It hasn’t proven easy for boys soccer teams at Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool as both try to build their way toward peaking in October and perhaps getting into the post-season.
In its first of three home games in five days, C-NS welcomed Corcoran last Tuesday night and, to some degree, broke out with its attack as it defeated the Cougars 5-1.
Jawadshah Kasimi led the charge, not only scoring twice, but tacking on a pair of assists. Cole Rockwell, Tyler Murray and Joe Barraco also earned goals as Jacob Dietter got credit for an assist.
West Genesee was next, and against the Wildcats on Thursday the Northstars could not do anything to contain the Wildcats, who prevailed by a 4-2 margin.
Barraco earned both of the Northstars’ goals, but WG doubled that total with a well-balanced attack where four different players – Tom Shields, Jacob Sachar, Josh Rimauldo and David Puma – found the net. Wyatt Dupell finished with eight saves.
The toughest game was supposed to be on Saturday night, C-NS dealing with undefeated, state Class AA no. 5-ranked Baldwinsville, where prior to the game C-NS honored long-time head coach Mike McCaffery for his 30 years coaching in the district.
The game itself did not resemble the 4-0 romp B’ville enjoyed on Sept. 3 as the Northstars twice broke through against a vaunted Bees defense, nearly halting its nine-game win streak before taking a 3-2 defeat.
Kasimi and Barracco struck for goals, with Murray gaining an assist. To counter it, B’ville needed Tyler Johnson, Malik Davis and Dylan Killian to find the net, and then saw its back line withstand C-NS’s late pressure.
Liverpool was 1-6 going into last Monday’s game against visiting Nottingham, but proceeded to put together its finest all-around effort of the season while earning a 4-0 victory over the Bulldogs.
Leading the way, Brady Barnard picked up two goals, with Jack Pento getting the other goal. Habtamu Brown earned an assist as Dan Schaeber stopped all four shots he faced.
This was the first of three consecutive games for the Warriors against city opponents. On Wednesday night, Liverpool visited Sunnycrest Field to face Henninger, where it took a 2-1 defeat to the Black Knights.
Pento scored again, but Henninger countered with goals by Kandagira Miruho and Moo Hai, and overcame eight saves from Schaeber as Black Knights goalie Olivier Bienvenu recorded nine saves.
A Saturday-afternoon trip to Corcoran followed and Liverpool broke out for five unanswered goals in the first half on the way to conquering the Cougars 7-1.
Barnard got two goals, as did Justin Pham, with Pento, Uttam Bhattari and Faisal Samim also earning goals. Schaeber was credited with an assist, joining Barnard, Ujjwal Chhetri, Jaiden Reynolds and Zach Haggett in that column.
Liverpool (3-7) went to West Genesee Tuesday and would host Faeytteville-Manlius two nights later. C-NS, at 4-6 after the close call against B’ville, was at Nottingham Tuesday and hosts Henninger Thursday night.
