The Columbia and Bethlehem boys soccer teams showcased their dominance on Wednesday night, confirming their status as the top two teams in Class AA.
Both the top-seeded Blue Devils and second-seeded Eagles secured impressive shutout victories in their semifinal matches at Guilderland High School, setting the stage for Saturday’s championship game.
Bethlehem started the evening with a decisive 6-0 win over Mohonasen, the three-seed and fifth-ranked team in the state for Class AA.
Bethlehem head coach Brian Spina noted, “We knew Mohon was talented; we knew their record, but we focused on playing our game. That was what I was most proud of.”
The Eagles took control early, scoring five goals before halftime against the unbeaten Colonial Council champions.
Sophomore forward Ayaz Sajid, who scored two goals, said, “We had our mind set from the beginning. We knew what we wanted.”
Bethlehem broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Ollie Reichman scored off an assist from Muamer Kanic. They quickly followed with four more goals in the last 20 minutes of the first half. Sajid added two goals, while Conor Garcia and Kanic also found the net.
Reichman completed the scoring with a sixth goal in the second half. Coach Spina praised his team’s relentless drive, stating, “Even after each goal, you could see our guys saying, ‘Let’s go. Let’s get another.’ They weren’t satisfied.”
After last year’s semifinal upset as the top seed, the Eagles are on a mission this season. “We knew what happened last year, and we had to get the job done,” Sajid said.
Bethlehem, having replaced eight starters, is one win away from their goal of a sectional title. “We’re one step closer, and the attitude is right there for us,” Spina said.
In the second semifinal, the No. 1-seeded Columbia Blue Devils faced fourth-seeded Niskayuna and won 4-0, achieving their 15th shutout victory in 18 games this season.
Niskayuna held Columbia scoreless for much of the first half until Aidan Gatchell scored off a corner kick from Liam Schneider with just over three minutes remaining before halftime.
Columbia quickly added two goals after the break. Aiden Graber scored the second, finishing a rebound after a diving save by Niskayuna’s goalkeeper Eric Thurn.
Caden Shultz then scored after a sequence involving another corner kick from Schneider.
Columbia capped the game with a fourth goal later in the half, completing a dominant performance.
Columbia (18-0, 13-0) and Bethlehem (14-4, 10-3) will meet in the final on Saturday morning at Queensbury. Columbia won their regular-season matchup 2-1 on October 15 in Delmar. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m.
Niskayuna finishes the season with a record of 10-6-2, while Mohonasen concludes at 17-1.
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