ONONDAGA COUNTY – Whatever else has changed around them, the fact remains that Skaneateles, in Division II boys ice hockey, and West Genesee, in Division I, still remain the sides everyone wants to catch.
At least so far this winter, the Lakers had dominated area Division II competition, but found that, the second time around, it might not be as easy, even on home ice.
Skaneateles welcomed Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt to Allyn Arena Tuesday night and had to go all three periods to put away the Brothers 4-2, a contrast to its 7-0 romp at Onondaga Nation Arena in December.
Neither team scored until the second period, and even then Skaneateles only gained a 2-1 edge, CBA/J-D able to find the net with goals from Quinn Wimer and Jack Dement.
Still, in the final period the Lakers were able to put the game away, having seen Jack Torrey and Cole Palmer each find the net twice to overcome Ben Lovell’s 27 saves.
Four different Skaneateles players – Jack Marquardt, Andrew Gaglione, Sean Kerwick and Andrew Falkenberg – earned assists, while CBA/J-D only had 16 total shots all night.
It was easier in Thursday night’s 8-0 win over Auburn, where an early 2-0 advantage on the Maroons swelled to 6-0 by the end of the second and the attack was quite balanced.
Only Mizro scored twice, with Gaglione, Palmer and Kerwick each earning one goal and one assist. Torrey and Jack Calkins scored, too, with Falkenberg, Tye Kennedy and Braedan Taggart earning assists.
West Genesee, meanwhile, rested all week with its 10-3-1 record, its only scheduled game against Ontario Bay postponed by bad weather up north as the Wildcats will make that up this Saturday after facing Mohawk Valley and Ithaca earlier in the week.
Syracuse was just 4-11 heading into Wednesday’s game against Cicero-North Syracuse at the Twin Rinks, but rallied late to defeat the Northstars 5-3.
A wild first period saw the Cougars convert twice, yet still fall behind 3-2 as Drew Matyasik, Tyler Prevost and Jace Knopp all found the net for C-NS.
It did not hold, though, as Syracuse tied it in the second and then went ahead in the final period, led by two goals apiece from Nick Rayfield and Will Glass, who also got single assists.
Gaho Shenandoah had the other goal, with Owen Etoll, Mike Devereaux and Ryan Victoriano each getting an assist. Conor Rose blanked the Northstars in the last two periods and finished with 32 saves.
Then there was girls hockey, where Skaneateles returned from an 11-day break that, prior to that, had included four games in five days, two of which the Lakers lost.
Rested and quite refreshed, Skaneateles took apart visiting Webster Schroeder 9-0 last Wednesday night, a result far more lopsided than its 6-3 win when the two met earlier in the month.
Peaking with a five-goal second period, the Lakers saw eight different players convert, with only Grace Marquardt scoring twice as Finley Hogan, Cora Major and Makenna Komanecky each had one goal and two assists.
Taryn McDonald and Sam Catalifano also had two-assist outings, with Lily Kennedy and Makayla Barron both earning one goal and one assist. Jessica Savage and Ali Yockell got goals as Josie Rioux and Kendra Garlock added assists.
Meeting Adirondack United two nights later, Skaneateles saw everything turn around in a 6-0 defeat, the Lakers falling behind 3-0 after one period and not recovering as Brooke Coffey, in goal, made 31 saves.
