Regional victory earns Lady Hawks a trip to the Class C state semifinals

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 November 2023 at 9:13 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Samantha Bates, who scored both goals, works around Frewsburg defender Molly Spontaneo during the Lady Hawks 2-0 Class C Far West Regional win this evening at Cal-Mum.

Next Stop – The Final Four!

Continuing a history making run, Holley captured its first girls soccer Class C Far West Regional championship by blanking Frewsburg 2-0 at Caledonia-Mumford this evening.

The victory propels Holley to the Class C state semifinals next Saturday.

“It’s a super, super accomplishment. I’m just super proud of you,” Holley Coach Renee Wolf told her team after they received the championship plaque.

“It’s super amazing,” she added. “I knew they could do it they just had to believe they could. They really wanted it.”

Holley wasted little time in scoring what proved to be the game winning goal as Samantha Bates netted her 30th of the season just nine minutes in off an assist from Hanna Ostrom.

“That was super important,” said Wolf of the early goal. “Sometimes we need a feel good goal to help get us going and that was it.”

The Lady Hawks controlled play for most of the rest of the game with an edge in speed and passing. However, they didn’t put a lock on the victory until Bates scored on a penalty kick with just 2:08 remaining in the second half.

“We all work really hard and it’s crazy we’re going to the states,” said Bates.

Frewsburg did put on one strong surge midway through the second half off a string of four straight corner opportunities but the stingy Holley defense turned back the challenge.

Holley goalie Layne Walker had one save and Zoey Wolf came in to make a clutch clear in front of the net to highlight that key defensive stand.

“Our defense played very well,” said Coach Wolf whose defense was anchored by Layne Walker, Bella Thom, Alivia Wolf, Zoey Wolf and Leigha Walker. “Our goalie only had to make three or four saves. Our defense kept the ball away from getting to her.”

The shutout was the third in five playoff games for the Lady Hawks defense which has allowed a total of only three goals over that five game span.

Holley advanced to the regional by downing Genesee Region League foe Byron-Bergen 3-2 in overtime in the state qualifier to capture the Lady Hawks first Section V Class C title.

Frewsburg gained a spot in the regional by winning the Section VI Class C title with a 2-1 win over Niagara-Orleans League champion Wilson in a contest decided in a penalty kick shootout.

Improving to 18-3, Holley will now face Waterford/Half Moon (Section II) in the Class C state semifinals at noon next Saturday at Homer High School near Cortland. Waterford/Half Moon posted a 4-0 win over Northern Adirondack (Section VII) in the Capital District Regional.

The state Class C championship game is scheduled for next Sunday at SUNY Cortland.