ONONDAGA COUNTY – A particularly important week in the 2023 regular season saw the Liverpool boys lacrosse team get a massive boost through back-to-back victories against two of its biggest rivals.
Having already thwarted West Genseee in overtime earlier in the week, Liverpool now came back home Thursday night and, against Cicero-North Syracuse, put together a hard-fought 12-10 win over the Northstars.
What ended up as the difference on this night was that Liverpool had a bit more depth in its attack than C-NS did, ultimately seeing seven different players find the net.
Bradley Cole, with three goals and two assists, led the way, while Brady Michaud, Aaron Clouthier and Dom Osbeck each scored twice. Joe Sacco got a goal and three assists as Gavin Kenna and Mason Gridley also converted.
By contrast, C-NS got three goals and four assists from Elijah Martin and three goals from Ian Leahey, but just four outside of them, two by Mason Ciciarelli. Liverpool goalie Owen Salanger had 11 saves, two more than Leyton Sullivan.
All of this happened after Liverpool managed to outlast West Genesee 13-12 in overtime as, a few miles away at Bragman Stadium, C-NS challenged reigning state Class A champion Baldwinsville and lost 11-7.
At Mike Messere Field in Camillus, Liverpool and WG engaged in a back-and-forth classic, the visitors leading early but then the Wildcats taking a 7-5 lead by halftime before Liverpool made up all the ground and, with a 5-2 third-quarter push, went back in front.
Then it was WG’s turn, fighting back to tie it, 12-12, by the end of regulation, only to see Liverpool get the OT game-winner as Sacco and Clouthier led the visitors, each with three goals and two assists.
Osbeck and Owen Michau both converted twice, Michaud adding two assists, with Gridley, Bradley Close,and Brady Michaud getting one goal apiece and each of Owen Salanger’s 11 saves proving vital.
Meanwhile, at C-NS it was the Northstars meeting the same Baldwinsville side that had pasted Liverpool 14-4 five days earlier, but this game proved far closer.
In fact, were it not for some struggles in the face-off circle, C-NS might have got closer, B’ville bestowed the game MVP award known as the “Manley Cup” to face-off specialist Josh Armpriester, who kept claiming draws and denying the Northstars extra possessions.
Ciciarelli still picked up a game-high four goals, but no one else had multiple tallies as single goals went to Martin, Leahey and Cy Liberman, Martin getting two assists and Sullivan recording 12 saves.
B’ville was led by Keegan Lynch, who netted a three-goal hat trick and added a pair of assists. Garettt Sutton and Brady Garcia both scored twice, Garcia adding an assist.
Right after it beat West Genesee, Liverpool had its annual game against Essex Junction (Vermont) on Friday and won 13-5, led by Clouthier, whose six goals topped the opposition as he added two assists.
Helping out, Brady Michaud scored twice and had a pair of assists, with Osbeck and Owen Michaud each having one goal and one assist. Noah Eicholzer also had a goal as Liverpool improved to 7-2 overall.
Back on the field again Saturday, C-NS hosted Class C contender Cazenovia and battled past the Lakers 11-8, with most of the production from Leahey, who had five goals, and Ciciarelli, who scored three times.
Nick Bisesi and Joe Green each had one goal and one assist, while Sullivan was superb, turning back 15 of Cazenovia’s 23 shots to help the Northstars move its mark to 5-2.
