Late last week, each of the area’s high school girls lacrosse teams would learn where and when they would start the Section III playoffs.
And no one is in a better position than Fayetteville-Manlius, an overwhelming favorite in Class B sitting at no. 4 in the state rankings and fresh off an impressive regular-season finale at West Genesee Tuesday where it rolled past the Wildcats 11-6.
These same teams had met April 26 on the Hornets’ home turf, and F-M had pulled it out 10-9. WG hadn’t lost since, rising to no.4 in the state Class A rankings.
But though it hoped to get even, the Wildcats were also dealing with the various Senior Night festivities before the game. Sometimes, that can lead to an inspired effort – but it can also prove a distraction.
In this case, it was the latter, and the Hornets jumped all over WG, grabbing a 4-0 lead and seeing its defense do a superb job shutting down the Wildcats, with plenty of early stops from goalie Mauwa Aombe, who finished with 10 saves.
It took more than 18 minutes for WG to get on the board, and even when it did, F-M quickly answered, gaining a 6-2 lead by halftime and continuing that exchange throughout the second half, never letting things get too close.
Gemma Addonizio, with a three-goal hat trick, led a well-balanced Hornets attack. Kiera Shanley, Annie Steigerwald and Maddie Noel each scored twice as Amanda Cramer had a goal and two assists. Katie Shanley had a goal.
Since there are only three teams in the Class B sectional bracket, F-M rests until the May 29 title game against Auburn or Central Square, meaning it will not have a game for two full weeks.
Meanwhile, defending Class A sectional champion Christian Brothers Academy is the no 2 seed and, in a six-team bracket, will meet Baldwinsville or Rome Free Academy in next Thursday’s semifinal on the F-M turf.
Before that, though, CBA would play twice, host Marcellus last Wednesday night and steadily work its way to an 8-4 halftime lead before hanging on late to beat the Mustangs 11-9.
Grace Hulslander scored four times and Gia Anthony nabbed three goals, both of them helped by Anna Ziemba, who had three assists to go with her pair of goals. Claire Jeschke also had three assists as she and Tate Kohlbrenner earned single goals.
Before that, CBA rolled past Cazenovia 17-6, bolting out to a 12-2 lead by halftime as Hulslander matched the Lakers by herself by scoring six times.
Ziemba and Olivia Penoyer had three goals apiece, with Anthony scoring twice. Jeschke had one goal and two assists as Kohlbrenner and Riley Taylor had the other goals.
Defending the Class C sectional title, Jamesville-DeWitt is the top seed, and with seven teams in the bracket has a bye to next Thursday’s semifinal at Auburn’s Holland Stadium.
East Syracuse Minoa is also part of the Class C picture with an 8-8 record and, as the no. 5 seed, visits Carthage next Tuesday to see if it could get a third shot in the semifinals against a J-D side that beat them twice earlier this month.
The Spartans have engaged in plenty of high-scoring contests during the regular season, including last Monday’s 19-11 victory over Oswego.
This one was quite close for a while, the Buccaneers only trailing 8-7 at halftime as McKinley Thompson and Aalyiah Maldonado were on their way to three goals apiece.
The Spartans took over in the second half, though, guided by Rileigh White, who amassed a career-best 12 points that included six goals and six assists.
Kelly Thomas scored five times, with Julianna Barton getting three goals and one assist. Emma Biel scored twice as Taylor Filmer got a goal and two assists. Sophia Orlando and Emma Eckl had the other goals.
