BOYS SOCCER Lakers reach Class B final by knocking off Spartans

CHITTENANGO >> Burke Regan’s goal in the 16th minute gave Cazenovia a lead over South Jefferson in their Section III Class B semifinal on Wednesday night.

The senior spent the rest of the match making sure it stood up.

Regan and the Lakers’ defense kept the No. 9 state-ranked Spartans off the board, winning 1-0 to advance to the sectional final for the second time in three years.

“(Keeper) Tommy Bragg, our captain Burke had a great game,” said Cazenovia coach Adam Reynolds. “He’s just got tremendous leadership. We got Sean McNerney back there. We got two outside backs in Timmy Burr and Will Shephard who, they just really stepped up. They might not be soccer guys or anything like that but this is a team, front to back, that’s played really well to--

gether.”

The shut out was Cazenovia’s third in three postseason matches this fall and 10th of the season. Bragg made three saves in goal in the victory.

“All of us played great,” said Regan. “We’ve really been clicking lately.

“The outside backs, Will and Tim, and Sean in the middle, they cleared it well and really kept them out of our own end the whole time.”

The Lakers came out aggressively on offense, earning two corner kicks in the opening nine minutes but failing to score on either. The Spartans looked to counter on the second attempt but Bragg came out of the goal to shut down the threat and keep the match scoreless.

Cazenovia’s junior keeper also knocked the ball away on a corner in the 10th minute.

The third Lakers corner kick of the opening half proved to be the difference.

Ryan Modzeleski sent the ball in to Regan, who headed it home for what would be the lone goal of the match.

“Ryan gave me a great ball in, right where it was supposed to be, and it was a good height to head it,” said Regan.

“I just headed it down and it went in.”

Reynolds said taking the early lead was a big boost for his team, especially on a chilly, late-October evening in a playoff game.

Regan had a chance to add to his tally with a penalty kick in the 29th minute but his low shot rolled wide, keeping the score 1-0 where it would stay going into halftime.

Another corner kick in the 47thminute also nearly resulted in Regan’s second goal, but his header sailed just over the crossbar.

South Jefferson made one last strong push for an equalizer, starting with a corner in the 62nd minute that McNerney headed away.

The Spartans last good chance came in the 65th minute when Will Lowe blasted a volley that Bragg secured for his final save.

Over the final 10 minutes, it was Cazenovia pushing for a final goal.

The Lakers earned three corners during that stretch and couldn’t score, but kept possession in the Spartans’ end to run out the clock and secure the victory.

Cazenovia will face Westhill in the Section III Class B final.

The two teams split their two regular-season matches, each winning 4-1 on its own field.

“Whenwe play them, we always look at the board at halftime and we always say you know it’s not going to end that way,” said Reynolds.

“We knowthemwell and they knowuswell, so it will be interesting.”

KYLE MENNIG — ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Cazenovia’s Burke Regan (left) reacts after scoring against South Jefferson during their Section III Class B semifinal victory in Chittenango on Wednesday.

KYLE MENNIG — ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Cazenovia’s Joe Spires (right) and South Jefferson’s Riley Williams (left) get tangled up while going for the ball. Cazenovia won the game to reach the Section III Class B final.