CENTRAL NEW YORK – Twice this fall, the Liverpool boys soccer team found a way to contain a Cicero-North Syracuse side who went through a rough start before starting to find itself in the latter part of the regular season.
But the Warriors will need to beat the Northstars a third time if it wanted to play for the Section III Class AAA championship.
This clash next Wednesday at Fulton was set up by quarterfinal matches Wednesday night – one of them quite close, the other not as much.
C-NS, the no. 5 seed, went to no. 4 seed Utica Proctor and found itself in yet another tight, low-scoring battle, but got just what it needed late in the match to fight past the Raiders 1-0.
Proctor proved from the outset that its 10-4-2 record wasn’t an accident, battling the Northstars through a scoreless first half where both sides had chances yet could not convert them.
This continued deep into the second half, with the Raiders getting lots of opportunities yet seeing none of its 12 direct shots make it past C-NS goalie Tyler Munnich.
Yet just when it looked like overtime would be required, with five minutes left in regulation Dante Melfi, by far the Northstars’ biggest offensive threat, flashed open and, getting Nick Marullo’s feed, struck home the game’s only goal.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, holding the top seed and no. 8 state Class AAA ranking, made quick work of its sectional quarterfinal against no. 8 seed Corcoran/ITC, rolling to a 5-0 victory.
Constantly attacking, the Warriors were up 2-0 by halftime and then more than doubled that margin late, ultimately seeing six different players earn those six goals.
Evan Belfield led the way with a goal and assist. Bobby McQuatters, Ajdin Biscevic, Liam Muller, Cam Farrell and Dom Giamartino also converted, with other assists going to Jared Reynolds and Dom Paolini.
Now Liverpool would get C-NS again, with the winner returning to Fulton on Monday to face Fayetteville-Manlius or Baldwinsville in the sectional final.
