Lady Raiders repeat as Section VI Class C field hockey champions with win over Eden

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 5 November 2019 at 7:04 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker captains Ciara Gregoire, Katrina Clare and Rachel Hurtgam hold the championship trophy high moments after the Lady Raiders downed Eden 4-0 in the Section VI Class C field hockey championship game late this afternoon on the new blue turf field at Alden.

Making a successful title defense, top seeded Barker pulled away in the second half to blank No. 6 Eden 4-0 in the Section VI Class C field hockey championship game this afternoon on the new blue turf field at Alden.

Rachel Hurtgam and Katrina Clare both scored a pair of goals to spearhead the offense for Barker which also bested Eden 2-1 in last year’s title contest.

The sectional championship is the Lady Raiders 14th in the last 18 years.

“We possessed the ball pretty well and I think the experience we got last year is helping us quite a bit,” said Barker Coach Jeff Costello.

The victory propels the Lady Raiders into the Class C Far West Regional against Section V representative East Rochester at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williamsville North.

The Regional will also be a rematch as Barker nipped East Rochester 4-3 in overtime last year.

Unable to capitalize on eight penalty corner opportunities in the first half Barker held a slender 1-0 lead at the break as Hurtgam scored on a shot from close range off an assist from Clare with just 2:11 remaining.

Rachel Hurtgam scores the first of her two goals, a tally which gave Barker a 1-0 half-time lead. The Eden goalie is Cecelia Karpinski.

Eden did mount a good scoring threat just before the half off two corner opportunities but couldn’t capitalize as Barker goalie Courtney Hillman came up with a big save.

Eden then put together it’s only other big scoring threat early in the second half but again could not take advantage off three more corner chances as Hillman came up with another key save.

Barker finally opened up a little breathing room at 2-0 as Hurtgam scored her 11th goal of the season with 18:53 remaining off an assist from Madison Gancasz.

The Lady Raiders then closed out the win with a flurry as Clare scored with 11:14 remaining and again with only 4 seconds to go which was her team leading 18th goal of the season.

The shutout was the third in as many sectional games for the Lady Raiders which blanked No. 8 Newfane 6-0 in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Roy-Hart 2-0 in the semifinals.

Eden advanced by downing No. 3 Akron 1-0 in the quarterfinals and No. 7 Holland 2-1 in the semis.

Barker will take a 16-3 overall record into the regionals.

(Click here to see Katrina Clare score Barker’s 4th goal with 4 seconds left in the game.)

(Click here to see the Barker fans cheer on the team.)

(Click here to see Barker celebrate at the end of the game.)

(Click here to see Barker receive their Sectional patches.)