The ball sailed on a line through the air becoming playable some 35 yards down the field. The throw-in created a variety of reactions from the fans of the LeRoy Oatkan Knights: a few raised eyebrows, some ooohs, a few wows.
Nazareth Lasers fans, on the other hand, had grown accustomed to the lengthy tosses from Abbey Gotham.
On this night in particular the scene would play over and over again - Abbey running to the touch line, retrieving the ball, finding an open teammate, hurling the ball into air, and the LeRoy defenders, back on their heels, would only have one choice: to clear the ball from their 18-yard box – many times directly out-of-bounds.
For Nazareth Academy the appearance in the Class B Section V final against LeRoy represented a journey that had taken over a century - the tiny all girls’ Catholic high school making its first trip to the finals.
Abbey’s journey, while not capable of being measured in years, was just as significant. Playing the full eighty minutes in a sectional final game was exactly what Abbey Gotham was capable of. Two years prior this seemed almost out of the realm of possibility.
Abbey began playing soccer the summer after fifth grade as part of the Flower City soccer program. As part of a coed team her male teammates quickly learned to defer throw-ins to Abbey as she often created open scoring opportunities for them.
That fall she donned the red and white of Sacred Heart Cathedral. The team – another coed group in the CYO’s 5th and 6th grade league left no lasting impression. But Abbey showed early on her deft playmaking qualities and a calm under fire that would stay with her as she developed into a defender.
The following summer Abbey played with the Lasers soccer program in the Inter-town League on the west side of Rochester. As an attacking midfielder Abbey established herself as a threat to score as a compliment to her throw-ins.
That fall her career continued at Nazareth Academy where she was part of the middle school’s team that endured an 0-9-1 season only to climb to second place with a 9-1 record the following year. Abbey served as a main cog on that team. She became an important part of a defensive corps that allowed few goals. She proved herself as a playmaker that learned how to overlap and create more scoring opportunities.
With her high school career paved in front of her, Abbey decided to take a detour. She spent the next two years immersing herself into the Nazareth dance program.
But soccer would not let go of her. When she realized how much she missed soccer and the camaraderie of her teammates, Abbey made the decision to come back.
The player who at one time seemed destined to be a four-year starter in the Nazareth soccer program, found herself at the end of the bench trying to re-learn a game she once knew. As the 2006 season progressed, Abbey moved from last on the bench during pre-season scrimmages to first from the bench by mid-season. By the end of the regular season Abbey earned a starting spot on Coach Bill McKee’s squad. When sectional time came, only a nose gushing with blood, after being struck in the face with the ball, could keep Abbey off the field.
Abbey finished her career at Nazareth with four goals. None sweeter than the full field rush she made against Webster Christian. After working a one-two pass with a teammate Abbey drilled a shot into the opposite side netting for the tally. Abbey also dished four assists during her time as a Nazareth Laser.
After a season with the Rochester Jr. Rhinos, Abbey now plays with the River Flow Soccer Club.
This fall Abbey will attend Xavier University where she plans to study psychology. She will be missed. 
