Pittsfield Girls Tie Wahconah, Claim Third Straight North Title
DALTON, Mass. -- The Pittsfield and Wahconah girls soccer teams on Tuesday battled to a 1-1 tie that gave the Generals their third straight Berkshire County North championship.
It also gave both teams a little something extra.
"This was a tournament-type game," Wahconah coach Patrick West said. "It was like a tournament final game. It was a good game against a good team.
"It was a good confidence-builder for our kids. They know they can play tough competition and do a good job."
Pittsfield has been tough on Berkshire County for some time now. The Generals on Tuesday continued a 15-game unbeaten streak and a 41-game unbeaten streak in Berkshire County that goes back to 2011.
"It was to get the tie and three-peat for the North," Pittsfield coach Andy Waluszko said. "That was one of the goals, to win the North.
"People thought we were rebuilding after graduating nine or 10 seniors last year, but I knew we had a talented group coming back, so it was nice to three-peat this year."
Pittsfield's Amanda Wright got the scoring started in the 10th minute when she took a chip from Casey Poplaski in the 18 and beat keeper Jamie Downer with a shot high and inside the far post.
The Generals had a couple more chances to up their lead, but Downer (four saves) and defender Maddie Sprague kept the visitors off the scoreboard.
Wahconah, meanwhile, nearly tied the game with nine seconds left in the first half when Pittsfield was whistled for a handball inside the 18.
Allie Hunt (seven saves) stopped the penalty try, and Wahconah could not get off a shot in the ensuing scramble.
Pittsfield started the second half with a strong scoring opportunity off a corner kick from the right wing. But Downer made the initial save, and Katie Dumas booted out the Generals' try for a score on the rebound.
Later, Downer was able to knock down a cross on a corner kick and scramble to get the ball before the Generals got off a shot.
A rebound at the other end of the field led to the tying goal.
Midway through the second half, Wahconah's Bridget Lussier made a run down the right wing and fired a shot at Hunt, who made the save. But Emmy Cote was there on the left wing to get the carom and feed Lussier for a left-footed goal to make it 1-1.
Hunt made another big save on a corner kick try with just fewer than two minutes to play, and Pittsfield defended a Wahconah corner kick with 29 seconds left to secure the tie, the point and the county title.
Wahconah (14-2-2, 6-1-1 Berkshire County) and Pittsfield (13-2-3, 7-0-1) find out Friday where they will open their tournament runs.
"I'm hoping to get a home game," Waluszko said with a smile.