At least for the moment, the Fayetteville-Manlius boys soccer team has upended Baldwinsville from the favorite’s role in the latest pursuit of Section III Class AA championship glory.
A trio of second-half scoring plays, two of them finished off by Alex Baynes, pushed the state no. 3-ranked Hornets past the no. 4-ranked Bees 3-0 on a cold, windy and wet Saturday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, securing the top seed for the upcoming AA playoffs in the process.
Both sides had undefeated marks – F-M at 13-0-1, B’ville at 13-0. The Bees’ start is the best in the program’s history, even topping the starts it put together en route to the last four consecutive sectional titles.
Yet F-M entered the game with a better defensive record, having shut out 11 of 14 opponents. And in this game, the Hornets’ back line would excel again.
Antonio Cantarero, Mike Zazzara, Sam Donato and the rest of F-M’s defensive corps got tested right away, B’ville earning four consecutive corner kicks in the early minutes, all of which were turned back.
So it went through a first half where both sides had difficulty adapting to the difficult conditions. Combine those elements with a pair of first-rate defensive units, and it was little surprise that, at the break, the Hornets and Bees remained 0-0.
Rain picked up in volume as the second half started, adding to the difficulty. However, the elements appeared to hurt B’ville more, as it started to lean back, giving F-M more room on its attack.
The Hornets’ breakthrough took place in the 57th minute. Tyler Forbes, from the right side, worked a pass to the point, where Haile Marr took a low, hard shot. B’ville goalie Alex Bono, screened off from the shot, did not pick it up until it was sailing past him, just inside the post.
With that all-important first goal behind them, F-M did not sit on the lead. It continued to push hard and doubled the margin with 14:39 to play when Bono charged Aaron Epling’s free kick, leaving him vulnerable – and Baynes headed it past him into the unoccupied nest.
Baynes wasn’t done. Off a Bees turnover with 7:57 left the senior midfielder, who missed several weeks earlier this season with an injury, slipped another shot past Bono, establishing the final margin.
