Boys soccer all-stars.
In the final minutes of its three playoff matches, South Glens Falls’ boys soccer team produced enough drama to last an entire season.
The postseason run that ended in the Section II Class A final is one Bulldogs coach Travis Birkholz will remember for a long time and one that earned him the title of Sartogian boys soccer Coach of the Year.
One month before sec- tionals began, however, reaching the final of anything seemed like a long shot for South Glens Falls. A rash of injuries forced the veteran coach, in his 10th year with the Bulldogs, to make adjustments to his preferred lineup.
“It created an opportunity for some kids who didn’t get as much playing time to step up to the plate,” Birkholz said. “Travis Brown in particular earned a starting spot all the way through the playoffs.”
Another key moment of the regular season was the emergence of senior Luke VanDixhorn as not just the team’s leading goal scorer ( 11 goals, 7 assists) but a leader on the team.
“I had a conversation with Luke being the guy to step up,” Birkholz said. “It motivated him. Luke turned out to be the guy that took it on his shoulders. You could see his play change.”
The Bulldogs finished the regular season with five wins and one tie (to No. 2 state- ranked Broadalbin-Perth) to set up the memorable playoff run.
“I think a lot of people didn’t expect this group to do so well,” Birkholz said. “( But) the kids understood they wanted to make something special.”
South Glens Falls’ playoff opener was certainly special for Alec Potter. The sophomore scored the match-winner in overtime to lead the No. 4 seed to a 2-1 victory over fifth seeded Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.
In the semifinals against Averill Park, VanDixhorn scored with 44 seconds remaining in regulation to clinch a 1-0 win. Birkholz can still picture the goal in his head.
“He took a shot with his left foot from easily 30plus yards out and it went into the far right upper 90,” he said. “It was unsavable. It was unreal.
“Both of those games were thrillers and really motivated the school and the fans.”
The final was against Troy, a team South Glens Falls had lost to 2-1 earlier in the season.
Rick Buser gave the Bulldogs the lead with a header off a corner kick, but the Flying Horses tied the match in the second half and eventually won it in overtime.
Part of South Glens Falls’ success on the field during matches can be attributed to Birkholz’s planning beforehand. Learning their opponents’ style of play and how to counteract it is all part of the pregame routine for the Bulldogs.
“Learning what they were going to see it gives them the knowledge that they ’re mentally prepared,” Birkholz said. “We were already physically prepared from our training.”
Birkholz also tries to prepare his players for more than just soccer matches. The Bulldogs raised money for breast cancer awareness in one home match and collected donations for the Wounded Warrior project in another.
“It’s more than just coaching a sport, I think we’re trying to make good citizens,” said Birkholz, a veteran of the Army. “These two games are another way to do good things for others.”
And with two sectional final appearances and double-digit wins in each of the past six years ( 7828- 12 overall), the South Glens Falls program looks to be in good shape on the field as well.