The 2023 Section VI Class B1 girls soccer champion Fredonia Hillbillies. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

AMHERST — After winning back-to-back Section VI girls soccer championships, Fredonia not only graduated several key seniors, but also made a coaching change last season.

Cheryl Tabone took over as head coach with Mason Redmond as assistant, and one of the first things she said was that the past is the past and her team was looking to the future.

Well, the future is now.

After an up-and-down regular season that made the defending sectional champions the No. 6 team in the Class B1 playoffs, Fredonia went on a playoff run to solidify itself as one of the soccer powers in the section. On Saturday afternoon, the Hillbillies posted their third consecutive shutout of the playoffs, blanking No. 4 Akron 1-0 to take home the Section VI Class B1 title at Sweet Home High School.

“These girls play well together,” Tabone said about her team. “At first it was a very different team and once we condensed the team these girls realize how important they are to each other and that they want to win another title just as much as anybody else. They played the game, they trusted the process, they trusted the coaches, they trusted each other and that’s all you could ask for.”

The Fredonia girls soccer team rushes the field after winning the Section VI Class B1 title over Akron on Saturday at Sweet Home High School. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

With Fredonia’s record in the regular season dipping, there were doubts on how far the Hillbillies could make it in the playoffs. All of those doubters were proven wrong when Fredonia put on a defensive master class, using the lone goal by Anna Normand in the 28th minute to take home another title.

“It’s just such a surreal feeling,” Ella Koopman said about winning the sectional title. “We had a lot of doubters this season and it felt so good to prove them wrong. We were starting pretty fresh with a young team, new coaches and it’s just such a good feeling to be back here again.”

Once Fredonia took its lead, there was little doubt whether the ‘Billies could close out the game after posting shutouts in its three previous contests. While Akron possessed the ball for most of the game, Fredonia allowed very few dangerous opportunities toward freshman goalkeeper Naomi Muck.

“We just said every day we have to give it our all,” Koopman said about the team’s mentality. “110% or we won’t be back here, and that’s exactly what we did. We all pushed each other. I think it was just a team effort. That’s what we needed to do and we got it done.”

Having plenty of players worthy of time on the pitch, Fredonia was able to rotate several positions to keep fresh.

Fredonia's Ella Koopman is pictured with assistant coach Mason Redmond, left, and head coach Cheryl Tabone receiving the character athlete of the game award. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

“We have so many good players that I have been trying to rotate people in,” Tabone said about Fredonia’s depth. “I put Anna in knowing she would be successful, but not knowing that within seconds she was going to score when she got on the field.”

However, a key piece for Fredonia playing the whole game is Koopman, a three-time OBSERVER/Post-Journal All-Star. A senior captain, and now three-time sectional champion, Koopman dominated the ball and made seemingly every correct decision as she was also selected the character athlete of the game.

Normand’s goal from the first half stood as the only tally of the contest, but Akron gave all it could to add another in the second half. Despite an all-out attack, Akron, like many teams, was unable to get through Fredonia.

“Our defense is amazing,” Tabone added. “They work hard, but they work together. Two of our defenders are pretty new so they are just learning, but at the same time since they talk together and play together and they have unity, nobody can get past us. Anything that does get past us, our goalie, Naomi, is so amazing that she just stops everything.”

Fredonia’s season does not end at Sweet Home, but continues with a familiar opponent on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at West Seneca West High School. The ‘Billies (7-9-2) take on league opponent and Class B2 champion Southwestern (15-3-1) which defeated Allegany-Limestone 2-0 on Saturday.

“That’s going to be very difficult,” Southwestern head coach Derek Houser said about playing Fredonia on Tuesday. “People are going to look at Fredonia’s record and our record, but I’ve been impressed. I’ve been watching Fredonia and they’ve kept teams off, they’re very organized on defense. Watching that game today, when they got up 1-0 you just had a feeling it was going to be real hard against them. They are a very different team and they have grown quite a bit. They’ve got a good purpose and it’s going to be fun.”