CENTRAL NEW YORK – The last week of April proved rough for the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team with four consecutive defeats to Westhill, Christian Brothers Academy and Marcellus.
Of those games, the two with Marcellus were the most frustrating.
In the initial encounter on April 30, Cazenovia led long stretches of the game, only to get shut out in the homestretch as Marcellus inched in front and prevailed 7-6, led by Chris Doshna’s four goals.
Jack Wright had three goals to pace the Lakers, but Brody Coleman was held to one goal and one assist, matching Forrest Ives, with Chris Vecchiarelli also converting. Mustangs goalie Quenten Polkowski had 16 saves, twice Tucker Ives’ total.
When these same two teams met at Marcellus three nights later, again it was a defensive battle decided by a single goal – and again Cazenovia was on the wrong end of it, this time by an 8-7 margin.
Coleman was far more active here, scoring three times and getting a pair of assists. Wright netted two goals, with Ives and D.B. Falge adding one goal apiece.
Yet once again Doshna burned the Lakers for four goals and, once more, Polkowski made a difference, earning 12 saves as Tucker Ives got 11 saves. Luke Spitzer, Marcus Darminio and Adam Rayfield each had one goal and one assist.
After all this, what Cazenovia needed was any sort of victory – and it arrived last Thursday when it rolled past the LaFayette Lancers in a 17-5 decision.
Traditionally a lacrosse powerhouse, LaFayette has struggled this spring, entering the game 3-6. And the Lakers took out its frustrations on the Lancers, roaring to an 8-2 lead by the end of the first quarter and up 12-2 by halftime.
Coleman, regaining some of his early-season form, amassed seven goals and four assists. Forrest Ives scored four times, with D.B. Falge getting a three-goal hat trick as James LeFever had a goal and two assists. Wright and Gavin Winn also earned goals as Tucker Ives got credited with an assist to go with his seven saves.
With an opportunity to avenge an early-season defeat to Homer on Saturday afternoon, the Lakers were again on the wrong end of a close decision, falling 10-8 to the Trojans.
Wright’s three-goal hat trick, along with Coleman’s two goals and four assists, were not enough. Wyatt Hartley got two goals and Falge also scored, with Hunter Riehlman’s five goals and Ben Bradshaw’s 12 saves keying Homer’s effort.
Chittenango witnessed some history last Thursday night as it lost, 20-10, to Homer, who gave long-time head coach Tom Cottrell his 250th career win.
It was 12-5 by halftime, but the Bears kept fighting as Connor Meeks-Vaughn had four goals and one assist, with Brendon Barnard adding three goals and one assist. Vince Lazzaro scored twice as Ethan Robles had one goal.
