By John Schiano
MaxPreps.com
Don Hartley has more boys state soccer championships with Red Creek than Trish Hayes’ entire Marathon girls varsity program has years of existence.
Though their stories are quite different, the two coaches have something in common these days. Each coached their team to a New York State Public High School Athletic Association title over the weekend.
Hayes’ Marathon girls earned a Class C co-championship Saturday by playing York to a scoreless tie on a wet and chilly afternoon at Tompkins-Cortland Community College.
Seven years ago, Marathon had only a modified-level team. Six years ago the Olympians were a winless junior-varsity outfit. They were roughly a .500 club for Hayes in 2004 but now already possess three division championships and one piece of state hardware.
Not bad for a school known more for its state-record eight NYSPHSAA field hockey championships since 1994, with a bid for No. 9 derailed by East Rochester on Saturday in Chittenango.
“It says a lot about our kids’ guts, determination and heart,” Hayes said. “You can’t say enough about these girls. The captains have led them the whole way. They’ve pushed everybody along and inspired everyone to play. Now little kids are coming up to them and saying they want to play, too.”
Hartley has something of a similar story in his second tour of duty. Already a member of multiple soccer halls of fame and the recipient of just about every imaginable soccer honor, Hartley came out of a lengthy retirement in 2003 to revive the Red Creek program, which has won a record 22 Section V championships.
“When I came back, I was out 11 years and I don’t think they had a sectional championship in that time,” Hartley said. “The year I came back we had two substitutes (on the varsity roster) and the JVs had none. Then after we won the sectionals our kids got soccer fever, I guess you can call it, and we just came back. Now the kids believe in themselves. They know they can play the game. It’s just like a tradition now. They want to get here and play. It’s more psychological than anything when you’re working with the kids.”
Sunday’s 4-2 triumph over North Salem in the Class C final was Red Creek’s third NYSPHSAA championship in four years and sixth overall, all under Hartley. The red jacket he wore on the sideline Sunday was adorned with the patch awarded for the Mules’ 1991 triumph.
Senior Ryan Fisher was a toddler in 1991. After scoring his 19th and 20th goals on the season (including what proved to be the game-winner with 10 minutes to go) Sunday, he’s part of the Red Creek legacy.
“This is my third state title,” Fisher said. “No one else in school history has done that. I’m part of history now.”
And Hartley may be history. He says he’ll take some time to think about what’s next. With five junior starters returning, he’s tempted to coach one more season, but he also admits that he may retire again, this time for good.
He got a kick out of hearing about Hayes and her Marathon girls’ anything-is-possible success story.
“I’m sure she did a wonderful job of selling the kids on the game and making them like it,” Hartley said. “They have to enjoy the game or they won’t want to play. I’ve never met her, but I’m sure she’s dedicated and works with her kids and they believe in her.
“They have to believe in the coach and the coach has to believe in the kids. It’s a community when that happens.”
Said Hayes: “You can do anything with a bunch of girls with a lot of heart and determination. You can do amazing things.”
More Soccer
Here’s a quick recap of the other finals in the 31st annual boys tournament at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta and the 26th girls event at sites in the Cortland area:
* Boys Class AA: Brentwood defeated Clarence, 2-1, to cap a 25-0 season and win its first championship since 1989. Junior Joseph Lopez capped a four-goal weekend with both tallies in the final.
* Boys Class A: Comsewogue (21-2) dominated Harrison, 4-0, for its first title to cap a comeback from an 0-2 start to the season.
* Boys Class B: Brian Rogers’ two goals gave the Harvard-bound senior 15 for the postseason and 44 for the year as Bronxville (23-1-1) held off East Aurora, 2-0.
“When you go up a goal it relieves you and it’s the other team that’s the one to push on,” Rogers said. “From then on it’s going to be at least a tie as long as our defense plays well.”
* Boys Class D: Dan Kraynak’s goal 42 seconds into overtime completed Hamilton’s rally from a three-goal deficit and denied Chazy its fourth goal in five years, 4-3. The Emerald Knights finish 22-2.
* Girls Class AA: Caitlynn Moran started the week by signing a basketball letter of intent with Boston University and capped it by scoring the goal as John Jay-East Fishkill (21-0) edged Fairport, 1-0
* Girls Class A: Rye (18-4-1), with 15 freshmen or sophomores on the roster, scored a 1-0 win to end Rockville Centre South Side’s four-year reign as Alexandra Rimmer scored her 25th goal of the season..
* Girls Class B: Briarcliff (23-1) defended its title by beating Livonia, the 2006 tournament champion. The Bears outscored their opponents by a combined 128-11 for the season.
* Girls Class D: S.S. Seward and Chazy played to a 2-2 draw to share the trophy. Seward was the 2007 Class C winner, and Chazy had shared last season’s small-school title with Lyme.
Field Hockey
At Chittenango High School, Ward Melville (Class A), Garden City (B) and East Rochester (C) earned state field hockey championships. It was Garden City’s sixth state championship, all since 1995, and the third in five years for East Rochester.
Girls Volleyball
At the Glens Falls Civic Center, Irondequoit became the fifth different Class AA champion in five years with a 27-29, 25-19, 25-14, 25-15 victory against Lindenhurst.
Hendrick Hudson, which dropped down a class after winning two straight titles, won in Class B, opening the door for Victor to take Class A honors for the second time in six years. Salamanca (Class C) and Portville (D) were first-time winners at the 19th annual event.
