Perhaps the Marcellus boys lacrosse team, frustrated so many times in close contests against powerful opponents this spring, will win bigger games in the weeks ahead.
But the Mustangs took particular joy in going to Skaneateles Tuesday night and knocking off the Lakers 8-7 at Arthur Hyatt Stadium.
Not only did a narrow result go in Marcellus’ favor, it happened against the team’s fiercest rival, someone that had grown to dominate the rivalry in recent years. That included a 7-4 defeat the Mustangs took to the Lakers in the March 31 final of the Finger Lakes Face-Off Tournament on that same Skaneateles turf.
More than a month later, Marcellus started slowly in the rematch, unable to score in the first quarter. But it kept the deficit to 2-0 as, both times, Connor O’Hara scored off feeds from Brendan Major.
In the second period, it was the Mustangs’ turn to blank the Lakers. A goal early in the quarter got Marcellus on the board, and Connor Wheeler converted to tie it, 2-2. Despite lots of chances on both ends, it remained 2-2 going to the half.
Early in the third quarter, Marcellus zoomed in front with back-to-back goals, only to have Skaneateles pull back even, 4-4. Yet the Lakers’ cost itself with a rash of penalties late in the period, leading to a tie-breaking Mustang goal.
Maintaining that momentum, Marcellus built the margin to 7-4 early in the final period. The Lakers closed within 7-6, but a crucial goal with 2:34 left proved decisive when Nate Scuderi hit with 1:29 to play, again cutting the margin to one.
For the last time, though, the Mustangs’ defense, led by Casey Keegan, Dan Scanlon, Nick Nye and Joe Masterpol, made a stop, protecting goalie Chris Martin, who recorded eight saves.
Marcellus had a balanced attack, as Tom McNaney, Dalton Wenzel and Kevin Hutchings each finished with two goals and one assist. Wheeler and Jason Decker had the other goals, while Mike McNaney picked up an assist.
Elsewhere on the local scene, West Genesee, gearing up for Thursday night’s showdown with Liverpool, had one of its best all-around efforts of the season against Rome Free Academy, flattening the Black Knights 16-3.
RFA entered the game with a 9-3 record and had given Liverpool a significant scare on May 4, only losing to the Warriors 11-8.
Sensing that, and not looking ahead in any way to its own Liverpool clash, the Wildcats steadily pounded the Black Knights into the turf, gaining a 9-1 lead by halftime. After a brief slow-up, WG closed with a 6-1 fourth-quarter push.
Tim Barber, in particular, was unstoppable, notching a season-best six goals to go with three assists.
Matt Schattner and Dan Ginestro each added three-goal hat tricks, while Andrew Brown had two goals and one assist. Ted Glesener and Jake Sutherland scored, too, with Ryan St. Croix adding an assist.
Liverpool enters this game at 14-0 after using a 7-0 second-quarter surge to power past Fayetteville-Manlius 13-8 Tuesday night, a game where Nick Kline, Logan Thomas and Austin Hope each finished with four goals and goalie Dominick Madonna made 16 saves.
This is, of course, the rematch of the 2011 Section III Class A final, won by the Wildcats over the Warriors 7-6 in overtime. The winner here is all but guaranteed the top seed for this year’s sectional playoffs.
