Whatever else may still take place this fall, the West Genesee girls soccer team authored a signature victory last Friday when it knocked off undefeated, defending Section III Class AA champion Jamesville-DeWitt by a score of 2-1.
Entering the game, the Red Rams had an 11-0 mark, but it had played twice in the previous three days. Sensing this, the Wildcats pushed the tempo and inched to a 1-0 halftime lead.
J-D got on the board with Paige Sherling’s second-half goal, but the Wildcats found the net, too, and held on behind six saves from Rebecca Rothenberg. Melissa Fumano and Mia DiBello earned the goals, while Cailyn Negus and Hannah Elmer each had one assist.
WG returned to the field last Wednesday night, toying with Oswego as it put together a 5-0 shutout of the Buccaneers. All of the Wildcats’ goals came in the first half, and they were spread around, too. Negus, Elmer, Teresa Petrus and Sarah Sveen all took turns putting shots in the net, while DiBello and Carlee Kingston got credit for assists.
Though it continues to show much improvement in 2013, the West Genesee boys soccer team still lacks that breakthrough victory that could make other Section III Class AA powers take notice.
The Wildcats nearly got that win last Tuesday night, when it went to Liverpool and pushed the state Class AA no. 14-ranked Warriors to double overtime before taking a painful 1-0 defeat.
Liverpool was on a roll, having knocked off unbeaten, no. 2-state ranked Fayetteville-Manlius 3-1 on Sept. 26, but that didn’t matter much here.
From the start, WG played superb defense, turning back all of the Warriors’ chances. When the back line wasn’t making big stops, Tim Fletcher was getting a hand on them, recording nine saves by night’s end. Yet the Wildcats could not take advantage, the game staying 0-0 as Liverpool netminder Kyle Peck made six saves.
Just minutes away from earning a draw, WG finally bent in the second OT period. Liverpool’s Kyle Lombard, taking a pass from Lukas Rubio, slipped a shot past Fletcher to win it.
That defeat seemed to have a lingering effect, for when the Wildcats visited Nottingham two nights later, it led to a 3-1 defeat to the Bulldogs.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, WG got on the board with Austin Graham’s goal. But the Wildcats were under attack much of the way, Fletcher and Kamel Awayda combining for 16 saves as Nottingham used goals by Kenroy Thomas, Ismet Suljic and Claude Tuyishimire to prevail.
The boys Wildcats had to visit Cicero-North Syracuse Tuesday before returning home later in the week to face Central Square and defending Class B champion Westhill.
Meanwhile, WG’s girls would host Auburn on Tuesday, leading to a rematch with two-time defending Class AA champion Liverpool on Thursday night after it lost 3-1 to the Warriors at LHS Stadium back on Sept. 13.
