North Warren boys win Class D playoff battle

CHESTERTOWN | With dramatic, aggressive gameplay Oct. 24, North Warren defeated Fort Ann in a Section II Class D boys soccer quarterfinal game. The victory advances the Cougars to their highest postseason achievement since 2016. About six minutes and 15 seconds into the Oct. 24 matchup, senior goaltender Will Lindsley picked up a ball that rolled near his goal and punted it high over the heads of Fort Ann players to veteran teammate Coleman Swartz, who dribbled it downfield and blasted it past the Fort Ann goalie into a corner of their net. Then, with 12:13 left in the game, junior Connor Hill scored on a well-placed penalty kick that extended their lead to 2-0. But with a few minutes remaining, Fort Ann had a key opportunity to strike back with their own penalty kick: one of their players booted a laser shot towards the goal, but Cougars goaltender Will Lindsey dove for it and it deflected off his hands, prompting North Warren fans to erupt in cheers. After some additional furious play, the game was over. Following the game, Cougars coach Jim Conway offered his thoughts. He said his players' goals were "perfectly aimed shots" and that Lindsley had prevented the momentum of the game from reversing. Conway added that after his team beat Fort Ann twice, particularly the 0-5 loss a week earlier, the Cardinals were motivated by revenge in this third 2025 meetup. "We knew they were going to be tough, and they brought their best game — it was a battle," he said. Considering that Fort Ann has been a leading team in the area for many years, Conway said, he was proud of his team for their outstanding performance. He added that Lindsley had "really shined in the last several games" and Swartz "motivates the team, giving them the spark that makes the difference." Next up for the Cougars is a Sectional championship semifinal set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29 versus Northville at Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Central School in St. Johnsville, NY. Northville is 15-2 overall this year, and 11-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. They are ranked No. 1 in the conference, seeded No. 1 in Section II Class D, and ranked No. 4 in the state, while North Warren is ranked as the No. 4 Class D team in Section II. Conway said he was confident his team will be quite competitive with Northville and could score an upset "Our team is peaking at the right time — we've been getting better every game," he said.

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North Warren boys win Class D playoff battle

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