VERONA — Call it patience or persistence.

However you refer to it, the Holland Patent field hockey team stuck with it against New Hartford’s swarming defense and an impressive effort from senior goalie Emilee Clarey.

Holland Patent, arguably a top team in Section III while playing a strong team game under coach Renee Morrison, accumulated an astounding 18 corners and had 20 total shots into the fourth quarter. 

Senior Alivia Alexander made the 21st shot count, scoring with 10 minutes to play as top-seeded Holland Patent notched a 1-0 victory over second-seeded New Hartford in a rematch of last year’s Section III Class B title game at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School’s Sheveron Stadium. 

“We just never gave up. We kept going and going,” said Alexander, who was part of the Holland Patent’s 6-0 win in the sectional final over New Hartford last fall. “My mindset and my team’s mindset was ‘we’re not giving up. Today is not the day that we end. We’re going to keep going and push.’”

The lone goal happened following the corner opportunity that got knocked away from the cage area. Morrison noted that Alexander thought the play was over after the ball skittered toward the out-of-bounds line. However, junior Zoe Kelly chased it down.

“It looked like the ball went out. The officials didn’t call it,” said Alexander, one of four players to score at least 10 goals for HP this season. “I (had my stick) up and they were like ‘Play! Play!” and I see the ball coming. I just gave it all I got.”

The ball sailed into the cage to the delight of Holland Patent players, coaches and fans after controlling the game.

“(The goal) is pretty priceless,” said Morrison, whose team topped New Hartford 3-0 on Sept. 23 in the only regular-season meeting between the squads. “She had a great game and was on fire. It was a good end to this game.” 

The result was a tough end for Clarey, who dove, kicked and blocked her way to 20 saves and kept New Hartford in the contest despite the team not mustering much offense. New Hartford finishes the season 11-6-1 overall. 

“She was on the ground a lot. We knew she lays out (to make stops). We practiced a lot shooting over the goalie,” said senior Maggie Cummings, who was among the players to have a standout game, according to Morrison.

It was the fifth consecutive Section III title for Holland Patent, which is also known by the shorthand nickname “HoPaFiHo.” Holland Patent has won four consecutive Section III titles in Class B and earned in Class C championship in 2017.

“It is pretty amazing. We went 10 years without (winning one), maybe more than that,” Morrison said. “It has been a lot of hard work. A lot of dedication by my coaching staff, by these players. I couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls.” 

Holland Patent (14-4 overall) advances to play in a state tournament regional game against Section 4’s Vestal at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sidney High School, which is southwest of Oneonta. 

“We played a lot of (Class) A schools, so we could prepare for this and going to regionals,” said Cummings, who was part of the team that dropped a 3-1 decision to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in the Class B regionals last fall. “This is what we needed. We didn’t want to play a team that we were just going to run right over.” 

Canastota tops Little Falls

Second-seeded Canastota trailed early in the Class C sectional title game against fourth-seeded Little Falls, but rallied to win back-to-back championships.

The Raiders scored two goals and then held on to edge the Mounties 2-1 in another sectional game at VVS High School.

Canastota senior Helen Shear broke the tie with a goal at the 12:52 mark in the fourth quarter for the eventual winner.

Little Falls scored in the first quarter on a goal credited to Kaitlyn Herringshaw at the 9:30 mark.

Canastota junior Megan Trujillo tied the game with 5:21 left in the second quarter.

Canastota (13-3) will now face Section IV’s Whitney Point in the state tournament regional round. That game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Sidney High School.

Whitney Point (18-0), which has won 36 consecutive games dating back to last season, is the reigning Class C state champion.