By Rob Centorani

Staff Writer

NEW BERLIN _ If foreshadowing played a role Wednesday, Unadilla Valley’s chances for a Midstate Athletic Conference boys soccer title ended about three minutes into play.

In what amounted to the MAC championship game, Greene scored three goals during a 10-minute span late in the first half and defeated the Storm, 3-1, on a comfortable but overcast fall day.

But a shot by UV senior Andy Hayes early on summed up a frustrating day for the Storm. Hayes drove a 15-yard shot from the left wing that hit the bottom of the crossbar, dropped straight down but didn’t cross the goal line and the Trojans cleared it.

"I thought that was a sure goal and I thought it would be a sure momentum boost for us," said UV coach Matt Osborne, whose team came in tied with Greene atop the MAC standings with 11-3-1 records. The MAC does not have a postseason tournament, so the team with the best overall league record is recognized as the league champion. "That’s just how soccer goes. The ball must have missed going in by inches."

It was one of many close calls for the Storm, who outshot Greene, 16-14.

The Trojans, who won their first MAC title in three years, took control late in the first half.

First, junior Devin Shapley volleyed in a 12-yard shot in the penalty box with 13:26 left in the first half. Ben Williams’ free kick from Greene’s side of midfield made it to the top of penalty box, deflected off a crowd of players and right to Shapley, who lined a shot just inside the right corner.

"I just saw it coming through, knew I had to be there and got a foot on it, and put it in," Shapley said of his fourth goal of the season.[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Then, about eight minutes later, UV’s Juston Parks was called for tackling Greene’s Mike Thomas in the penalty box. That set up Williams for a penalty kick and he scored cleanly inside the right post to make it 2-0.

The Trojans’ Brad VanWert made it a three-goal spread 3:51 before halftime. He took a 10-yard shot in the middle of the box toward the left post that UV keeper Ryan Johnson saved, but the rebound skipped away and VanWert followed his shot and scored from 5 yards, just inside the left post.

"I definitely think (we) fed off that first goal," Greene coach Rick Tallman said. "I think we stuck to our game, possessing the ball and controlling the tempo of the game in those 10 minutes."

UV’s goal came 33 seconds before halftime on a penalty kick by Hayes, who was tackled in the box, near the right baseline by Shapley. Hayes’ shot went inside the left corner.

The second half belonged to the goalies, especially Greene junior John Flanagan, who finished with 15 saves.

With 41 minutes left,

See SURGE on Page 15

Hayes grounded a hard shot toward the left post. Flanagan dove to his right, stretched with his right arm and stopped the ball his right hand.

Ten minutes later, Johnson had an effort that matched Flanagan’s. Mike Porter, perhaps the most skilled ballhandler on the field Wednesday, crossed a ball to VanWert, who headed the ball toward the left side of the net. Johnson partially deflected the ball and then swatted the ball away with his right hand just before it crossed the line.

Parks then drove a shot toward the left corner of the goal that Flanagan just got a piece of and knocked it wide with 30 minutes remaining.

Finally, UV set up for a direct kick just outside the 18 in the closing minutes. Hayes hit a short pass to Parks, who drove a shot that Flanagan jumped to grab.

"If I was to say at the beginning of the year what my biggest worry was, it was John," Tallman said of his first-year goalie, "but it’s not a factor now."

Osborne said the biggest difference from UV’s 3-2 victory over Greene earlier in the year and Wednesday’s game was Flanagan.

"When we played them down there, he wasn’t as sure-handed as was tonight," Osborne said. "He stuck everything right in his gloves and he didn’t bobble much like the first game."

Flanagan added: "I just didn’t want to let anyone down and that just fueled the fire."

Unadilla Valley is seeded fourth for the Section Four Class C tournament and opens at home against fifth-seeded Delhi a week from Friday. The teams split two meetings during the season.

Greene 3, UV 1

Greene 3 0 _ 3

UV 1 0 _ 1

Greene (13-3-1, 12-3-1): Devin Shapley 1-0, Ben Williams 1-1, Brad VanWert 1-0.

Unadilla Valley (11-4-1): Andy Hayes 1-0.

Shots-corner kicks: G 14-3; UV 16-6.

Goalies: John Flanagan (G) 15; Ryan Johnson (UV) 11.

___

Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.