NYSPHSAA Class C State Girls Soccer Championships

Lady Spartans are state champs

Overtime goal by Jillian Collova gives Lady Spartans first title in 20 years

By RICHARD A. ROSS

HOMER, NY — If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. So became the mantra of S.S. Seward’s girls soccer team that finally reached the mountaintop of a New York State championship after a couple of heartbreaking losses for two consecutive years in the Class D semifinals.

For this group of girls, which includes members of the 2006 Lady Spartans girls basketball team that lost on a last-second, three-point shot in last year’s Class C finals, the win was especially sweet, as it was for coach Joe DiMattina, who coaches both sports.

Taking a cross from Michelle Dugan just 34 seconds into the first overtime period, Jillian Collova sent a ball past Caledonia-Mumford keeper Stephanie Aurand for the game’s only goal. The Lady Spartans furiously repelled C-M’s shots in the remainder of regulation to hold on for the emotional win.

S.S. Seward reached the finals with a 2-1 overtime win over Section One’s Solomon Schecter, a 1-0 win over Section 11’s Stony Brook and a 1-0 overtime win on penalty kicks over Section Three’s Manlius-Pebble Hill.

This season, Tri-Valley tied S.S. Seward twice, accounting for two of the three games the Lady Spartans didn’t win all season. Seward’s only loss came against Class B John S. Burke Catholic.

Seward will be dropping back down to Class D again next year.