Camden falls in Class B final to Whitesboro

Whitesboro wins on Haden’s early goal

The Camden field hockey team fell by one goal in the sectional final for the second straight season.

During Whitesboro’s run to the Section III Class B final, one thing that hadn’t gone particularly well for the team is a specific penalty corner play for Carina Haden.

Sunday, it worked out in the best moment possible.

Haden’s hard shot finally hit home and provided the only goal of the game, a 1- 0 victory over Camden for the sectional title.

“It feels great,” said Haden. “We’ve worked for it so hard and to finally be here and to win, it just means so much. And to beat such a great team in Camden, they’re fantastic. To pull out this one means a lot to us.”

The two teams were very familiar with each other, playing twice during Tri-Valley League play. Camden won the first meeting 3-2 before a 3-3 tie in the second.

For the Blue Devils, the defeat was their second one-goal loss in the sectional championship game in two years.

Whitesboro dominated possession in the first half, earning three penalty corners. The first was knocked out for a 25-yard hit in the second minute and the second hit a Camden player’s foot. The No. 1 seed broke through on the third when Carina Haden ripped a hard shot that rattled around the boards for a 1- 0 advantage in the 16th minute.

“That corner is something we’ve practiced a lot and honestly, it hasn’t been very successful throughout the postseason,” said Haden. “To get it right when we needed the most, it felt really good.”

The Blue Devils’ best scoring chance of the first half came in the 21st minute on a cross from Kennedy Steria but Haden cleared the ball for the defense and the score stayed 1- 0 going into halftime.

Camden had another chance early in the second half on its first penalty corner. Mercedes Currie sent the ball to the far post but it hit a teammate’s foot, ending the threat.

Whitesboro added nine more penalty corners in the second half but couldn’t build on the lead. Camden’s last scoring chance came in the 58th minute but goalie Jessica MaHardy kicked the ball away from the at- tacker at the near post for her fifth and final save of the victory.

KYLE MENNIG – ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Camden’s Delainey Hebble (4) moves the ball up the field around Whitesboro’s Madeline Krecidlo (5) during their Section III Class B final in Manlius on Sunday.

KYLE MENNIG – ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Whitesboro players celebrate after a goal by Carina Haden (21).