Not until Friday night did the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team hit the field for the first time – and it proved a rough passage, all weekend long.
Bad weather last Tuesday had kept the Bees from hosting nine-time defending Section III Class A champion West Genesee as originally planned, so the only regular-season meeting between the two long-time rivals got moved to Saturday.
The change did little to save B’ville, though, as WG took them out 15-2, a methodical effort that, at the end, reminded the Bees just how much work remained to get to the top local level.
All through the first half, B’ville stayed patient and kept the Wildcats within sight. Yet even with a solid defensive performance, it trailed 4-1 at the break.
And as the second half wore on, WG started to find the net with more regularity, concluding with a 7-0 fourth-quarter sprint where Air Force Academy-bound senior Dylan Donahue worked his total to seven goals and two assists. Only Parker Ferrigan and Austin McAskill found the net on the Bees’ side.
The switch of that game made a daunting start for coach Peter Fiorini’s charges even more so, for its first four games would be played in a five-day span, and the toughest parts were at the start.
Just hours before meeting West Genesee, B’ville began with another high-end opponent, going to Corcoran Friday and seeing its defense undergo a mighty struggle in a 20-8 loss to the Cougars.
The Bees did do a solid job of containment in the first quarter, only trailing 3-1. Soon enough, though, Corcoran began to take charge, expanding the margin to 9-3 by halftime and continuing to pull further away from there.
Meanwhile, the Bees’ attack, still adjusting to the departures of Billy Ward, Evan States and Kyle Styer, could not keep pace with Corcoran. McAskill and Nick Ciampi scored twice, with Justin Marra, Joe Morra, Casey Colligan and Will Rumble adding single goals.
By contrast, Corcoran got seven points from both Cree Cathers (four goals, three assists) and Dillon Brown (three goals, four assists), as Ryan Cook put in five goals and Derrick Eccles also scored four times.
Early this week, B’ville would play the visiting La Costa Canyon (California) team and Rome Free Academy before going to Oswego Friday night.
