While it was nice that the Jamesville-DeWitt girls soccer team raced to a 4-0 start, what was nicer was the way it proved itself to its next-door neighbors for a fifth consecutive win.
Down early to Christian Brothers Academy on Monday afternoon, the Red Rams unleashed a potent, multi-faceted attack and put together a 6-3 victory over the Brothers.
CBA had played just once this season, beating East Syracuse-Minoa on Sept. 8, but its new-look defense and new goalie, Courtney Henderson, would get a severe challenge from J-D.
First, though, the Brothers would issue its own statement. Off a missed J-D corner kick in the 12th minute, Taylor Gait lofted a long pass to midfield, where Alexis Koval took it and raced all the way to the net, going around goalie Sarah Gianni and pushing it into the net.
Barely 10 minutes later, J-D got even when Henderson wandered out of the net and, in a crowd, Tessa Devereaux found Emily Elbers for the easy goal.
The match turned in a two-minute stretch late in the first half, where J-D’s constant pressure produced a permanent advantage.
Racing down the right side, Devereaux drew Henderson out of the net, then went past her and shot into the unoccupied net. J-D then attacked again and, just before the break, Tori Nies headed Tara Prosak’s corner kick home to make it 3-1.
Less than seven minutes into the second half, Stephanie Mannion took her turn to score, though Koval answered two minutes later, making it 4-2, well within reach.
J-D would settle on the defensive side, though, and when it pushed again in the 59th minute, Olivia Ferlenda’s hard shot from the point deflected off a CBA player into the net.
Both would add late goals – Caitlin McConnell for CBA, Devereaux for J-D – but the Rams’ latest win was secure.
As J-D takes on Homer Thursday in pursuit of a sixth straight win, CBA takes on defending Class A champion Cortland, then hosts Chittenango on Saturday.