Randolph head coach Alexa Troutman is pictured with Gianna Bowles during Senior Night festivities. Photo courtesy of Brooke Patterson

Alexa Troutman was tasked with leading a young Randolph Cardinals team to a level they’ve never reached this season.

Randolph has never won a Section VI championship in girls soccer, but with the mix of veteran and young talent coming together on this year’s team, that title became a real possibility.

The Cardinals opened the season with a 2-1 overtime victory, a result that proved valuable later in the season.

They then beat nonleague Chautauqua Lake 2-1 before losing their only regular-season game of the year, 6-1 to Fredonia.

Entering Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 play, Randolph began an undefeated string of 10 straight league wins during which it outscored opponents 68-5 en route to a league title.

Also during the stretch, the Cardinals beat Jamestown 2-1 and Chautauqua Lake again, 4-1.

That set Randolph up with the No. 3 seed in the Section VI Class C playoffs. In a fortunate circumstance, the Cardinals were rewarded with a quarterfinal home game against No. 6 Holland and Randolph won that matchup 4-0.

No. 2 Frewsburg, the six-time sectional champion, was waiting for the Cardinals in the semifinals. Randolph put up a valiant fight, but Audrey Eckwahl’s goal in the first minute of the second half proved to be the difference as the Bears ended the Cardinals’ season. Three days later, No. 1 Wilson beat Frewsburg 1-0.

Randolph was recognized for its great season with several individual honors.

Senior Gianna Bowles was named the CCAA Division 2 Player of the Year after a record-breaking season during which she scored a program record 37 goals to go along with 12 assists.

Junior Grace-Arnold Hill was named to the league’s First Team as was sophomore Kyler Patterson.

Junior Ella Monroe, freshman Ava Sears and eighth-grader Serena Smith were all named to the league’s Second Team.

And sophomores Hannah Hill and Jade Miller were joined by junior Jade McMaster as honorable-mention selections in the league.

While the Cardinals did not reach the ultimate goal for which they set out, it was still a season to remember in Randolph.

And with 21 of the 24 girls listed on the Cardinals’ final roster returning next season, Troutman will have plenty of talent back in Randolph’s search for its elusive first sectional crown.

For developing the Cardinals’ young talent and getting her team to the brink of sectional greatness, Troutman is the 2025 Post-Journal/OBSERVER Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.