GREENE – For the first time since the 2005 season, Greene’s field hockey team will not participate in the state playoffs.

Whitney Point ended the Trojans’ seven-year run of Section IV championships with a 2-1 victory Saturday in the Class C title game.

As the number seven seed, the Trojans (9-8) didn’t go quietly in this year’s sectional tournament. After a .500 regular season, Greene won road playoff games over higher-seeded Sidney and Afton to reach the championship game. And an early goal by Greene – to take a 1-0 lead – led one to believe the run of championships might continue.

“We started off so strong,” said Greene coach Sue Carlin. “We wanted to prove we were a different team than the last time we played them,

A rarely used penalty corner play led to Greene’s first goal just 3:50 into the game. The play was designed to take the pressure off of senior Katherine Klecha, who was typically at the top of the penalty circle. Klecha was able to a get a free look at the goal off a pass from Laura Durdon, and scored for the early lead.

Whitney Point (13-4) needed 22 more minutes to score the equalizer, its tally, too, coming off a penalty corner. Lexi Benscoter netted the goal for the Golden Eagles, who forged a halftime tie.

“We felt great at halftime and were right in the game with them,” Carlin said. “We were really positive head- ing into the second half, but they were pressuring us pretty good. We did a good job holding them off.” Whitney Point’s pressure paid off in the go-ahead goal 13 minutes into precise feed from Benscoter. “After they scored, our coaching staff said ‘wow, that was nice,’” Carlin said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t us who scored.”