the talent they had. I am sure they did not go to her previous game because they are fans of HS soccer. They put a great deal of effort into the soccer program at Bronxville Do not discount their contribution so blithely. They put the 11 girls on the field that would get the results you needed, NS did not. That is coaching and that is how a team that plays”better” gets beaten. In the end however it is not figure skating, there are not any points for form. The team with the most goals at the end of the game is the winner. I hope that around 7:30 tonight up in Vestal, the Broncos have more goals than Oneonta. Good Luck Broncos, onward to SUNY Cortland.
class b is competitive: —- not a Lourdes fan …. not even Catholic….just a soccer fan that saw the Lordes team beat our team in the prior round…..then
...went down the road to watch BXV play their next match against the same Lourdes team that beat us….and saw a match that BXV was ‘lucky’ to win over a team that played better (with the key component of a goal going in BXV’s favor).
Lourdes should have won – but they didn’t – and BXV won a game they shouldn’t have…no hating going on – just an obvious conclusion to a very good match…
Not upset about the loss or the victory – ‘no dog in that fight’
Just wanted to make a comment on a good game that wasn’t ‘portrayed’ very honestly.
(I will concede that the “descriptive writing” might have had an influence on the inaccurate report)
I guess (did not see) the North Salem game…but it seems it was a amazingly the same – better team lost…
That’s why the games are played – you never know – sometimes the weaker team wins….
...there are countless MLB games/series’ that the lesser team wins…that’s one on the many reasons that sports are so great !
Needless to say – get lucky again BXV; however you have to – just get more goals than Oneonta – we’re rooting for you !