At the end of another eventful week, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys soccer teams renewed their rivalry Saturday afternoon at LeMoyne College.
And while it took a while for both teams to hit full speed, they did so, resulting in an entertaining second half as the Northstars beat the Warriors 3-1.
The game got moved to LeMoyne so it could be paired as the tail end of a doubleheader with LeMoyne’s soccer game against Saint Anselm, which the Dolphins won 3-2. LeMoyne’s roster includes two former CNS stars, Zach MacNabb and Marcus DeBottis.
Much of the first half saw fleeting chances on both ends. CNS did get in front, though, as in the 19th minute Darren Cooper took a deft pass from Rocco Lattanzio on the right side and poked it past Karl Miller.
It stayed 1-0 deep into the second half, the pace picking up as Liverpool started to mount consistent attacks. But in the 55th minute, the Northstars’ margin doubled when Logan Roberts charged in and converted off Rob Spenard’s feed.
Now needing something, the Warriors cut it to 2-1 in the 64th minute on Leo Rubio’s header, fed from the left side by Nick Kline. But with 7:49 left CNS iced it as, seconds after Miller robbed Cooper on a close-up attempt, Cooper returned and, off Spenard’s pass, beat Miller for his second goal of the day.
Liverpool entered that contest coming off Thursday’s rematch with Baldwinsville, which fell nine days after the Bees prevailed 2-1 in overtime in their first encounter Sept. 7 at B’ville.
Now they were at LHS Stadium, and it was just as close and tense – and it also ended in the same way, the Warriors losing a narrow decision, this one 1-0.
This one didn’t go beyond regulation. Liverpool had a series of chances in the first half, but could not get the go-ahead score that, psychologically, may have proven crucial.
Instead, they went to the second half 0-0, and when Adam Lauko beat Miller to break the deadlock, the Warriors could not answer, despite taking more shots than B’ville.
Liverpool started the week by ripping Auburn 8-1. It actually was close early, but a 2-1 margin got out of hand when the Warriors reeled off six unanswered goals in the second half.
Nick Zingaro registered the first three-goal hat trick of his varsity career. Joe Sheehan and Mike Egan each had one goal and one assist, while Taylor Groginski, Bojan Anastovski and Fred Jorgensen also converted. Mike D’Agostino added a pair of assists as Leo Rubio, Josh Yager, Ryan Mollura and Brad Bargelski earned single assists.
CNS, meanwhile, shook off the disappointment of the double-overtime defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius in the Optimist Tournament final and blanked Central Square 5-0 at Gillette Field.
Back playing the sort of offense it wanted, the Northstars saw Cooper score twice and add an assist. Roberts, Will Rose and Tom Bartyzel converted, too, with Spenard and Drake Garner joining Bartyzel in the assist column.
On Tuesday, CNS would get a test at home from fast-starting Nottingham before a Thursday trip to Oswego. Liverpool faced yet another tough test on Tuesday, at Fayetteville-Manlius, before returning home Thursday to play Henninger.
