Delaney: For Marathon girls soccer, success was a sprint

Six years ago, Marathon High School didn't have a girls soccer team. Today, the Section IV team is in the state semifinals.

At a school where field hockey rules, the Class C Olympians have proven small schools can have two successful girls sports in one season. Marathon defeated Utica Notre Dame 2-1 in a regional game at Chittenango on Saturday and advanced to play Plattsburgh's Seton Catholic in a state semifinal on Friday. The Marathon field hockey team, which has won eight state titles since 1994, also won a regional game on Saturday to advance to next week's state semifinals.

Marathon soccer coach Trish Hayes, who's been with the team since the beginning, said the players were the ones who pushed for the program.

"A lot of them started playing at the beginning," said Hayes, in between post-game congratulations from Marathon fans. "They started to do indoor in Lansing and summer leagues."

Most the players have been in soccer since they were about 10 years old, Hayes said. Senior Brooke Winter-Potter is one of the most experienced players. The senior midfielder has played on travel teams including in Olympic Development Programs.

"The girls did it," Hayes said. "The girls petitioned and they wanted to start it."