ELLICOTTVILLE — After splitting two meetings with Ellicottville already this season, the Portville boys soccer team took the rubber match on Wednesday and wrestled away control of the CCAA III East division.
Portville won 3-1 on Thursday, as Braeden Carter and Brady German scored second-half goals to break a 1-1 tie at halftime.
Bryan Randolph gave Portville the early lead in the 14th minute on a penalty kick. Later in the half, Ellicottville’s Sam Edwards made a free kick from just outside the box to tie it 1-1.
Carter scored in the 51st minute with a Simon Szymanski assist and German scored in the 62nd with a Joe Randolph assist.
Troy VanSickle made three saves for the Panthers.
“It seemed like there was some point midway through the first half that kind of was a momentum shift even though we had the one goal lead, we stopped pressuring as hard as we were and they kind of took control a little bit,” Portville coach J.J. McIntosh said. “They were pressuring us and not only counter-attacking, but they were able to hold the ball in our end for quite some time. They did a really nice job of playing together and possessing on our defending third. But we did a nice job of never letting them get past our back line there. Our center back, Cole Faulkner, has been really stepping up these last few games and really taking good angles to put out any danger before it happens.
Of Edwards’ free kick, McIntosh noted, “It was a perfect shot from about 19, 20 yards out, put it upper right corner and tied it up 1-1. Then we went into halftime that way, I felt like they stole any momentum that we had.
“But I thought my guys did a nice job of fixing the little things that we had to fix from the first half and we were keeping the ball in front of us a little bit more and not letting them develop as much of an attack in our defensive end.”
Ellicottville fell to 7-4-1 (6-3 league). The Eagles lost to Portville 2-0 in their season opener at the Gator Cup, the won the first league meeting 2-0 in Portville Sept. 19.
The win guarantees Portville (10-3-1) at least a share of the league title for the third consecutive year. A win or tie at Gowanda/Pine Valley next week would clinch the solo league title over second-place Cassadaga Valley/Falconer.
Portville has won its last six games, five in league play, after the loss to Ellicottville.
The Panthers graduated 12 seniors last year, including seven starters, four on defense.
“This year for me has been very fulfilling to say the least,” McIntosh said. “I had a lot of question marks going into the year, but the fact we’ve been able to do what we’ve done so far, I think it surprised a lot of people, I imagine, but it definitely surprised me. It’s just been a fun year. I’ve got some great kids and they work hard all year.
“It’s been very fulfilling and I hope that we can keep it going.”
Salamanca/Cattaraugus-Little Valley 2, Pine Valley/Gowanda 0
SOUTH DAYTON — Salamanca/Cattaraugus-Little Valley (1-13, 1-8) secured its first victory of the season as Brien Funke scored two goals, one in each half.
Funke scored in the eighth minute and the 78th minute. Andy Herrick assisted the opening goal and Christian Horn assisted the late brace.
S/CLV goalkeeper Ashton Clark-Sanford kept a shutout with 12 saves.
“We finally had a full roster, we were just missing one guy,” S/CLV coach Scott Brady said. “Jorden Ambuske and Archer Newark were really good on defense. That was our first lead. We played hard because we had the lead for the first time. We scored seven minutes in, so that really fueled us right off the bat.”
