A post-McCandless era was on the horizon for the Berkshire girls side.
It’s just that the Badgers weren’t anticipating it this early.
As part of an untimely stretch of injury, Kelly McCandless was one of Berkshire’s usual starting-11 staples not in the side Oct. 25 for the Division IV Northeast 5 District final against Poland Seminary at Jefferson, on crutches due to an ankle injury.
The Badgers gave it a mighty swing not at full strength, but couldn’t quite secure another sweet-16 berth this time around.
Delaney Ankeles’ opening-40 strike was the difference as Poland edged Berkshire, 1-0.
In search of their fourth regional trip since 2020, the Badgers bowed out at 11-4-3.
Berkshire coach Ian Patterson was rightfully proud of his side under challenging circumstances. The Badgers tried, but couldn’t ultimately locate, the consistent dangerous service-and-run combos for which they’re adept.
“I think they did a good job of sinking numbers back after they got that goal,” Patterson said. “It made things difficult in the middle. They’re a quick team. They’re an aggressive team overall.
“With the injury bug on our team and missing a few starters, girls really stepped up tonight. But we just couldn’t find that finishing piece.”
The eventual match-winner came in the 14th minute. On a dribbler across the box following a keeper-attacker collision, Ankeles surged in for a open-net tapper to make it 1-0.
Berkshire was not lacking in opportunity — again, it just wasn’t quite the overly dangerous combo caliber required to generate an equalizer.
Alie Ruchalski, moved up into midfield in her final match in a Badgers’ kit, had a decent look in the 38th turned away, and Marissa Karl got on a run into a near-post strike about a minute later that was also stymied.
Karl and Emma Rucinski, both sophomores, in particular got touches into runs seeking to stretch the Bulldogs’ shape. But due to Poland’s numbers in the back and on the ball, it was tough to find service.
Berkshire goalkeeper Addi Heilman (seven saves) did well to turn away Emelyn Whorten in the 64th to maintain the one-nil scoreline.
In the 77th, the Badgers earned a free kick. Patterson urged patience on the restart for the most optimal chance and nearly got an equalizer to show for it. Clair Corbett served a nicely weighted ball into the box. Rucinski got to a bounce for a lefty strike, but it went just wide.
“Yeah, that was probably our best look of the night really, looking back at it,” Patterson said. “The keeper (Lillian McDonald) was really sound overall. Anything we put her way, she had a good read on it.”
At full time, Berkshire quietly collected their runner-up medals and trophy, and a few members of the side stared toward the Bulldogs’ contingent with the district title aloft about 30 yards away.
With a predominantly young side, the proverbial heavier weight of district runner-up medals can serve a purpose to fuel October runs to come.
Patterson is hopeful of such an outcome, after his short-handed side for a night took a mighty swing.
“We’re pretty young overall,” Patterson said. “We’ve got some really talented seniors that we’re losing. But overall, we’re really young. And I think this was a good taste for them.
“That’s exactly what I just said to the team was just bottle up this feeling. Bottle it up over the next year and any time you feel like not training that day or you’re a little lazy that day, just remember how this felt. And hopefully, that’ll kick you into gear.”
THE SCORE
Poland Seminary 1, Berkshire 0