AMHERST — The Grand Island girls soccer team looked at it’s 17-1-1 record and sectional co-championship status from a year ago and determined that level of success just wasn’t good enough.

The veteran Vikings squad came into this season determined to prove themselves as the best of the west in New York, and weren’t willing to accept but one loss.

They’re now one win away from fulfilling those enormous expectations.

Jenna Raepple scored with 16 seconds left to give No. 1 seed Grand Island a 2-1 win over seventh-seeded Starpoint in Saturday’s Section VI, Class A championship game at Amherst High School.

“I think we really deserved it,” said Raepple, who scored from short range on what she called a “perfect” crossing pass from Brooke DeMarco. “A goal with 16 seconds left proves we’ll work hard all the way to the end.”

“There’s a lot of leaders on this team, a lot of upperclassmen,” Grand Island coach Dave Bowman said. “And they’ve been focused since day one. The first goal was to win the (Niagara Frontier League). The second was the section. And the third was undefeated.”

The fourth goal for the Vikings (19-0-1) is to claim the Far West Regional championship next Saturday at Genesee Community College.

Upstart Starpoint (13-7) gave Grand Island all it could handle. After Danielle Wegrzyn headed in a corner kick from Raepple to put the Vikings up 1-0 three minutes into the contest, Spartans coach Beth Couch told her team they had come too far to give up at that point.

The next 87 minutes were physical, and closely contested. Liz Wilson tied the game early in the second half, and the Spartans held off repeated charges from the Vikings as the clock ticked toward overtime. With less than two minutes remaining, Starpoint defender Marissa Lilenthal saved a goal by getting her face in front of a point blank shot by DeMarco.

“We were willing to sacrifice whatever to win this game today,” Couch said. “I’m really proud of my team. I don’t think anybody, coming into this season or even at the start of sectional play, would’ve thought we would’ve been here. I don’t think anybody would’ve given us a chance against Grand Island. My girls played they’re hearts out.”

Couch has high hopes for next year’s teams, which returns nine starters, including top scorers Kristi De Labio and Wilson.

For the 12 seniors on Grand Island’s team, it’s all about next weekend.

“We honestly believe we’re the best team in the West region,” Bowman said. “Now we have a week to work hard and try and go prove it.”

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.