Webutuck Warrior Soccer

Webutuck fought an even battle with Rhinebeck for 80 minutes, and allowed just one goal, but the Warriors were unable to really challenge the Rhinebeck keeper and failed to score in the game.

“Our kids played well and played hard, but we never really tested their goalie,” said coach Mark Moren after the game. “There were a couple of times we very nearly scored, but they just deflected and went the wrong way. We couldn’t finish, and obviously not having one of our better players able to play the full game was a factor. Colleen has a bruised knee, and maybe I shouldn’t have put her in at all. It keeps bothering her, and we will just have to see how that goes.”

The loss by Webutuck at 1-0 means the Warriors have left the league championship hanging out there in limbo.

As Moren explained, “Overall we are 4-4-0, and we are 4-3-0 in league play against all schools. We are now 1-1 in the division, having split our games with Rhinebeck. They are 2-1 in the division, because they have beaten Millbrook, so right now they are above us. If we want to have a chance at the divisional championship, we will have to win both of our games with Millbrook. If Rhinebeck can win out in the divisional play, if they beat Millbrook again, we would have identical records of 3-1 in our division. After that, the team with the better overall league record would be the divisional champion. What we have to do is prepare well and play well against Millbrook, and do our best to get two wins there. And we need every win we can get in the overall league play.”

Webutuck plays in the MHAL, the Mid-Hudson Athletic League, with all of the A, B and C Schools mixed together and playing each other in the league competition.

The teams then play only schools of the same size in the sectional playoffs. The games among Class C Schools Webutuck, Millbrook and Rhinebeck are what determine the qualification for the sectional playoffs.

“We were 10-6 last year, playing all of the A, B and C Schools,” said coach Mark Moren after the Highland game. “In our division we were 4-0 playing the teams from schools that are our size, Millbrook and Rhinebeck, 2-0 against each school. We beat Tri-Valley on our field and went all the way to the sectional finals, where we lost to Tuxedo in the Sports Dome in Milton. We have not won the Section Nine Championship yet, but we have been there in the finals each of the last two years. All of the MHAL Championship games and the sectional finals are played in the dome over in Milton, across the river from Poughkeepsie.”

The returning starters for coach Mark Moren are captains Colleen Trainor, Lauren Trotter and Jaime Laliberte, plus Kayla McGill, Katelyn Cullinan and Danielle Fontaine. The remainder of the 2007 roster includes Tara Howard, Betty Aldana, Lizett Pajuela, Keely McCaffrey, Amanda Pelkey, Ana Reyes, Marlene Aldana, Madison Marshall, Brielle Williams, Katie Ruppel, Carissa Dahoney, Alicia Flinn and Gianna Murtaugh.

The varsity is coach is Mark Moren, the JV coach is Trisha Casler, and the modified coach is Morgan Mesa.

“The starting lineup may change a little, but our usual starting lineup would be Amanda Pelkey in goal, sweeper Jaime Laliberte, stopper Keely McCaffrey, right defensive back Kayla McGill, left defensive back Brielle Williams, center midfielders Lauren Trotter and Katelyn Cullinan, outside midfielders Danielle Fontaine and Tara Howard, and strikers Colleen Trainor and Katie Ruppel,” Moren said.