West Genesee picked up just about where it left off in 2011, beating Baldwinsville, 11-6, on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
The game was a rematch of last year’s Section III Class A final. The Wildcats won that day and eventually reached the state semifinals.
Emily Tripodi and Shannon Hawley led WG on this day. Tripodi scored three times and assisted on four other goals, while Hawley found the net four times and dished out an assist.
The hosts never trailed. B’ville pulled to within 4-2 late in the first half, but the Wildcats scored the session’s final goal.
Tripodi and Hawley started quickest in the second half, and almost turned the game into a rout by themselves. Tripodi tallied twice in the opening two minutes sparking a surge that saw the Wildcats snare a 9-3 lead with just over 15 minutes left.
Erica Geremia (who scored twice), Liz LaComb, and Nicole Bello scored WG’s other goals. Wildcat goalie Andrea Francisco made six stops.
Taylor Gebhardt paced the Bees with two goals and one assist. Ashley Gentile, Maggie Monnat, Claire Monnat (back from a knee injury that sidelined her during basketball season) and Sarah Klaben had singles. Bees netminder Andrea Moore made nine saves.
Both coaches came away feeling good about their squad’s performances.
“We were a little sloppy early at times but the kids picked it up and played hard,” WG coach Bob Elmer said. “We got better as the game went on.”
“It was a great, competitive game,” Bees coach Doug Rowe said. “It was very physical in the beginning. Both teams had to calm down. We played a great game but the scoreboard showed exactly what the game was.”
Rowe knows his team will have to improve by the time West Genesee visits Baldwinsville on May 4.
“We know where we stand right now,” Rowe said. “West Genesee has everybody back. We need to get better to beat them.”
