QUEENSBURY — A tightly contested battle between two Patroon Conference boys’ soccer powers required extra time Saturday afternoon to decide the Section 2 Class C championship.
In the final minute of the first overtime, Greenville capitalized on a scramble near the Maple Hill goal. Seconds later, senior captain Isaac McAneny was credited with a goal he could hardly explain, lifting the second-seeded Spartans to a 1-0 victory over the top-seeded Wildcats in a matchup of 2025 sectional champions.
“It was ridiculous, honestly,” said McAneny, one of three Spartan captains. “I think Chris (Hughes) had a shot and it went off the back of my head … right into the back of the net. A little bit of luck, but I think we earned it with the hard work we put in today.”
Maple Hill (17-2-1), the defending 2025 Class C champion, controlled much of the second half and the majority of overtime before McAneny’s decisive strike. The Wildcats were unable to clear the danger inside the box moments before the goal.
“How many cracks did we have at it, three?” lamented Maple Hill coach Dan Gillespie after the award ceremony.
Greenville, which captured the 2025 Class B sectional title, barely managed an offensive touch during the first 32 minutes of the second half as the Wildcats applied relentless pressure.
“You really have to give Maple Hill credit. That is a strong soccer team,” McAneny said. “We did get outplayed, but we did what we do best: we kept a strong defensive structure and we came out on top in the end.”
The two programs shared the Patroon Conference championship with identical 8-0-1 league records, their regular-season meeting ending in a 2-2 draw at Greenville in September.
Greenville (15-3-1) suffered two lopsided losses in October against the Class AA finalists: champion Bethlehem (6-0) and runner-up Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (5-1).
“Those games really prepped us for a game like this,” McAneny said.
As his players left the field, Gillespie stood quietly behind the bench, hands in pockets, reflecting on a season that denied the program its 25th sectional title. All of those championship teams were coached by Gillespie, who finished the year with a state-record 789 career victories.
“Everybody would take a 17-2-1 record every year,” Gillespie said.
Key moment
A second overtime appeared imminent until the Spartans kept the ball alive in the goal area late in the first extra session. McAneny wound up face down in front of the post when officials signaled the ball had crossed the line, ending the contest in stunning fashion.
“We were worried about Maple Hill. We knew we would get here, but the challenge was Maple Hill,” McAneny said.
Star of the game
McAneny’s tally sends the Spartans back to the state tournament for the second consecutive year.
“It is very fitting,” McAneny said of the two closely matched contests against Maple Hill. “I am just glad it is us (advancing) because it very easily could have gone the other way.”
Numbers to know
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8: Goals allowed by Maple Hill over 20 contests this season — three of them scored by Greenville.
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4: Consecutive sectional finals appearances for Greenville, the first three at the Class B level.
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0: Wins for Maple Hill against Greenville since 2024. The Wildcats went 0-3-2 against the Spartans during that span.
What’s next
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Greenville: The Spartans face Section 9 champion Rhinebeck on Wednesday at Waterford-Halfmoon High School in state regional play.
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Maple Hill: The Wildcats, ranked No. 5 in the state, conclude their season at 17-2-1.