Winning with youth
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CLIFTON PARK -- This was supposed to be a learning year for the mighty Glens Falls field hockey program. A segue between one championship team and another, of whom big things will be expected of in the future.
No, this was to be someone else's year. Except someone forgot to tell Katie Gillespie, Emily White and the 13 other underclassmen to follow the script.
White and Gillespie combined for a goal with 2:12 remaining in double overtime to give second-seeded Glens Falls a thrilling 1-0 victory over top-seeded Johnstown in the Class B final of the Section II Field Hockey Tournament at Shenendehowa High School on Friday.
The two teams had split their regular-season meetings and shared the Foothills Council title.
"I knew coming into this game we had a shot," Glens Falls coach Michele Venditto said. "A lot of people counted us out and expected the senior-laden team to win. But you know what, we don't come here to lose. We're in it to win it."
The Indians usually are. Friday's sectional title was the second in a row, the fourth in the last five years, and the 11th in school history.
This may have been one of the unlikliest. They lost a Division I player, their three leading scorers who combined for 40 regular season goals, their starting goalie and several seniors from last year's regional finalists.
"I think in a way that helped us out in this big game because they didn't realize the enormity of where they were," Venditto said.
White and Gillespie did. Despite both being sophomores, the two are three-year varsity players. Gillespie has been starting since she was in eighth grade. She also watched her sister, Molly, who graduated two years ago and was part of several powerhouse Indians teams.
That experience paid off in the waning minutes of the second chilly 10-minute overtime session. White created a turnover, dribbled through a Johnstown player, and put a shot on goal. It acted as a crossing pass and Gillespie deflected it in for the game-winner.
"It was basically all her," Gillespie said. "I just tipped it in. Just lucky to be there."
For Gillespie, a midfielder who played back last season, it was her first goal of the season.
Both teams had numerous chances on breakaways during the seven-on-seven overtime periods. Glens Falls' Brittany Daniels, one of three seniors, made seven saves in the game.
"It was really nerve-racking," White said. "But I knew our goalie would pull through."
The young Indians' devil-may-care attitude is likely to come in handy in the regional playoffs. Glens Falls will play the Section I champion, the winner of Saturday's game between Lakeland and Rye, on Wednesday at Shenendehowa at 1:30 p.m. Both are state-level powers.
"They know (how good those teams are). But who's to say?" Venditto said. "On any given day any team can be beaten. We're just going to go out for the experience and play hard, and whatever happens, happens. That will set the tone for us for the next couple of years."
Glens Falls (14-4) 0 0 0 1 - 1
Johnstown (15-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0
Goals-Assists
Glens Falls - Gillespie 1-0, White 0-1.
Shots - 8-8. Penalty corners - Johnstown, 11-8. Goalie-saves: Daniels (GF) 7; Ponte (J) 7.
Posted in Sports, High-school-and-prep on Saturday, November 7, 2009 12:30 am Updated: 9:47 am.
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