Wahconah, Mount Greylock Battle to a Draw

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Adele Low scored midway through the second half Friday to give the Mount Greylock girls soccer team a 1-1 tie against Wahconah.

 

The Mounties kept their unbeaten season going but had to fight for it against a Wahconah team looking for its first win in the series since the Berkshire County North final in the “Fall 2” season played in the spring of 2021.

 

Gianna Heilbroun gave Wahconah a lead in the 11th minute when she played a rebound of Brooke Harrington’s shot off the mitts of Mount Greylock keeper Noemi Evans (six saves).

 

And for the next 50 minutes, it appeared that Vivian Higuera (nine saves) and the Wahconah defense would make that slender margin hold up to erase years of frustration against the former Berkshire North Division and current Grieve Division rivals.

 

Instead, Wahconah had to settle for the first tie in the series since 2024, when the teams met just once, a 0-0 outcome in an independent game.

 

Still, the result Friday under the lights was a modicum of payback for a 2-0 Mounties (6-0-1) win in Dalton in a Labor Day season opener and an encouraging sign for a Wahconah team that improved to 4-1-1.

 

“I think we were definitely more composed with the ball at our feet,” Wahconah coach Maggie Rivers said. “We’re definitely making better decisions. We’re definitely more conditioned than we were the first game of the year, and the intensity was where we wanted it to be, which is good.”

 

On the other bench, Mount Greylock coach Blair Dils also took away some positives from the stalemate.

 

“We hadn’t really been down yet this year, so that was the first time we were behind,” he said. “So it was good to see how we responded. It’s interesting. We talked at half-time, and there wasn’t any panic. Players commented on it that they didn’t feel any sense of panic. It was not a doomsday scenario.

 

“I thought we played really well in the first half and had controlled play and had possession in there and created a couple of chances. But [Whaconah] was really organized defensively tonight.”

 

Mount Greylock was even in shots on goal in the first 40 minutes. And it had a couple more tries that were just wide of the goal. Perhaps its most dangerous opportunity came in the first six minutes against a drawn out Higuera, but the Mounties’ shot from the right wing went just past the far post for a goal kick.

 

Seven minutes later, Heilbroun scored her fourth goal of the season to put Wahconah on top.

 

And the visitors had a strong shot at doubling their lead in the 25th minute, when Mount Greylock defender Rowan Apotsos blocked a shot by Harrington from about 20 yards.

 

The defensive dominance continued into the second half, with Higuera making a strong save on a direct free kick by Apotsos from the right wing to preserve the lead.

 

But Low’s shot from about 25 yards in the run of play proved to be the equalizer.

 

Four minutes later at the other end, Harrington played a cross from deep on the left wing to Leah Melle in the 18, and Melle’s header was on target, but Evans came up with perhaps the save of the night to keep the score level.

 

“That was a great save by the keeper,” Rivers said. “She was just right there. Great cross, and Leah just found it with her head, which is great. Next time, it goes in.”

 

The physical nature of the game saw a few players leaving the pitch with assistance in the second half. Both coaches said their teams were prepared, though.

 

“My girls are tough,” Rivers said. “They’re not asking for calls. We tell them from the start, you get up, unless you’re hurt, compose yourself and you’ll get the next one, right? We’re in the weight room two days a week for that reason.”

 

“It’s always physical with Wahconah,” Dils said. “I’d prefer a referee, maybe, keeps it a little bit more in check because, I think, both ways, it became a little bit more about the body contact than it was about the football.”

 

Regardless, there was no denying that the game lived up to the billing of a rematch between two teams that entered with a combined record of 10-1.

 

“We’re definitely, you know, not happy with the tie,” Rivers said. “But I think we’ve seen some good improvement. I think there was a chance we could have pulled away. I just think that’s the way the game went today, which is fine.”

 

Wahconah is home on Monday to take on Monument Mountain. Mount Greylock makes the short trip to North Adams to face Drury on Monday.