As August gave way to September, soccer teams from Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool, on both the boys and girls sides, all prevailed in their first 2012 outings.
The boys Northstars (12-5-2 a season ago) and Warriors (11-4-2 last fall) squared off in the 2011 Section III Class AA quarterfinals, where C-NS won 2-1 before Baldwinsville, on its way to a fifth straight sectional title, knocked them out in a tense semifinal penalty-kick shoot-out.
Plenty of talent is back on both ends, and with the large roster turnover at B’ville and Fayetteville-Manlius, there’s reason for both sides to think they’ll finally get a turn at the top.
First, though, C-NS had to make a tough season-opening trip Friday to Utica Proctor, who was 12-6 a season ago. But the Northstars handled it, beating the Raiders 2-1.
Bryan Sibble and Tony Barraco carried the attack. Sibble’s goal, fed by Barraco, gave C-NS a 1-0 lead before halftime, and the pair connected in the same manner in the second half to counteract the goal by Proctor’s Mohamed Haji. Each of goalie Charlie Willard’s seven saves proved important.
On that same day, at LHS Stadium the Warriors hosted Marcellus and, after a close start, blew away the Mustangs in the latter stages of a 6-0 shutout.
It was only 1-0 at halftime, but Joe Sheehan helped Liverpool get away in the second half, adding to his total until he had a three-goal hat trick, often fed by Bojan Atanasovski, who finished with three assists to go with one goal.
Brandon Horton and Nick Zingaro also found the net for the Warriors, with Leo Rubio, Jordan Seymour and Owen Thompson adding one assist apiece. Liverpool’s defense held Marcellus to just two shots all afternoon.
Coming off last year’s 8-7-2 mark, the C-NS girls soccer team opened at home against Rome Free Academy Friday and breezed to a 4-0 shutout of the Black Knights.
A pair of goals in each half proved enough as Mariah Rosas found the net twice. Kate Wagner and Marissa Rio also converted, with Hannah Haven and Chloe Londgran earning one assist apiece.
