Avon boys, Avon girls soccer earn spots in Class L finals

For the second straight year, the Avon High boys and girls soccer teams will be playing for state championships. The games will be played after Thanksgiving on Friday, Nov. 23 in a doubleheader at Falcon Field in Meriden. The Avon girls will face Masuk-Monroe at 11 a.m. with the Avon boys facing Farmington at 1 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER: The Avon girls moved into the Class L finals for the fourth straight year with a solid 3-1 decision over No. 11 Pomperaug-Southbury, scoring three goals in the first half to take a commanding lead. The win lifts Avon into the championship game where they will face No. 4 Masuk-Monroe (15-3-2), which eliminated East Lyme on penalty kicks Saturday.

Against Pomperaug, Catherine Jordan, Stephanie Saccoccio and Michaela Marcus each scored for No. 2 Avon (17-1-2) while goalie Kaylan Conrad made nine saves, including several crucial saves in the second half. The Panthers did increase their pressure and scored a goal with 14 minutes left in the game but the Falcons stood firm.

The championship game against Masuk will be Avon’s fourth straight game against an Southwest Conference opponent. The Falcons earlier defeated Bethel and Bunnell in the Class L tournament before beating Pomperaug on Saturday.

Avon won the Class L title a year ago with a 2-1 victory over Farmington. The Falcons lost to RHAM and New Canaan, respectively, in the 2010 and 2009 Class L title games. It will be the second time that Avon has played in four straight state title games. They went to the Class M finals from 2000 to 2003, winning three times.

BOYS SOCCER:The Avon boys advanced to the Class L championship game for the second straight season with a 1-0 victory over No. 7 Hand-Madison on Friday. The No. 6 Falcons (16-3-1) will face long-time rival Farmington for the title. The No. 8 Indians (15-2-3) eliminated RHAM on Saturday, 1-0.

Against Hand, Daniel Leszczynski scored off a free kick from David Freling with 10:46 left in the game to lift Avon to the victory.

Avon lost in the Class L finals a year ago to Bunnell, 3-0. The last state title for the Falcons came in 2000 when Avon topped Lewis Mills, 3-2 for the Class M title. Avon and Farmington have met in the finals before. Farmington beat Avon, 3-1 for the Class M championship in 1986.

GIRLS SOCCER
Avon 3, Pomperaug 1
At West Haven
Pomperaug (10-3-7)            0  1  — 1
Avon (17-1-2)                      3  0  — 3
Goals: Kelly Almeida (P); Catherine Jordan (A), Stephanie Saccoccio (A), Michaela Marcus (A). Assists: Hunter McCarthy (A), Sarah Betancourt (A). Goalies: Stephanie Alvey (P) Cheyenne McDougall 2; Kaylan Conrad (A) 9; Shots: Pomperaug 13-10

BOYS SOCCER
Avon 1, Hand 0
At Waterbury
Avon (16-3-1)            0  1  — 1
Hand (15-5-1)            0  0  — 0
Goals: Daniel Leszczynski (A); Saves: Phil Lopreiato (A) 4; Greg Syndor (H) 3