Now with its sights squarely aimed at reclaiming the Section III Class B crown Westhill took from them a season ago, the Skaneateles boys soccer team was tested right from the outset in 2017.
That came in the form of a Sept. 1-2 road trip to the eastern part of the state to meet a pair of Section II foes. In the first of those games, the Lakers had a lead on Queensbury, yet could not hold on in a 3-2 defeat to the Spartans.
First-half goals by Justin McClanahan and Gabe Konieczny put Skaneateles in front 2-1 at the break as Padders Moore earned an assist. Yet Queensbury blanked the Lakers in the last 40 minutes, caught up and got in front, despite Luke Peterson’s four saves.
Peterson and the Lakers’ defense would turn around a day later and record a 1-0 victory over South Glens Falls. Jon Metz netted a first-half goal, assisted by Jeff Palmer, and it held up the rest of the way as Skaneateles held SGF to four shots, all stopped by Peterson.
The OHSL Liberty division opener for the Lakers came last Tuesday, against Phoenix, and Skaneateles wasted little time getting on the board and then adding to its total on a frequent basis during a 7-0 shutout of the Firebirds.
Before the game was nine minutes old, Skaneateles had a 1-0 lead on Konieczny’s 15-yard shot. Then, as so often in the pass, the Lakers used a throw-in near the opposing net as a scoring opportunity as Tommy Reed’s throw made it to Metz, who scored to double the margin.
But that was just the warm-up for a six-minute blitz before halftime where Andrew Moss, Alex Arefeynev and Braham Malcolm each took turns putting in goals. Up 5-0 by halftime, Skaneateles tacked on goals by Sam Gajdo and Jack Panasci in the second half as Tom Reed and Tylar Moss both had two assists, with single assists going to McClanahan, Jeremy Castle and Christian Dailey.
Back on the road Thursday night, Skaneateles took on Homer, and for a half it remained scoreless before the Lakers broke through in the late going to beat the Trojans 2-0.
Palmer proved the catalyst, breaking the 0-0 stalemate as his passes twice set up Skaneateles goals, one by Konieczny, the other by Christian Dailey. That negated a combined 14-save effort by Homer goalies Dakota Wagner and Jacob McGory, twice the number of shots faced by Peterson, who had seven saves.
Skaneateles returns home Tuesday to face Utica Academy of Science, a varsity newcomer, before facing Solvay on Thursday and then taking on long-time rival Marcellus Saturday at noon as part of the weekend’s Homecoming festivities.
