Sydney Silverman's goalkeeping, Hannah Woodward's goal give Wheatley Nassau title
Wheatley's Hannah Woodward, left, and Cold Spring Harbor's Lauren Spinnato race after a loose ball during the first half of the Nassau Class B final at Adelphi University on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. Credit: James Escher
The shots kept coming and coming, sometimes at a relentless pace. And every time, without fail, Sydney Silverman was there. The Wheatley goaltender made 17 saves in the second- seeded Wildcats' 1-0 victory over No. 1 Cold Spring Harbor in the Nassau Class B girls soccer final Tuesday at Adelphi.
It is Wheatley's second consecutive Class B county title. The Wildcats will face Port Jefferson, which topped Babylon on Monday, in the Long Island Class B championship 3 p.m. Saturday at Dowling.
What made Silverman's performance all the more impressive was her youth. The county championship goalie is only an eighth-grader.
"Almost everyone here is a junior or a senior," Silverman said. "I'm just trying so hard to fit in with them. But I'm just so happy that we're making the journey together. We really work well together."
Carrying a team to another county title is a great way to fit in. Silverman was under constant pressure in the second half, facing shot after shot as Cold Spring Harbor (5-6-2) did its best to avoid elimination. Despite the heavy flurry of shots, Silverman said she never felt overwhelmed, even in the toughest of moments.
"We knew that we weren't going to get another goal and we were going to win this game 1-0," Silverman said. "It was a rush."
Perhaps the most furious Cold Spring Harbor flurry came with 22 minutes remaining. Silverman was forced to make a close-range save with her upper body as she sprawled on the ground, preserving the lead.
"We couldn't communicate in that one moment," Silverman said. "We're usually very good at that. One of my defenders was able to kick it out. It was crazy."
Hannah Woodward gave Wheatley (15-1-1) the only goal it needed with 16:33 left in the first half. Woodward, after taking a pass from Adena Bernot, danced slowly along the left sideline, sizing up Cold Spring Harbor keeper Abby Ngai, before finally firing a shot that touched the right post and bounced into the middle of the net.
"I just gave it all I had," Woodward said. "I had to use my speed, do some little footsteps, and bam! It went in."
