When arch-rivals meet, records mean nothing. Greenwich and Hoosick Falls are rivals, and the field hockey rivalry may be the most notable between the two schools. For either team, bringing home a win after playing one another is always a satisfying time.
[private]The two teams met on the Schuylerville turf on Sunday October 30 in perfect late season field hockey weather. Number four seeded Greenwich (12-7) earned its way to the sectional championship game by defeating number one seed Schuylerville on Schuylerville’s home turf earlier in the week. The number two seeded Panthers defeated always tough Warrensburg last Wednesday to claim their spot in the game.
The Panthers were in control from the start. With the game being played mostly just in front of Greenwich’s goalie Olivia Barnes (7 saves), the Panthers kept the pressure on. Just over 10 minutes in, Liz Ryan took an assist from Megan Henry and rocketed the ball into the goal. In a later interview, Greenwich coach Angie Whitehouse called it the “big bang,” and felt it threw the Witches off their game. The crack of the ball hitting the goal board brought a unified cheer from the big Panther crowd.
Seven minutes later, Greenwich’s Sabrina Whitehouse evened the score with an unassisted goal.
The Panthers broke the tie with just under nine minutes left in the half. Once again, Ryan, assisted by Henry, sent the ball to the goal where it silently hit high in the net and slid down out of sight behind the goal board. It took a second for everyone to register that it was a goal but once the players began to celebrate all the Panther fans celebrated with them.
Hoosick Falls happily took the 2-1 lead into the halftime break.
You never know what will happen after that short halftime break. Sometimes little demons sneak into heads and mess with teams playing well, making them think the game is won. Other times just the opposite happens and teams that can’t find their feet in the first half come out and play flawlessly in the second half.
These Ladies wanted the championship plaque. There wasn’t any ‘we have this won’ demons in their heads. In the end, they needed their defense as much as their offense and both came through in the second half.
With just two minutes and twenty seconds gone in the second half, the Panthers were pushing into Greenwich territory with all they had. Breanna Schnakenburg got the ball to Eliza Whitman in front of the goal and Whitman took the shot. The Panthers had another goal and a comforting 3-1 lead. For the next twenty minutes, Hoosick Falls’ offense kept the Witches playing defense.
Then everything changed. The Panther defense had to rise up and save the game.
With eight minutes left, Megan Henry was carded with a two minute penalty. Then Schnakenburg was carded for five minutes. Within seconds of Henry returning to the game, Ally Burdick was carded for five minutes. With the Panthers down two players with plenty of time left, the Witches went on the attack.
With just over five minutes left to play, Whitehouse struck again. Now the Witches were within one score, HF was down two players and everything was going Greenwich’s way. When play resumed, Greenwich renewed the attack, and somehow the game clock began moving at half of what it had been. The Panther defense was tested unlike they had been all season. Goalie Kaitlyn Backes (1 save) stopped a shot by Whitehouse that would have changed everything. The Panthers kept trying to get the ball away from their goal and Greenwich kept bringing it back and pounding on the defense.
Then, finally, the clock ran out and the attack stopped. The Panthers were the Section 2, Class C champions.
The Panthers play Saturday, November 5 in the playoffs of the state tournament. The game will be held at Greene High School in Greene, about 20 miles northeast of Binghamton, beginning at 1 pm. The Panthers face Whitney Point High School. The Whitney Point Golden Eagles, of Section 4, have won four straight sectional titles, and are seeking their third consecutive state title.[/private]