ONONDAGA COUNTY – Typically each fall, the East Syracuse Minoa and Jamesville-DeWitt girls soccer teams get to meet twice in the regular season, renewing a fierce neighborhood rivalry.
But there was just one contest scheduled for 2021, and when it took place last Tuesday night, the visiting Spartans controlled most of the flow of play and converted twice to beat the Red Rams 2-0.
A playoff-like atmosphere and large crowd was appropriate, given that it was J-D who entered the match at 6-1 and sporting a higher state Class A ranking, no. 11, than ESM, who shared the no. 20 spot.
It didn’t take long, though, for the Spartans to turn the fast pace to its advantage, putting constant pressure on the Rams’ defense. J-D goalie Lauren Parker made some great early stops, including a point-blank diving save on a hard Leah Rehm shot in the 16th minutes.
Less than three minutes before halftime, ESM broke through as freshman Ashley Praxl put a hard shot from the left side past Parker for her first-ever varsity goal. Leah Chavoustie got the assist.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, J-D nearly got even in the first minute of the second half when Megan Baker broke in from the right side and took a hard shot that Isabelle Chavoustie had to smother, one of her seven saves on the night.
Parker made 15 saves, but when the Rams could not convert a late corner kick, ESM counter-attacked and, with 11:47 left, Angelina Polcaro, off a feed from Natalie Peterson, caught Parker expecting a high shot and instead skidded it low into the net.
Both teams would play on Thursday – and both would win, though by wildly divergent margins.
J-D fought off Oswego 1-0. ESM, meanwhile, flattened Auburn 6-0, seeing Rehm and Natlaie Peterson both pour in a pair of goals as Rehm added an assist. Leah Chavoustie and Alina Krdzic also found the net as Polcaro and Jessica Griffith got assists.
Playing again on Saturday, J-D fell to Rome Free Academy in another 1-0 decision, with Lauren Dorfman’s first-half goal holding up for the Black Knights as Miranda McCormack stopped all seven of the Rams’ shots.
Fayetteville-Manlius was no. 13 in the state in Class AA but coming off its first loss of the season (3-0 to West Genesee) on Sept. 25) when it had a pair of weekend games.
Going to Baldwinsville on Friday, things almost got worse, but the Hornets leaned on its most trusted scoring tandem to pull out a 3-2 decision.
F-M got an early 1-0 lead, but then Audra Salvagni found the net in the latter stages of the first half, and early in the second half Gretchen Perine converted and B’ville claimed a 2-1 advantage.
Maintaining its pressure, the Hornets pulled back even and then took the lead late, Lauren Clark leading F-M’s comeback as she would convert twice and Morgan Goodman would get the Hornets’ other goal.
Then, against Christian Brothers Academy on Saturday afternoon, F-M blanked the Brothers 6-0, again with Goodman and Lauren Clark leading the way as they got two goals apiece. Kendall Clark and Una Vlasak also scored, with Goodman, Alora Miller, Sydney Green and Ryann Dauksza picking up assists.
Before this, CBA took a 3-2 home defeat to Skaneateles on Thursday, with Paige Willard’s penalty kick the difference-maker for the Lakers as she finished the night with two goals.
Bishop Grimes took a 3-2 record into last Tuesday’s game at Tully and won a 1-0 decision over the Black Knights, Jenna Sloan’s goal holding up thanks to a marvelous effort in goal by Saba Famasa, who stopped all 14 shots she faced.
Even bigger was Grimes shutting out Manlius-Pebble Hill 2-0 on Thursday afternoon. Sloan scored again, with Kate Murphy earning the other goal. Natalie Musolino worked in goal and earned six saves, with Trojans netminder Kate Chaffee getting nine saves.
Prior to this, MPH took a 2-0 defeat to Pulaski last Monday, despite Kate Chaffee’s 12 saves. Then it fell 5-1 to Onondaga a day later as Katherine Mezzalingua had the Trojans’ lone goal.
And after it toppled MPH, Grimes got another 2-0 shutout on Saturday, this time over Faith Heritage. Sloan’s third goal in as many games was complemented by Famasa finding the net and Natalie Musolino recording six saves.
