SULLIVAN COUNTY –– Sectionals play for soccer teams around the region have begun. 

The Liberty Redhawks and Monticello Panthers took to the field to face off against their sectionals opponents. After facing each other last week to wrap up the regular season the Redhawks came away with a 1-0 victory over the Panthers. On Saturday both Liberty 10-3-3 and Monticello 8-8-2, moved into the section quarter finals. The Panthers came up short against the New Paltz Huguenots in a 6-0 loss so their hopes of continuing to the next round have halted. Head Coach Andres Tamayo shared, “It’s always tough to end a season with a loss, especially in the playoffs, but I’m proud of the heart our players showed against New Paltz. Even when we were down, they kept fighting. And while the result didn’t go our way, it was a huge accomplishment to make the sectional tournament for the first time in nine years.

The seniors were the glue of the team, leading with maturity and determination, and I’m glad they got to finish their careers in the playoffs. The program continues to move in the right direction, and with the growth we’ve seen and a new stadium on the way, the future is bright.”

 However, for the Redhawks, they were victorious, 2-1 over the Saugerties Sawyers. 

“Our defense and midfielders did a fantastic job at shutting down Saugerties attackers by playing strong help defense,” shared Head Coach Richard Feeney. “Brayan Hernandez Ballen was finding space all game in the midfield and was able to put 2 goals in for us. The boys played with purpose, passion and determination to get the result.” The Redhawks were scheduled to play New Paltz yesterday in the section semi’s. Look for the recap of that matchup in Friday’s sports section.