Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017: Lafayette wins Section 6 boys soccer tournament

   Leading off today: Buffalo Lafayette, stripped of all its regular-season victories just days before the start of the tournament, is the Section 6 Class D champion in boys soccer.

   The Violets defeated Pine Valley 7-2 in Friday's title game, advancing them to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association quarterfinals next weekend.

   Two goals by Mee Reh in the first nine minutes put Lafayette ahead to stay, and Reh tacked on two more scores before halftime.

   Lafayette, which was 9-3-2 at one point, was penalized by Section 6 on Oct. 11 after a determination that school administrators had not filed paperwork allowing Lafayette to combine with Newcomers Academy of Lafayette, a separately operated school on the same campus. Lafayette was allowed to continue its season but several players were removed from the roster.

   "We were down a lot of players, obviously," Lafayette coach Brad Brodnicki told The Buffalo News. "I have a small team now, but I told them to stick with it. Stick with it and be strong and play for everyone else, even the ones that couldn't play. They showed up today and did really well, so I was really proud of what they did."

   More boys soccer: Brockport coach Chris Zorn is retiring, but he's leaving with at least one parting gift and the possibility of more.

   Brockport, which last hoisted a trophy in 2006, edged top-seeded Brighton 2-1 for the Section 5 Class A-1 championship Friday. The Blue Devils got goals midway through the first half from twin brothers Colby and Zach Wharram.

   The Blue Devils will play Pittsford Sutherland next week for the right to represent the section in the NYSPHSAA tournament beginning next weekend.

   Girls soccer: Two goals by Lainey Foti lifted Jamesville-DeWitt to a 2-1 victory over Syracuse CBA, giving the Red Rams their ninth consecutive Section 3 Class A championship.

   "It's a legacy. And it's a lot of pressure to come out here today and play for a ninth straight win," Foti told Syracuse.com. "We don't want to be that team to break the streak. But it feels amazing."

    • Megan O'Reilly scored her 11th goal of the season in the 79th minute to give defending champion Westhill the Section 3 Class B title over Lowville.

   The shutout was the 18th of the year for Westhill and seventh in a row.

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    • Sophie Ryan scored with 6:35 left in the second half as unbeaten Babylon defeated Mattituck 2-1 for the Section 11 Class B championship.

   The goal spoiled a standout effort from Mattituck goalkeeper Sarah Santacroce, who had with 16 saves.

   "They played us tougher today than anybody has all season," Babylon coach Frank Mancuso said. "She's

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probably the best keeper that we've seen in terms of the performance. Everywhere we put the ball, she seemed to be there."

    • Dani LaRochelle scored all the goals as Albertus Magnus toppled defending champ Bronxville (17-1-1) 3-0 in the Section 1 Class B semifinals. Albertus Magnus will go for a second Section 1 title in three years on Sunday against Irvington.

   Coaching news: Mike Mills, who has 25 years of coaching experience and recently began work as a pastor at Northway Church in Clifton Park, is the new baseball coach at Mekeel Christian Academy.

   Mills most recently coached at Delmarva Christian in Georgetown, Del., where his 2017 team won the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference regular-season title.

   He replaces coach and AD Guy DeAngelis, who left the state in a work-related move.

   Former Mekeel standout Kelsey Collins was hired in September to take over DeAngelis' role running the girls basketball team, which reached the NYSPHSAA semifinals last season.

    • Long-time McKee/Staten Island Tech baseball coach Mike Grippo has stepped down to accept the same role at Tottenville, his alma mater. He replaces Tom Tierney Jr., who announced his retirement last week after guiding the Pirates the last 18 seasons.

   Grippo, a former St. Louis Cardinals farmhand, coached MSIT to a 129-117 league record in 14 seasons.

    • Keith Humphrey, who's coached Spackenkill to a record of 155-12 in 13 seasons and wins in their last 51 matches, will step down after next spring's Section 9 and state tournaments.

    • Bob Longhouse, who coaches Fairport girls soccer to sectional crowns on 1975, '83 and '87 and most recently was coaching at the modified level, has retired after 43 seasons on the sidelines. He had retired from teaching in 2001.

    • "He's a great example of Fairport family, 'Once A Raider, Always a Raider.' He taught in this community. He lived in this community and he and his wife (Amy) raised their three daughters in this community," retired Fairport AD Jim Zumbo told the Democrat and Chronicle.