On the other hand Allegany-Limestone, the team the Golden Cougars beat in the sectional title game, lost seven girls to graduation.

Wednesday night, in a rematch of that championship game, Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s returning stars showed up.

Junior Kylie Kress scored two goals and senior Madilyn Seastrum had the other as the Golden Cougars beat the Gators 3-1 in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 play at Bill Race Field.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove (2-0-0, 2-0-0) controlled play from the get-go and broke through in the 19th minute when Gracie Chimera sent a corner kick into the 18-yard box and a shot was eventually hit off the Allegany-Limestone crossbar. The ball made its way out to Seastrum, who struck a shot from nearly 35 yards away that beat the Gators keeper.

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s Madilyn Seastrum celebrates with teammates after her goal.

“She’s got a good leg on her. She’s dangerous from 30 yards out,” Golden Cougars head coach Brett Johnson said of Seastrum, who scored 18 goals two years ago at Maple Grove. “She’s fun to have back there when she steps into one.”

The Golden Cougars made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute as junior Julianna Roth fed Kress, who beat her defender and quickly hit a shot from 20 yards away that found the back of the net.

“They did a good job of containing her at first, but she’s a very talented player and she’s going to find ways to score,” Johnson said of Kress. “She gritted it out tonight, props to her.”

Allegany-Limestone (1-4-0, 1-2-0) responded after halftime with its best 20-minute stretch of the game, but time and time again the Gators were turned away from Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s back line, which includes Seastrum, senior Khloe Livengood, junior Giada Schauman and junior Kenley Lincoln.

“It starts on the defense, we stress that. We have to hang tight back there and we build up from there,” Johnson said. “The chemistry that they have, they really know how to work together. When one steps, the other fills. … It starts with them back there.”

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove midfielder Bailey Olson tracks down a ball during Wednesday’s Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 soccer game against Allegany-Limestone at Bill Race Field.

Allegany-Limestone was able to direct eight shots toward Ellyson Baglia, but most were from outside of the 18-yard box and fairly easy stops for the Golden Cougars junior keeper.

“We definitely lost a little bit of energy in the second half. They are obviously a great team, so we knew they were going to make some adjustments at half,” Johnson said. “We just told them to keep doing what we’re doing, play tough and win the 50-50s.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove tacked on an insurance goal in the 62nd minute. Senior Mary Lundmark raced down the left wing and as she cut toward the center of the 18-yard box, was taken down by an Allegany-Limestone defender. Playing an advantage, the ball rolled to Kress at the far post and last year’s leading scorer for the Golden Cougars scored her second of the season and the night to make it 3-0.

“I can’t say enough about Mary. She’s a hard worker. She’s fun to watch,” Johnson said. “Anytime she’s in the game, she’s a difference maker. She can make things happen out of nothing.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove, which turned in a clean sheet in a 2-0 season-opening victory over Olean on Monday, was 40 seconds away from another shutout, but Baglia was whistled for a yellow card when challenging for a loose ball on the outskirts of her 18-yard box.

The Gators were awarded a penalty kick and senior Madison Honeck scored her sixth goal of the season for the Golden Cougars’ first goal against this year.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove will challenge itself outside of the league Saturday when it hosts St. Mary’s at 7 p.m. The Golden Cougars will return to CCAA Division 1 play Monday at Cassadaga Valley against Jamestown.

“With the expectations we have for this season, we wanted to really load up our nonleague games and get the most out of every game that we have this year,” Johnson said of Saturday’s matchup with the Lancers. “It’s going to be a tough matchup, but it will be good to see where we’re at.”