For the most part, Chittenango’s boys lacrosse team remained overwhelmed by the competition, but at the end of a busy week it finally found something to smile about.
Hosting Whitesboro on Thursday night, the Bears broke out in a big way thanks to productive night from Garrett Sadler, and eventually needing all of them to hold off the Warriors 13-12 and get into the win column.
A steady, productive offense benefited Chittenango throughout the first half, as it more than doubled Whitesboro’s output and found itself leading 9-4 at the break.
They exchanged goals in the third quarter, so the Bears’ lead went to 12-7. But in a tense final period, Whitesboro charged, getting within one, but not quite able to force the game to overtime.
All told, Sadler managed eight goals, a new career mark, and added an assist. Riley Millick helped with two goals and one assist, while Jake Maxwell, Logan Rogers and Cole Chandler earned single goals. Tristan Williams and David Demand earned assists.
Each of Connor Shea’s 13 saves would prove important, as they overcame great efforts from Whitesboro’s Phil Spiridiglozzi, who had four goals and three assists, and Logan Gagne, who managed four goals and two assists.
The Bears’ struggles had included last Monday night’s 17-6 defeat to Tully. Steadily, the Black Knights got away, building up an 8-3 halftime margin. And that work continued in the second half as Adrian Nash, with five goals and four assists, and T.J. Gibbons, with four goals, led Tully’s charge.
Sadler gave Chittenango three goals and two assists. Both of his passes went to Demand, who had his first three-goal varsity hat trick. Rogers and Millick had one goal apiece as Shea, staying busy in the net, recorded 21 saves.
After a 24-hour postponement, the Bears met Fulton on Wednesday afternoon, and while it inched a bit closer and played a bit better on the defensive side, it still lost to the Red Raiders 11-3.
In fact, the first half proved close. Chittenango limited the damage by containing most of Fulton’s attacks, and some goals in the second quarter helped it close within one, 3-2, going into the break.
Yet the Red Raiders controlled the face-offs in the second half and, gradually, wore the Bears down, especially in a fourth quarter where it scored five unanswered goals.
Again, Sadler was at the core of Chittenango’s quiet attack, scoring twice and assisting on the other goal, by Demand. On Fulton’s side, Carson Vono led with three goals and two assists, while Brett Campolieta, Matt Nelson and Bryce Knight each scored twice. Red Raiders goalie Scott Hughes stopped 10 of the 13 shots he faced.
Meanwhile, the Chittenango girls lacrosse team did not play until Thursday night, when a poor first half proved costly and decisive in a 14-7 defeat to Jamesville-DeWitt.
During those first 25 minutes, the Bears fell behind 10-2, and it could not make up that deficit despite a strong finish and three-goal hat tricks from Ashley Young and Nicole Zimmer. Lauren Billington had the other goal.
Allie Denton made 19 saves, but J-D proved too much as Grace Hulslander had three goals and two assists, with four others – Carly Stone, Caroline Kopp, Carly Neugebauer and Jessica Wipper – getting two goals apiece.
