All sorts of big things were taking place in area high school girls lacrosse, starting with Baldwinsville maintaining its top spot in the state Class A rankings despite an April 25 defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius.
What followed, for the Bees, were two games against Liverpool, and in between the Warriors had to try and complete a regular-season sweep of its other neighbors from Cicero-North Syracuse, who were still in search of its first win of the season.
The game between Liverpool and C-NS at Bragman Stadium proved to be a barn-burner, the lead constantly exchanged and neither side able to pull away, but once more the Northstars were frustrated as the Warriors held on to win, 14-13.
That it was so close wasn’t a big surprise, for C-NS also gave Liverpool a scare when they met at LHS Stadium on April 11, the game a 12-10 decision.
Now in the midst of a nine-game skid, the Northstars were due to break out of it, and in the first half grabbed an early 4-2 lead. Even when the Warriors countered with a 5-1 run, C-NS answered it and pulled even again, 8-8, going into the break.
The second half saw Liverpool once more seize the lead, and once more the Northstars gave close chase, able to get within one late, but not quite able to force overtime.
Colleen Tifft and Kendra Hall led the Warriors, each scoring four times as Tifft got an assist. Reva Mussi had two goals and two assists, with Jenna Irwin also finding the net twice.
Bella Brancato got three assists, with Emily Salanger adding a goal and two assists and Macy Moore also converting. Each of the eight saves by Liverpool goalie Samantha Bates proved important.
Carrying the C-NS attack most of the way, Fran Tortora and Molly Molchanoff each had five goals, with Tortora adding three assists.
Payton Baker, Brooke Molchanoff and Gabrielle Reid had the other goals. Gabriella Ciciarelli added an assist and Alyssa Wilson finished with six saves.
Happy as Liverpool was to get this win, it knew that, in its very next game on Thursday, it would have to go to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium face Baldwinsville, the same side that humbled the Warriors 19-10 at LHS Stadium five days earlier.
The rematch wasn’t much different, B’ville attacking hard from the outset and establishing a 10-2 margin by halftime on the way to defeating Liverpool 18-8.
Emma Gebhardt’s five goals were part of a well-balanced Bees attack. Hannah Johnson scored four times, with Katie Pascale and Emma States each getting three goals, Pascale adding two assists.
Sophia Cavallaro chimed in with four assists as Sarah Klein found the net twice. Olivia Muscolino had one goal and one assist, with Jordan Roy and Emily DeJohn combining for eight saves.
Irwin still managed a three-goal hat trick for Liverpool, with Tifft and Caroline Stevens both scoring twice. Salanger added a goal and Kendra Hall got an assist.
As this went on, C-NS lost again, this one a 19-13 decision to West Genesee where, as it has most of the season, the Northstars produced well, but gave up more.
Molly and Brooke Molchanoff combined for seven goals – Molly four, Brooke three – as Tortora got three goals and two assists. Ciciarelli, Reid and Victoria Iannotti had the other goals as 11 different WG players found the net, led by Gabby Meager (four goals) and Matisyn Schaut, who had three goals and four assists.
Finally, on Saturday at Central Square, C-NS’s 11-game skid ended as it beat the Redhawks 17-9, bolting out to a 9-3 halftime advantage and not letting up as Tortora and Molly Molchanoff led with five goals apiece.
Ciciarelli and Payton Baker both scored twice, with Reid, Ianotti and Brooke Molchanoff each getting one goal and one assist.
