With the return of Jack Korzyp to the back line, the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team felt whole again.
As Korzyp watched from the sidelines, the Bees started 2-2, surviving a chilly double-overtime battle with Liverpool, but falling by one goal to LaFayette and watching one big defensive lapse turn into a defeat against West Genesee.
There was nothing close to a lapse last Tuesday when, in Korzyp’s season debut, B’ville throttled Cicero-North Syracuse 13-5 on the field next to Ray Middle School.
Accustomed to playing on clean turf at Bragman Stadium, the Northstars matched goals with B’ville early on, but soon bogged down as Korzyp and his defensive mates held the potent CNS attack to just two goals in the last three periods.
It helped, too, that Corey Bulken owned the face-off circle. He won 19 of 21 draws, allowing the Bees to keep the ball for long periods of time and toy with the Northstars’ defense, scoring when it needed to.
Jeremy Boltus would find the net five times, adding an assist. Often, the feeds came from Jack Venditti, who earned four assists to go with his pair of goals.
Enough help was around, too, as Mitch Collins gained a goal and two assists and Bulken, Eric Parah, Howie Rotchford and Justin Tierney took turns scoring. Cam Davoy added an assist.
Due to all the time B’ville had the ball, CNS stars Jeff Gilbert (two goals, two assists) and Nick Lococo (two goals, one assist) were held in check.
B’ville heads back on the road Thursday, to play at Auburn, before taking on Essex Junction (Vermont) on Saturday.
