ONONDAGA COUNTY – For the second time in three years, no regular-season opponent of the East Syracuse Minoa girls soccer team was able to match the sheer quality of the Spartans.
That included back-to-back wins over its neighbors, capped Thursday when, in the SCAC Empire division playoff game, the state no. 2-ranked Spartans beat Jamesville-DeWitt 2-0.’
For the state no. 21-ranked Red Rams, the game offered some encouragement in that it contained most of ESM’s potent lineup and was closer than it was when it lost to the Spartans 3-0 in late September.
Mainly, this match came to having the best player on the field – which ESM did in the form of Leah Rehm.
Both times the Spartans had goals, it was Rehm converting, with assists credited to Angelina Polcaro and Leah Chavoustie. J-D goalie Lindsay Parker had 10 saves, with the Rams held to four shots, all stopped by Isabelle Chavoustie.
Before all this, ESM was again dominant last Tuesday night against Christian Brothers Academy, roaring to an 8-0 victory over the Brothers.
It wasn’t enough that Rehm racked up three goals and three assists, because Angelina Polcaro also scored three times for a hat trick while adding a pair of assists.
Natalie Peterson, with one goal and one assist, and Jazzel Meikelham, with one goal, helped out, overcoming 15 saves by CBA goalie Cara Macaluso.
Before it faced ESM again, J-D ripped Cortland 8-0 last Tuesday, improving to 10-3-1 overall as Megan Baker and Harmony Russell both scored twice, Baker getting two assists and Russell one assist.
Laney Bort had one goal and one assists, with goals also credited to Amanda Aitken, Caroline Stone and Jessica Chopra. Meghan Kenna managed to pick up an assist.
On Thursday night, CBA lost, 3-0, to Marcellus, whom it kept scoreless until Lexie Fragnito hit on back-to-back goals less than a minute apart early in the second half.
Corrine Aldrich added a goal with 12 minutes left, and the Mustangs were clear, limiting CBA to four shots, all stopped by JoJo Leubner.
And when J-D and CBA got together for a head-to-head match on Saturday night, the Rams prevailed 3-0, led by Baker, who scored twice and assisted on Russell’s goal. Kenna again earned an assist.
As the no. 3 seed in the Class A sectional bracket, J-D meets no. 6 seed Fulton in Thursday’s quarterfinal as top seed ESM welcomes Indian River that same night.
