Pickett leads Stillwater girls to C final

It was only after Brooke Pickett her third goal that she was taken out of the game. Her final strike put the finishing touches on a 5-1 Stillwater win over Lake George in the Section II Class C semifinals.

The goal that Stillwater did allow was just the second they’ve given up in the last month, but the Warriors gave themselves plenty of breathing room to advance to the section final.

“She just — other than the foot skills she has, she has the ability to read the defense really well and knows when and in what spot to finish in,” Stillwater head coach Christine Ihnatolya said.

The win was a big one for a Stillwater program that has long been starved of a chance to play for a Section II title. Last season, the Warriors’ run ended in the semifinals. Today, a semifinal win never seemed to be in doubt.

The Warriors got out to a 2-0 lead, but saw that fall back to a 2-1 late in the first half. Ihnatolya said that the team was able to draw on adversity it had faced early in the season when that happened. As of late, Stillwater has hardly seen opponents find the back of the net.

“We’ve been practicing for this game for a really long time,” Pickett said. “Before every game, we have goals. And I think we hit every one of our goals. Really being positive and staying together as a team made us win this game.”

Staie Teya scored a goal for Stillwater as well, but even that was assisted by Pickett, who has been an offensive force for the Warriors throughout what is now a 14-2 season. On a very windy but warm afternoon, Lake George didn’t get many looks to score, and the 5-1 score could easily have been more lopsided if not for some impressive saves by LG goalkeeper Sam Jeckel.

What was a competitive game in the first half eventually turned into a onesided affair late in the second.

Stillwater will face the winner of Hoosick Falls and Scholarie, which was being played directly after the Stillwater win at Lansingburgh High School.

Stillwater might not have the pedigree of consistent championship success, but they’re putting together a season where anything but a championship at this point would likely be a surprise.

“I don’t remember the last time (Stillwater) has been here since it’s only my fifth year here,” Ihnatolya said. “But I know it’s been long. It’s exceeding the goals I would have set for ourselves at the beginning of the season.”