SECTION IV BOYS SOCCER: SUS VALLEY BRINGS ‘A’ GAME AGAINST SVEC IN CLASS B QUARTERFINALS (24 PHOTOS) (2025-10-24)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
CONKLIN — State-ranked Susquehanna Valley brought its “A”game to the pitch to defeat Spencer-Van Etten/ Candor, 4-0, in the Section IV Class B boys soccer quarterfinals here Friday evening.

Sus Valley’s veteran lineup, which included four seniors and five juniors starting, controlled possession for the majority of the game.

“Susquehanna Valley, we knew what we had because we played these guys last year in a tough game,” coach Jason Banks said. “We lost a few seniors that were important to us and we knew they were young, mostly sophomores and juniors last year, and they play all year round. They moved the ball really well. We knew it was going to be a battle.”

Eagles goalkeeper Sirron Irvin made a nice diving save at 36:45, but the Sabers’ next shot on goal produced what would prove to be the game winner.

Sean Skinner’s corner kick slipped through the hand of a leaping Irvin and Colin Trotter, standing near the far post, lunged his right foot out and put the ball in the back of the net with 35:25 on the clock

Jack Desimone would record a hat trick as the Sabers posted their 10th victory of the season. He managed to get behind the defense to make it 2-0 at 14:17 on a pass from Giano Lisi.

Lisi also assisted on Desimone’s next goal in the fifth minute of the second half and Ethan Nagle added the helper at 16:55.

Pitting a roster with seven upperclassmen against Sus Valley’s 19 seniors and juniors was a mismatch experience-wise, but the Eagles didn’t give up.

“The whole season's been about grit for us and we may not have the best touch or the most talented team, but we never give up,” Banks said. “We've come back before, so keep trying, but it just didn't work out that way today.”

Sus Valley (10-1-3), ranked third in the state, advances to the semifinals to face third-seeded Oneonta (10-3-2).

SVEC (8-7), which graduates just three of the 16 players on Friday’s game roster, sets its sights on the 2026 season.

“With as many young players as we have this season, and coming into it knowing our goals, our goal was to make sectionals, we definitely achieved our goal and it's only something to grow on because these guys had an extra two weeks to practice with us and get more hungry for next year," Banks said. 

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IN PHOTO 1: SVEC’s Taylor Vanderpoel. IN TOP PHOTO: SVEC’s Jason Jantz. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

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