In the race to challenge the Skaneateles girls lacrosse team atop the Class C ranks, Westhill had made a strong early case under first-year head coach Brittany Brigandi, as the former CBA and Le Moyne College star had led the Warriors to a 5-0 start.
However, much would get learned when the Lakers welcomed Westhill to Hyatt Stadium last Thursday night, a game that, most of the way, was close – but the strong start that the Lakers pulled off ultimately made the difference as it beat the Warriors 12-8.
This started with the Skaneateles defense, who clamped down on Westhill throughout the first half and held them to a pair of goals. Meanwhile, the Lakers stayed patient on the other end and carefully built up a 6-2 lead.
With that cushion, the Lakers could afford some lapses during the second half, but answered every possible Warriors surge as Bailey Herr and Catie Woodruff both finished the game with four goals, the duo matching Westhill by themselves.
Help came from Mae McGlynn and Hannah Logan, who earned two goals apiece. Olivia Navaroli had two assists and Molly Newton one assist as Allison Weiss proved superb in the net, earning nine saves. For Westhill, Erin McMullen (three goals, one assist) and Haileigh Farrell (two goals, one assist) led the way.
Two nights earlier, Skaneateles had what amounted to a game-long tune-up against visiting Onondaga, handling the Tigers 21-1, though much of that had to do with the game’s timing.
Having lost to Section I power Suffern 8-4 on April 9, the Lakers were not happy, and took out that displeasure on OCS, racing out to a 14-0 halftime advantage and continuing to rampage despite a running clock and lots of reserves in the game.
Bailey Herr, with five goals and two assists, led the charge, though Hannah Logan and Riley Brogan also had three-goal hat tricks. Catie Woodruff and Molly Newton had two goals apiece as Emma Goodell earned a goal and three assists. Abby Logan, Mae McGlynn and Aubreah Lynn also found the net, with Olivia Navaroli gaining two assists and Woodruff, Brogan and Logan picking up single assists.
With Westhill behind them, Skaneateles would test itself again in a big way Saturday with a trip north to face defending Section III Class B champion Watertown, whose lone blemish was a narrow 11-9 loss to West Genesee on April 2.
This one had a nearly similar score – but this time Watertown prevailed, 11-10, largely because the Cyclones did exactly what Skaneateles did to Westhill, building up a four-goal margin (8-4 in this case) and then hanging on as the Lakers stormed back in the late going.
More than anyone else for Watertown, Jill Girardi hurt the Lakers, earning three goals and four assists, Madisyn Exford and Olivia Miles had three goals apiece. Logan led Skaneateles with her own three-goal hat trick, while Herr had two goals and two assists. McGlynn scored twice as Woodruff, Newton and Emma Goodell earned one goal apiece.
With that defeat, the Lakers fell to 3-2 and knew that, late this week, it would face back-to-back games against top Class A foes, visiting Cicero-North Syracuse Thursday before hosting reigning Section III champion West Genesee Saturday night at 7 p.m.
