CLIFTON PARK – For the third straight year, Greene is returning to the Class A field hockey state semifinals. The defending state champions scored two goals 85 seconds apart, and ousted Section II champion Shenendehowa, 2-1 Saturday night on the Plainsmen’s home field.
Next up is a Friday date in the semifinals against Section I’s Mamaroneck at 7:30 p.m. on the turf at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. Greene beat Mamaroneck, 1-0, a year ago for the state championship.
“I would think, unfortunately, (Mamaroneck) would want some redemption,” said Greene head coach Sue Carlin.
The Trojans did not allow a single goal during last year’s state playoff run, and it graduated tri-captains Erin Smith, Christine Conroe, and Anna Crumb along with other key senior players. This year’s Greene unit sports just three senior starters, two of which are on the defensive end. “Someone at the end of last year asked me, after losing that great group, if they thought we would be back in the same situation – making the final four,” Carlin said. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been quick to say we would, but having worked with them and seeing their determination and work ethic, they just have high expectations for themselves. To see that from such a young group, they expect to perform at a high level, and that is a credit to them.”
The Trojans (18-0) welcomed back leading scorer Jahna Driscoll, who missed the playoff win over Baldwinsville, and most of the sectional finals victory over Vestal due to injury. Driscoll made an immediate impact on the offense, particularly in the first half.
The first goal, 23:20 into the game, was similar in execution to the first goal of the Trojans’ playoff season. Driscoll took the initial shot after receiving a pass on a penalty corner from Emily Conroe. Driscoll’s shot was saved by Shenendehowa goalie Melissa Nealon, but senior Abbey Wentlent followed up the rebound with goal-scoring shot.
Greene – and Driscoll – did not relent on the offensive end. The sophomore worked her way past a pair of Plainsmen defenders into the middle of the penalty circle, and slapped home a shot 25:05 into the opening period, her 31st goal this season.
“That goal was just awesome,” Carlin said of Driscoll’s tally. “A lot of times, the opposite happens after scoring a goal. You let your guard down, and the other team takes it down and scores. The last couple of years, we’ve worked hard on making sure that didn’t happen.”
The Trojans’ dominance included a 13-1 edge in shots on goal in the first half. Only an untimely turnover on the defensive end in the game’s final 10 minutes prevented Greene from posting its seventh straight shutout in postseason competition.
