Marcellus girls soccer claims back-to-back state titles with shutout win: ‘We just had a certain swagger’ (82 photos)

Cortland, N.Y. — Winning a state title is a tall task for any team.

Winning back-to-back titles is even tougher, but the Marcellus girls soccer team made it look easy.

Marcellus capped its 21-2 season with a 2-0 win over Section V’s Livonia in the Class B state final Sunday at Cortland High School to capture its second-straight championship.

“We had to replace some big losses (from last year’s team) and be able to come together as a unit to play the way that we’re used to playing,” Marcellus coach Laurie Updike said.

One thing that stayed the same from last season was the duo of Lexie Fragnito and Cece Powell. Heading into the title game, the pair combined for 89 of the Mustangs’ 136 goals this season.

In the championship game, that pair created all the offense for Marcellus, scoring the Mustangs’ two goals.

“It’s special,” Updike said. “I mean, I’m a very lucky coach for having had those two girls play together for as long as they have on my team and we’ve greatly benefited from it.”

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Early in the game, the Mustangs had several chances to score, but Livonia goalie Karly Lawton saved every attempt.

Marcellus didn’t break through until the 12:34 mark.

Powell perfectly led Fragnito, who fired a shot. Lawton got a hand on it, but it went over her head on the deflection and the Mustangs took a 1-0 lead that held for the rest of the half.

“That goalie was incredible. The team was really good and the conditions were harsh,” Fragnito said. “But I think once we just got that in, it kind of gave us a boost.”

As Fragnito noted, the conditions weren’t ideal and they only worsened in the second half.

The snow was falling hard, the wind was whipping and the green turf began to take on a white tint from the sticking snow. In a game where scoring opportunities were already tough to come by, Mother Nature didn’t do any favors.

It eventually cleared up, but that only benefited Marcellus.

With 7:37 left on the clock, Powell got just enough space on a breakaway and got her shot past Gwenyth Strom to sink her team-leading 47th goal to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.

Powell was the hero in the state semifinal game with two goals, including the golden goal in overtime, which sent the team to the title game.

Her goal on Sunday wasn’t a game-ender, but it certainly felt like the dagger that secured the win and Powell felt it.

“It was definitely building up all game,” Powell said. “It did hit me at that point. I’m just so grateful for the team. Couldn’t have done it without everyone.”

Powell and Fragnito provided the offensive firepower for the Mustangs, but the defense stuck to its stingy reputation in the championship game.

Sunday’s shutout was Marcellus’ 11th of the season. The team allowed just 23 goals throughout its 23-game season.

“(The defense) stood up today,” Updike said. “Livonia was coming right to left and left to right, using crossing balls and they just held their ground. And they didn’t make those critical errors that really cost games. And I’m just really proud of them, because they held so strong.”

The offense may be what gets the shine, but they know that none of the team’s success comes without the work their defense puts in.

“They’re the ones that are giving us the balls. They’re passing it up to the midfield and giving it to the offense,” Powell said. “It’s just as much them as it is us. They let in zero goals today. It’s just a testament to who we are as a team.”

Although it’s tough to repeat, the idea did begin to creep into Updike’s head this season.

“I think when we were going into sectionals, we just had a certain swagger that we were playing with,” she said.”I saw the confidence build and I knew that we would make a good run.”

From sectionals onward, Marcellus outscored opponents 51-5 with four shutouts over seven games to claim the state title.

The Mustangs are now state champions for the fifth time in school history and back-to-back champs for the first time since 2003 and 2004.

“It’s a crazy feeling just to end my soccer career like this with the best group of girls both years,” Powell said. “So much fun, just so grateful and so overjoyed.”

Powell is a senior, but Fragnito is just a junior and she’s not ready for the Mustangs’ run at the top of the state to end just yet.

“I’m definitely gonna miss the seniors so much,” Fragnito said. “And I think maybe we can get three.”