Furious at the way it got run over in a 3-0 non-league defeat at Jamesville-DeWitt on Sept. 19, the Baldwinsville boys soccer team sat on that fury for nearly a week.
And when the Bees returned to action last Tuesday night against visiting West Genesee at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, it was primed for a dominant effort, and got it as Jake Gentile and Connor Lunduski led a 4-0 shutout over the Wildcats.
Coming off a 5-0 defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius on Sept. 21, WG went from facing the state’s no. 2-ranked Class AA side to a foe that, at its best, could be just as good as the Hornets.
By the time they reached the half, B’ville already had a 3-0 lead and could cruise the rest of the way. Gentile would strike for a pair of goals, while Lunduski used his deft passing to earn a pair of assists, in addition to a goal of his own.
Nick Gates had the other goal, with Jeff Mahar picking up an assist and B’ville’s defense doing the rest, holding a solid Wildcat lineup to just two direct shots on net all night.
Two nights later, B’ville had a far tougher time of it at Henninger, pushed into overtime before it could pull out a 2-1 victory over the Black Knights.
Despite a 2-4-1 record going into the game, Henninger played on even terms through most of the night, the Black Knights forging a 1-1 halftime tie thanks to Khin Maung Kyi’s goal, assisted by Omar Sirad.
B’ville stayed patient through a tense, scoreless second half, even as Henninger’s defense broke up a series of attacks, until it could put in the game-winner in the first OT period. Gates scored again, with Jason Ekere earning the other goal as Mahar and Evan Ingersoll earned assists.
In Saturday’s non-league game against visiting Fulton, the Bees made it three in a row, going to overtime again and, once more, pulling it out, this time in a 1-0 decision.
All through 80 minutes of regulation, B’ville put on constant pressure, but the Red Raiders’ defense kept everything out, goalie Robert Borrow recording 13 saves.
But in the first OT period, the Bees threatened again, and Mahar, taking a pass from Lunduski, fired a shot that, finally, eluded Morrow and reached the net to end the game.
With that win, B’ville improved to 7-3, and had a chance to gain more momentum as a heavy favorite in home games against Central Square and Auburn this week.
