Leading off today: Rochester-area soccer fans have taken considerable pride for a decade in Abby Wambach's exploits with the U.S. Women's National Team, up to and including the Olympic gold medal earned last month in London.
Wambach, a former Our Lady of Mercy star, is one of the all-time leading scorers in the history of international soccer and has become "the face" of the U.S. team.
Wambach still has some tread left on her tires, but the next generation of New York soccer talent is now officially waiting in the wings to help the U.S. team remain at the top.
Crystal Dunn, 20, formerly a Rockville Centre South Side star, and Cari Roccaro (East Islip), 18, are on the rise. Dunn was Newsday's 2009 player of the year, and Roccaro snared the honor in 2011.
Both started on defense Saturday, and Dunn, who led South Side to three state championships, assisted on the goal as the U.S. women defeated Germany 1-0 in the championship game of the Under-20 World Cup. Kealia Ohai scored the goal in the 44th minute.
"I saw Crystal making a run and every time she does that, you know she is going to get something in the box," Ohai said. "I sprinted as fast as I could and she got the ball to me and I just squared it."
With the tournament completed, Dunn heads back to college at North Carolina and Roccaro heads off to her freshman year at Notre Dame.
Western NY showdown: This game would have been huge a year ago but was still noteworthy this season.
Lancaster earned a 2-0 boys soccer win at St. Joe's in a non-leaguer featuring last year's Section 6 Class AA champion and the defending Monsignor Martin Association champion.
Senior forward Aaron Crane scored 30 minutes into the second half, and junior defenseman Alex Kaiser scored the second goal off a corner kick with 12 minutes left. Jake Kaczor made seven saves for his second shutout in two days.
More love for soccer: There's an ever-growing amount of live high school football showing up on TV seemingly everywhere in New York -- except Rochester, of course -- and now the attention is spreading.
Queensbury's girls soccer game at South Glens Falls this Thursday will be shown live on Time-Warner Cable beginning at 7 p.m.
Money, money, money: Monday will be an important day for athletes and boosters in the Seaford school district. Following a 72-hour extension, that's the deadline for the Save Seaford Sports Committee to complete fundraising efforts to salvage fall middle-school sports programs not covered by the district budget.
Parents and boosters are trying the restore football, boys and girls soccer, field hockey and cheerleading in the middle school.
