Holley gives girls soccer team big sendoff for state tournament

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – An enthusiastic Holley student body, teachers and staff celebrated the girls soccer team with a pep assembly this afternoon. This photo shows the Holley X-Factor running around the girls soccer team to pump up the crowd.

The Holley team leaves Friday morning for a 2 ½-hour drive to Homer in Cortland County for the state soccer tournament. Holley made the final four after defeating Frewsburg from Section VI last Saturday.

Holley won the Section V title by beating long-time rival, Byron-Bergen. Making it to the state tournament is unprecedented for the Holley girls.

Coach Renee Wolf said the strong support from the school and community has made a big difference for the team, creating life-long memories for the players.

Renee Wolf, Holley’s girls soccer coach the past nine seasons, speaks during a pep assembly today in the junior-senior high school gym.

Holley fire trucks have sounded their sirens to welcome the team home after winning Sectionals and then Regionals. Many community members stood in the Public Square to greet the players coming home on the bus.

“It makes the whole experience even more special,” Wolf said. “Our community as a whole, I can’t express my appreciation enough to them.”

Wolf’s daughters, Alivia and Zoey, are both juniors on the team. Renee Wolf said many of the players come over to her house to hang out with her daughters. That has made her feel closer to the players. She has coached them since sixth grade through indoor soccer.

Many of the players have been on teams together going back to when they were 4. Wolf said they know their positions, and trust each other to be in the right spot and make plays.

Samantha Bates is Holley’s top scorer with 29 goals, but Holley had many players who can find the net. Fifteen different players scored goals this season.

Will Kruger is a member of Holley’s X-Factor, a rabid group of fans. He is leading the students in chanting, “I believe that we will win.”

Kruger is on the boys soccer team. He said his teammates have really taken their fandom to a higher level in the playoffs for the girls team, wearing face paint, lots of red for the school colors, and bringing lots of noise.

“It’s been crazy and so exciting to be at the games,” Kruger said. “We like to support each other. It’s a small community.”

Will Kruger gets the crowd fired up during the pep rally.

Samantha Bates, one of the Holley captains, said the energetic crowd makes a difference. She said the girls team cheered for the boys during their games and actually was louder. However, the boys have been stepping up their X-Factor game and really making a difference for the team.

Emma Brady, another captain, agreed.

“It pumps us up,” she said about the fans and support from Holley. “We don’t want to lose in front of everyone.”

Leigha Walker said the team has tried not to look down the road too far, and is focusing on one game at a time.

If Holley wins on Saturday against Waterford-Halfmoon, the Hawks play in the finals Sunday for the state championship.

“We don’t want the season to end,” she said.

Provided photo: The Holley girls soccer team is shown as the X-Factor during one of the boys soccer games earlier this season. Both teams cheer for each other during the season.

Holley will be taking a spectator bus to the game on Saturday, and another one if the team wins and advances to the finals on Sunday.

Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent, has been to all the playoff games and many of the regular season games. He is impressed by the team, and the support for the Hawks.

“Things like this bring what is already a close community even closer together,” he said.

X-Factor members Trent Walker (with ball), and then Tyreek Garrett and Jax Richards-Dyson participate in one of the skits that also included teams from the girls soccer team and teachers. The X-Factor won this competition.