Niskayuna and Saratoga Springs will square off in an all-Suburban Council Section II Class A field hockey championship game Friday at 5:30 on Shenendehowa’s artificial turf field.
Niskayuna (16-2, No. 1 seed) already owns two wins over Saratoga Springs (14-3, No. 2), prevailing 2-0 in early September and 1-0 in early October.
“It gives our girls confidence that they beat them twice, but we don’t take anything for granted,” said third-year Niskayuna coach Alison Broomhead. “Those were good wins for us, but in every game you’ve got to start over.”
Niskayuna won its only Class A title in 2006 by beating Shenendehowa, 1-0, and lost to Saratoga in the 2007 final, 4-0. Saratoga lost to Shenendehowa, 1-0, in last year’s championship game.
“Five seniors on my team know what it feels like to be in the championship game, and they know what it feels like to get blown away,” Broomhead said. “They’re going to do their best to see that it doesn’t happen again.”
Niskayuna got a pair of goals from Lindsay Mayo in its 2-1 semifinal win over Bethlehem. Victoria Wilson had the goal in Saratoga’s 1-0 semifinal win over Shenendehowa.
In other games Friday at Shenendehowa, Johnstown and Glens Falls play for the Class B championship at 3:30, and Hoosick Falls and Greenwich meet in the Class CC-C playoff at 7:30. Hoosick Falls beat Schuylerville for the Class CC title, 1-0, and Greewich beat Johnsburg for the Class C title, 2-1, Wednesday.
Recent Section II Champions
2008: Shenendehowa (A), Glens Falls (B), Hoosick Falls (CC), Warrensburg (C), Warrensburg (CC-C).
2007: Saratoga (A), Burnt Hills (B), Granville (CC), Warrensburg (C), Warrensburg (CC-C).
2006: Niskayuna (A), Glens Falls (B), Hoosick Falls (CC), Salem (C), Hoosick Falls (CC-C).
2005: Queensbury (A), Glens Falls (B), Hoosick Falls (CC), North Warren (C), North Warren (CC-C).
2004: Saratoga (A), Hudson Falls (B), Corinth (CC), North Warren (C), North Warren (CC-C).
2003: Queensbury (A), Johnstown (B), Hoosick Falls (CC), Salem (C), Salem (CC-C).
2002: Columbia (A), Glens Falls (B), Hoosick Falls (CC), Warrensburg (C), Warrensburg (CC-C).
