Whatever the fates of both the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool boys lacrosse teams this season, they certainly had some excitement when they confronted each other.
Both of the games between the neighbors and rivals was decided by a single goal, including last Thursday’s clash at LHS Stadium, where the Northstars withstood a fourth-quarter rally by the Warriors and pulled it out, 9-8, in overtime on Ryan Waldron’s goal.
Back on March 31, at Bragman Stadium, C-NS won by a 10-9 margin without requiring an extra period. That time, no one could gain any pronounced lead, but the rematch took a slightly different course.
Defense, and pace, was the story throughout the first half. The Northstars didn’t mind the slower tempo, keeping a potent Liverpool attack in check and shutting them out during the third quarter.
Despite all this, the Warriors only trailed, 5-3, with one period left, and as time wound down the game picked up energy. Led by Dom Castiglia, who finished with four goals, Liverpool erased that deficit and produced an 8-8 tie.
But the Northstars would make the last play that counted. Gaining possession in OT, C-NS worked the ball to Waldron, who had not scored all night – until he fired it past Kyle Halladay for the game-winner.
Nick Riccardi, with three goals and one assist, and Zach Debottis, with two goals and one assist, led C-NS’s efforts. Drew Flack, Ray Scarlata and Dante Whitemore joined Waldron with one goal apiece, while Brad Williams added an assist.
Other than Castiglia, no other Liverpool player scored twice. Matt Sala, Dillon Rogers, Kendall Keahey and Antonio Rey notched single goals, with Augie Holekamp, Connor Beaty, Steve Audley and Cabry Hildmann earning assists. Halladay finished with 12 saves, two more than C-NS counterpart Zach Sheridan.
Two nights earlier, Liverpool, desperately searching for a signature win this spring, nearly got it against visiting Baldwinsville, but went cold at the worst possible time, leading to a 12-11 defeat to the Bees.
These same teams had met at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium April 17, and while Liverpool lost, 17-13, it did produce plenty of goals, giving itself encouragement for the return match on its home turf.
They played to a 3-3 first-quarter draw, and then Liverpool gradually assumed control, putting together a string of scoring runs over the next two periods and earning an 11-8 lead.
Production was spread around quite well, as Rogers got three goals and one assist, with Sala and Keahey each adding two goals and three assists. Castiglia and Beaty each scored twice.
But B’ville’s defense tightened its grip during the fourth quarter, and as Riley Smith worked his way to 10 saves, the Bees roared back, tying it and then grabbing a slim lead that it would hold on to at the wire thanks to three-goal hat tricks from Charlie Bertrand, Jacob Anderson and Dillon Darcangelo. Ryan Gebhardt added two goals to overcome Halladay’s nine saves.
Liverpool would host Corning and Syracuse early this week, closing out its regular season as C-NS would take its own shot at Baldwinsville before the Section III playoff pairings are announced on Thursday.
