×

Championship Performance

Southwestern Clinches West Division

Southwestern’s Justin Morris, left, settles the ball in front of Maple Grove’s Chris Allenson during Monday’s CCAA West Division game on Charles A. Lawson Field at the Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

One season after losing the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association West Division championship to Olean, the Trojans are back on top.

Putting together arguably its most complete performance of the season, Southwestern wrapped up its fifth league title in six years with a 6-2 win over Maple Grove on Monday evening at the Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex.

“I knew these guys were very good. I knew that our chances of doing it were very high,” Southwestern first-year varsity coach Jason Deering said. “The amount of work that they put in during the offseason did this. I knew they had the potential. I’m very proud of what they’ve done for us so far.”

The Trojans scored twice in the opening 10 minutes and ran out to a 4-0 halftime lead behind two Chase Stevenson goals.

“We came right out. Our pep talk before was to put two goals on within the first 10 minutes,” Deering said. “We feel that if we can put pressure on right away, it’s tough for any team to hang with us.”

Maple Grove’s Simon Olson jumps to head the ball in front of Southwestern’s Addison Pope. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

Southwestern improved to 12-0-0 on the season, including 8-0-0 in the league, with two West Division and two non-league games left to play. The Trojans would be the No. 2 seed in the Section VI Class B2 playoffs if the season ended today.

“If we keep playing like this, we can go as far as we want to,” senior Esteban Diaz said. “A win made us league champions, that hyped us up the most. We played for that and the outcome shows it all.”

The Red Dragons fell to 8-3-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the league with the same number of games to play as Southwestern. They are currently the No. 3 seed in the Class C playoff picture.

Despite Southwestern winning a close 2-1 game when the teams played Sept. 13 on Dutch Hollow Road, Monday’s game was decided in the early going.

Stevenson opened the scoring when Bryce Deering slipped him a pass inside the box and he beat the Maple Grove keeper along the turf for his 13th goal of the season less than seven minutes into the game.

Southwestern’s Bryce Deering attempts to settle the ball near midfield during Monday’s CCAA West Division boys soccer game against Maple Grove on Charles A. Lawson Field at the Fran Sirianni Athletic Complex. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

“He’s our engine. He can do a lot of different things and score in a lot of different ways,” Coach Deering said of Stevenson. “As long as his motor is still running hard and strong, he’ll continue scoring goals.”

Justin Morris scored his sixth of the season less than three minutes later when he received a pass from Stevenson in tight and beat the Red Dragons keeper low to the corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.

“We’ve missed Justin. He’s an additional threat that teams have to watch out for,” Deering said of Morris, who missed three games due to injury. “We have seven attacking guys that have to be accounted for. Without him we are short one of them.”

The Trojans made it 3-0 in the 29th minute when a corner to the right of Maple Grove’s keeper eventually made it to the far side of the box. From there the ball was dropped to Esteban Diaz, who made no doubt about his fifth goal of the season, finding the low corner of the net for a 3-0 lead.

“Esteban has a thunder leg. Ever since he was young we knew that he was going to be our long-range shooter,” Deering said. “It’s a dangerous weapon. You don’t want to get in front of that kick, that’s for sure.”

Less than six minutes later, Isac Pirello back-heeled a ball to Stevenson in the box and he tapped the ball past Maple Grove’s keeper before the two collided for a 4-0 lead that would stay into halftime.

“We just keep going and working on the momentum. We keep putting the pressure on every opponent that we play offensively and defensively,” Deering said. “We can’t let down. We have to continue to put goals in the back of the net.”

Stevenson completed his hat trick in the ninth minute of the second half when Marcus Kautzman sent a ball into the box from outside of 25 yards that Stevenson deflected off his chest for his 15th goal of the season.

Jack Eimiller broke up the shutout for the Red Dragons with his first goal of the season in the 11th minute before Caleb Foley made it 5-2 with his sixth of the season in the 29th minute.

After failing to cash in on several opportunities of his own for the Trojans, eighth-grader McKay Young fed Pirello for his third goal of the season with less than eight minutes remaining for the final margin.

Southwestern will travel to Bill Race Field to take on Falconer/Cassadaga Valley on Thursday night before hosting Frewsburg on Senior Night this Saturday. Diaz, Max Kane, Brandon Fardink and Chris Butler will be honored before that 7 p.m. contest.

“Teams up in Buffalo don’t know who we are or don’t think we’re playing that well even though we’re undefeated,” Deering said. “I think we like that.”

“We put in the effort, we put in the work,” Diaz added. ” … Everyone has their own part. When you combine that together, we are unstoppable.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today