Charging into the last week of the regular season, the Cazenovia field hockey team just needed to clear the hurdles of games against Homer and Cortland to secure another undefeated run through the Onondaga High School League.
The Lakers’ league win streak boosted to 58 last Wednesday with a 5-0 shutout over Weedsport at Burton Street Elementary School.
Cazenovia was up 3-0 by halftime, and Abby Eschen’s late-season charged continued as she led the Lakers with a pair of goals. Tori Widrick had two assists to go with her lone tally as Jillian Vogl also got a pair of assists. Belle Hoagland and Mary Kate Conley earned the other goals. The Lakers had a 22-2 shot advantage.
Two days later, Cazenovia was supposed to meet Homer. In all, 11 seniors – Widrick, Eschen, Hoagland, Emliy Mastropaolo, Ellen Burr, Molly Hudson, Raeanne Clabeaux, Kara Stalder, Jenna Raleigh, Emily Clipston and Meaghan Kurucz – were set to play their last regular-season home game.
Yet even the Lakers could not beat a Nor’easter that dumped heavy rain and wind and forced a postponement. That will get made up this Friday, after a trip to Cortland andvbefore a season-closing test at defending Class A champion Rome Free Academy.
The week for Vernon-Verona-Sherrill began with rough treatment from defending Section III Class B champion Camden in last Tuesday’s 5-1 defeat.
Having already lost to the Blue Devils earlier this season, VVS did score in the first half, as Briana Rascoe got credit for the goal. But that would be all, as Camden seized a 3-1 lead by halftime and kept pulling further away.
Ellen Depasquale made 14 saves, but watched five different Blue Devils – Bailee Barrett, Aubrey Coon, Holly VanDresar, Katie Marnell and Kelcy Forbragd – get the five goals. Barrett added a pair of assists.
Oneida, coming off its 2-1 win over Whitesboro, promptly fell to New Hartford in a narrow 3-2 decision. They were even, 1-1, at the break, but the Spartans moved ahead in the second half and withstood the Indians’ rally attempts.
In defeat, Morgan Bernier and Haylee Greene scored for Oneida, with Abby McNichol assisting on both scoring plays. Olivia Lipitz played in goal and earned 13 saves.
The Indians turned it around on Thursday, though, bashing Clinton 5-1 as it got three first-half goals and continued the pressure in the late going.
McNichol, with two goals and one assist, and Bernier, with a goal and two assists, led the way as Mycale Kimball had one goal and one assist and Rebecca Kincaid also found the net. Lipitz stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced.
VVS saw its struggles continue with a 3-0 defeat to New Hartford, the Spartans relying on Shae Kalsay as she produced a pair of goal. Depasquale finished with four saves.
