CENTRAL NEW YORK – Few days on the East Syracuse Minoa sports calendar are as important as the last Saturday in September when the girls and boys soccer programs host their ‘Kara Day”.
For more than a decade, the two ESM programs have, in memory of former ESM soccer standout Kara MacDougall, raised more than $50,000 for the Kara Fund, which benefits children facing serious medical issues to give them and their families comfort and support.
And in the featured game of the twin bill, the girls Spartans, no. 8 in the state Class AA rankings, met neighbor and rival Jamesville-DeWitt, who put together an inspired performance of its own that led to a 1-1 draw.
Any idea that the Red Rams, who entered the game 5-3-1, were intimidated by a Sparatns side who beat them 3-0 two weeks earlier dissipated when the visitors pulled of a first-half shutout and took the lead on Amelia Wormuth’s goal, assisted by Meghan Kenna.
ESM increased its pressure as the game went on, finally breaking through in the second half when Leah Rehm put it past Lindsay Parker for her 21st goal of the season.
Yet that was all Parker would allow, the Rams goalie recording 12 saves and allowing J-D to get this valuable draw.
Back on Monday night, ESM’s girls, who were no. 8 in the first state Class AA rankings of the season, took apart Auburn 10-2 with the Rehm sisters again at the forefront.
Leah Rehm’s four goals put her season total at 20, with Bailey Rehm getting four assists to go with her single tally. Leah Chavoustie converted twice, with Kyleigh Smith, Khloe Welch and Ashley Praxl adding goals and assists going to Harper DeJulia and Avery Wood.
J-D played last Tuesday against Oswego and rolled past the Buccaneers 5-0, half of what ESM got against Auburn but still an impressive total.
It was 4-0 by halftime, the Red Rams led by Madelyn Murphy’s deft passes as she set a career mark with four assists. Wormuth and Amelia Wormuth each scored twice, with the other goal going to Natalie Weismore as Noor El-Zammar also gained an assist.
Another shutout followed on Thursday, but it took until double overtime before J-D was able to squeeze out a 1-0 victory over Central Square.
For 90-plus minutes covering regulation and one OT period the Redhawks frustrated the Rams, limiting opportunities and seeing Madeline Obey pick up six saves.
Yet as the second OT ticked away and a draw loomed, J-D got the game-winner as Murphy converted, a confidence-booster which would carry over into its trip to ESM a c ouple of days later.
