HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER

By Dean Russin

Sports Editor

The race for the Midstate Athletic Conference girls soccer title comes down to Unatego, Sidney, Greene ... and Delhi?

The MAC’s three heavyweights — led by four-time defending league champion Unatego — must pay attention to the Bulldogs for the rest of the season.

The eye-opener comes courtesy of Delhi’s 1-0 upset over host Greene on Saturday, when Leah Weaver converted a pass from team-scoring leader Lisa Ruff (eight goals, four assists) in the first half. Goalie Meghan Cantwell made 10 saves for the shutout, co[an error occurred while processing this directive]ntributing to a defense that turned away 17 shots and 22 corner kicks by the Trojans.

Although the Bulldogs have won three of their last four, they needed overtime for a 4-3 defeat of an Oxford team that fell, 7-0, to Sidney on Sept. 6. Their other victory, 5-2, came against Sullivan West in the consolation game of the Downsville Tournament on Sept. 10. Sullivan West dropped its opener, 5-0, to the tournament host.

In its five losses this season, Delhi has been outscored, 13-3, with the bulk of the goals-against coming in a 4-0 loss to Sidney and a 3-0 loss to Delaware League affiliate South Kortright.

While Delhi has a long way to go to be considered a serious contender for the MAC championship, it may have shortened the trip for Sidney.

Led by senior forward Christine Mirabito’s 13 goals and six assists, the Warriors (5-1 overall) have taken the early lead with a 4-0 MAC record thus far.

Mirabito has scored in every game, finishing with two or more goals five times this season. Her biggest contribution this fall is a two-goal outing that lifted Sidney to a 3-1 victory at Unatego on Sept. 12.

"We can’t take this and think that we’re going to run away with the league, by no means," Sidney coach Jody Gravelin said.

Sidney’s victory marked the first time the Warriors defeated the Spartans in the MAC, which replaced the defunct Susquenango Association in 2000.

"We play each other twice," said Unatego coach Sue Herodes, whose team fell to 8-1 against Sidney in MAC games. "So it’s certainly not going to put me into an early panic."

Three days later, though, the Spartans (3-3 overall, 2-2 MAC) dropped their third straight as Greene earned a 1-0 home victory. Unatego’s slide started with a 1-0 non-league loss to Willard in the Middleburgh Tournament championship game Sept. 10. A stretch featuring Sidney, Greene and Bainbridge-Guilford followed.

"We play Sidney, we play Greene and we play Bainbridge — boom, boom, boom — and it’s been the same way for a while," Herodes said. "We’ve got a tough week; those teams are out to get us."

Unatego ended its skid with a 3-0 defeat of B-G (3-4-1, 2-2) on Saturday. But championships have their privileges.

"They’re an awesome team," Mirabito said of the Spartans, who return starting goalie Erika Puffer and midfield magician Caitlin Fernandez, both seniors. "I don’t think anything changes. If we were to lose the game today or win, it still would have been the same. We’re going to go to every game and play like it’s (against Unatego)."

Sidney’s offense, bolstered by the return of senior midfielder Katelyn Guerriere from a 2004 injury, has alleviated most of the pressure facing senior goalie Misty Cotten this season. Sidney had a cushion of two goals or more in each of its five victories, with its only setback a 7-3 loss to Seton Catholic Central in the championship game of the Mang Tournament on Aug. 27.

Cotten surely appreciates the light workload as she’s battling a sore back this season.

"My back is kind of iffy right now," Cotten said after Sidney beat Unatego. "It’s out in two places. ... It’s the bone that connects your vertebrae to your tailbone. That’s shifted somehow and it’s putting pressure on my nerves."

Cotten said she’s icing her back daily and expects to finish the season as Sidney’s No. 1 goalie. That means she should be around when the Warriors play host to Unatego under the lights at 7 p.m. Oct. 1.

"I see every team as a Unatego team," Cotten said. "So when I play, I play at that level no matter what."

B-G and Unadilla Valley (3-5, 2-2) can be considered the middleweights of the MAC, with Delhi (3-5, 2-2) moving into the mix after toppling Greene.

The Bobcats could be a season away from entering the MAC’s upper tier, currently occupied by the only Class B schools in the league (Unatego, Sidney and Greene). B-G has three seniors and starts five newcomers, with nine of its 16 roster members hailing from the junior class. That group is led by forward Samantha Spalholz, who has team-bests of seven goals and two assists this fall.

Junior forward Jenn Convis (four goals, two assists) returns for the Storm, which beat B-G, 3-2, in overtime on Aug. 31 and got two goals from senior forward Nicole Anson in a 5-3 loss to visiting Greene on Sept. 6.

Working against UV is a 1-2 record against Class D teams this fall. After opening the season with a 4-1 victory over Delaware League member Stamford in the Edmeston Tournament, the Storm fell, 1-0, to the host in the championship game. UV also lost, 4-1, to Gilbertsville-Mount Upton — which plays against Edmeston in the Tri-Valley League — in the consolation game of the New York Pizzeria Tournament on Sept. 9.

Walton is off to a 1-4 start, including an 0-2 record in the MAC. Senior forward Amy O’Brien has two of the Warriors’ four goals this fall. Both came in the first round of the Downsville Tournament on Sept. 8 ... a 2-1 overtime defeat of Delhi.