Shenendehowa boys soccer surges past Saratoga Springs and on to Class AAA final

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- One year ago, the Shenendehowa boys soccer team was upset as a 3-seed in the opening round of the Section 2, Class AAA playoffs. Monday night, Shen, again occupying the 3-seed in sectionals, got one step closer to completing their redemption arc.

Shenendehowa punched its ticket to the Class AAA championship game with a 3-0 victory over second-seeded Saratoga Springs in the semifinals played out at Niskayuna High School. Shen will make their first sectional final appearance since their sectional championship-winning season in 2021.

"We're Shen; there's so much history with the soccer program," said junior forward Christian Gomillion. "It's expected that we make final every year. So, happy to back. Gotta keep working. Doesn't stop here."

Gomillion was the catalyst behind a strong start and dominant first half from Shen. He opened up the scoring just six minutes in, taking a pass from Ryan Maloney and putting a shot away on Saratoga goalkeeper Alexander Grunow.

Gomillion then drew a foul in the 29th minute, setting Hunter Rasmussen up for a free kick. Rasmussen put it on the right side of the goal. Gomillion came charging towards the ball; he didn't make contact with it, but flashed in front of Grunow, altering the keeper's path to the ball, and it found the back of the net, extending Shen's lead to 2-0.

Shen took that two-goal advantage into the second half and continued to lock down defensively, with senior Thomas Strife anchoring the back line in-net.

Maloney provided another insurance goal in the 70th minute - the exclamation point on a team performance that was a drastic turnaround from Shen's 1-0 loss to Saratoga in the regular season.

"This time around, we just finished our chances," said Shen head coach Jonathan Bain. "The time we played them before, we had some chances; didn't convert. They did, and that was the difference."

Bain is one win away from leading Shen to a sixth section title in his 14th season at the helm of the program.

"A couple kids on this group were at that tough loss last year, and to get back and get another section title would mean the world," said Bain.

Shen will face fourth-seeded Guilderland for the title. The Dutchmen upset the top seed and three-time defending sectional champ Shaker, 4-3 in penalty kicks, in the second semifinal game of the evening.

The Class AAA championship game will be played Thursday at Bethlehem Central High School. Opening kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.