Having waited long enough to get to real action, the Skaneateles boys lacrosse team proved swift and decisive in its 2009 regular-season debut.
As the defending Section III Class C champions, the Lakers visited Marcellus last Monday night and controlled matters from start to finish in a 14-6 win over the Mustangs.
Clutch post-season wins over previous champions LaFayette and CBA brought Skaneateles the title in 2008, its first in six years.
Many stars have left from that team, including goalie Josh Kimm, Keith Buehler, Brennan Buell, Eric Richards, Matt Wood and Jordan Markley.
However, a strong returning cast that features Kyle Christine, Kelly Donigan, Patrick Emmer and Kyle McQuiggan is bent on repeating that sectional title.
First, though, the Lakers had to work through five scrimmages, then watch as the scheduled April 4 opener with Auburn at Tompkins County Community College get snowed out.
Given all this, Skaneateles was quite happy to finally get underway with a short road trip to meet its neighbors from Marcellus, who, under new coach Robb Atchison, were 2-0 following opening-week wins over East Syracuse-Minoa and Chittenango.
It took just a minute of play for Donigan to score off a strong feed from Emmer. They connected again to make it 2-0, and Emmer converted his own goal to make it 3-0 and force a Mustang time-out less than four minutes into the game.
When Will Nolan scored to put Marcellus on the board, the Lakers answered with Donigan and Kevin Castle landing goals, and it was 5-1 going to the second quarter.
The margin stretched a bit, to 7-2 by halftime, but Skaneateles really got away in the third quarter with five unanswered goals, three of them by varsity newcomer Kevin Rice, that made it 13-3 and allowed the Lakers to cruise the rest of the way.
Donigan finished with four goals and two assists as Castle joined Rice in the three-goal column. Rice added two assists. Emmer had two goals and four assists, with Dylan Ross and Nathan Hunt also converting. Kyle Baier had two assists as Tom Schoener got one assist. Cal Winkleman, who succeeds Kimm in goal, had nine saves.
Sknaeateles, who starts the season with six straight road games, visits Homer Thursday night.
