CENTRAL NEW YORK – Whether they had stayed on top all spring or just started to peak toward the end, a pair of area high school boys lacrosse teams would play for Section III championships at the outset of Memorial Day weekend.
Christian Brothers Academy did so in a particularly satisfying way, the top-seeded Brothers ousting its neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt 9-4 in Tuesday’s sectional Class C semifinal at Central Square.
Though it was impressive in defeating Homer 11-3 in the opening round led by Sam Brazell’s six goals and five assists, the Red Rams had a far more difficult time producing anything against a stellar CBA defense.
Anchored by Matt Craybas, who finished with nine saves, the Brothers kept J-D off the board until Aidan Bates scored just past the midway point of the second quarter.
CBA only led 2-0 at that point, but surrendering a goal seemed to awaken the Brothers’ attack as it hit three times before halftime to build a 5-1 edge, Joe Papa earning a three-goal hat trick in the first half.
All through the second half, the Rams tried to fight back, and when Gannon Kessler hit his second goal early in the fourth quarter, the Brothers’ lead was down to two, 6-4.
As he has done so often, though, Dan Anderson took over. He answered Kessler’s goal 45 seconds later and then tacked on two more goals in the latter stages, giving him four to go with his team’s lone third-quarter tally.
Before all this, the Class B sectional semifinal at Liverpool High School Stadium saw Fayetteville-Manlius, the no. 2 seed, pull away from no. 3 seed Watertown in the second half to win 15-3.
Off for a week since beating West Genesee in the May 17 regular-season finale, the Hornets took some time finding its rhythm, not building a margin until the second quarter and still only up 3-2 at halftime.
However, in the third period F-M started to win face-offs on a regular basis and proceeded to smother the Cyclones, eventually outscoring them 10-1 the rest of the way.
Louis Cogliandro had much to do with F-M’s potency, not only scoring four times, but recording five assists as Joe Hathorn had a three-goal hat trick.
Robert Madden had a goal and three assists, with Joe Addonizio and Aden Pollock each converting twice. T.J. Conley and George LaCombe each had one goal and one assist as Tyler Hutcheson added a goal.
On Friday night at Cicero-North Syracuse’s Bragman Stadium, it’s F-M against West Genesee for the sectional Class B title, the Wildcats having nearly shut out Auburn to win the other semifinal 9-1.
At Liverpool, CBA would meet Westhill for the Class C title, having beat the Warriors on May 17 but now having to deal with them again 10 days later as Westhill beat New Hartford 8-2 in the semifinal round.
