Just before entering the Section III Class A playoffs, the Jamesville-DeWitt and East Syracuse-Minoa girls soccer teams fit in one more head-to-head encounter.
And it turned out to be one of the most difficult tests the Red Rams faced this fall in the OHSL Freedom division, but J-D still pulled it out, recording a 3-1 victory over the Spartans.
It was Senior Day at J-D for the likes of Tessa Devereaux, Olivia Ferlenda, Emily Elbers, Stephanie Mannion, Maire Prosak and Abbey Smith, and they didn’t want to lose this one.
ESM was pesky, though, as Alex McEachron’s goal in the first half helped the Spartans stay within 2-1 going into halftime. But Mannion, Prosak, Jenna Hayward and the rest of the Rams’ defenders got a second-half shutout, holding the visitors without a shot.
On the offensive end, Devereaux’s goal was the 99th of her high school career. She could not quite reach the century mark, though, as eighth-grader Paige Sherling put in the other two goals and Ferlenda added an assist. In defeat, ESM goalie Casie Auricchio made 10 saves.
The Red Rams had, two days earlier, done all its damage early in a 3-0 victory over Cortland, building the entire winning margin in the first half.
Devereaux earned two of those goals, with Sherling earning the other. Jessica Holmes managed two assists and Allie Balotin got an assist, too. Purple Tigers goalie Sabrina Edwards kept it from getting more lopsided as she earned 12 saves.
Meanwhile, ESM held off Fulton 2-1, a goal in each half proving enough against the Red Raiders. McEachron assisted on both of her team’s scoring plays, one by Amanda Wall, the other by Sarah Britton. Then Auricchio, with six saves, made sure the Spartans held on.
As this went on, CBA looked for a strong finish to its regular season, beginning along that path last Tuesday when it went to Phoenix and beat the Firebirds 5-0.
The Brothers used several new starters and saw Ariana Cavallaro score twice, while Ellen Mather and Hannah Werner joined Michelle Wiese with single goals. Wiese, Emily Ehle and Toni Winderi each had one assist.
Two days later, CBA held off Fulton 3-2, as it inched into a 2-1 halftime lead and held on in the late going. Marisa Romeo picked up one goal and one assist, while Eva Gordon and Alyssa Pitonzo earned the other goals.
When the Section III playoff pairings were announced, CBA had the no. 4 seed in Class AA, and are hosting no. 5 seed Cicero-North Syracuse Friday at 5 p.m.
J-D, looking for a third straight sectional title, has the top seed in Class A and play its quarterfinal Thursday against no. 8 seed Cortland or no. 9 seed Chittenango. ESM, as the no. 4 seed, could get to a semifinal with the Rams, but must first get through Thursday’s quarterfinal against no. 5 seed Indian River.
