Staudle powers Cornwall to Section 9 Class A soccer title

MIDDLETOWN — When you have scored as many goals as Caroline Staudle has for Cornwall ...

Ken McMillan

MIDDLETOWN — When you have scored as many goals as Caroline Staudle has for Cornwall, one doesn't seem any more special than the other.

At least that's the way Staudle looks at her game-winner on Sunday in Cornwall's 2-0 victory over Red Hook in the Section 9 Class A girls' soccer championship match.

“I don't even know what to say,'' Staudle said of her 30th goal of the season. “I knew if we kept shooting, one would eventually go in.''

Staudle had a number of opportunities in the first half but Red Hook's defense and goalie Ashley Pica responded well. Less than five minutes before halftime, Lexie Modlinski found Staudle on the top right side of the penalty area and she got off a quick shot from 14 yards that went across the grain and into the lower left corner of the net.

“That was a darn good goal,” Cornwall coach Rick Miller said.

“She's a fighter, she's relentless,'' said co-captain Ally LaGrutta of Staudle. “She always comes up big in those situations.

Staudle set up a 13-yard rising rip by Modlinski with 14:09 left in the second half, securing the win and Cornwall's sixth consecutive sectional title.

“It's pretty bittersweet,'' LaGrutta said, “because I'm getting toward the end, but it's the best feeling ever. It's a great way to go out in my senior year.''

Cornwall continues to be successful with its alternating goalies – Cathy Eliasson made four saves in the first half and Laurel Schuster had a more challenging six stops. Pica made eight stops for Red Hook (14-2-3).

Cornwall (14-1) will play the Section 1 winner in the first round of the state tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday at Arlington High School in Freedom Plains. The Dragons have won 11 sectional titles but have reached the state semifinals just once, losing in 2005.

“This team is really ready to do something big that Cornwall hasn't done before,'' LaGrutta said.

“I have confidence every year,'' Miller said, citing recent hard-luck losses to Rye and Somers in the state tournament the past two seasons. “It's not like we're not in the games or not playing with confidence ... we just can't get over that jump. I do feel good about this year.''