Even after getting that all-important 2-1 victory over Fayetteville-Manlius in a first-place Oct. 8 showdown, the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey still did not have the CNY Counties League regular-season title locked down.

For that, the Northstars still needed to win twice more, starting with last Tuesday’s game against Baldwinsville, where a steady, patient approach led to a 3-0 shutout over the Bees.

Back when they played Sept. 25 at B’ville, it ended in a 0-0 draw, but that was on natural grass. The artificial turf was more to C-NS’s comfort level as it inched in front 1-0 by halftime and tacked on two more goals in the late going.

Marie Aloi scored twice, with Elise Towers picking up one goal and one assist. Maggie Kennedy also earned an assist as Hannah White kicked away all three shots she faced.

C-NS went from there to visit Auburn on Thursday night. Overcoming the wet, muddy conditions on Auburn’s home grass, the Northstars beat the Maroons by that same 3-0 margin and clinched the league championship.

Then the Northstars lost a 2-1 non-league game to Whitney Point on Saturday afternoon, and found out, a day later, that its league title didn’t carry much weight when it came to arranging the Section III Class A playoffs.

Indeed, C-NS drew the no. 2 seed, while Fayetteville-Manlius, who finished second, ended up with the top seed and, as a bonus, will host Sunday night’s semifinal games, with the Hornets playing Rome Free Academy and the Northstars having to deal with Liverpool for a third time this fall. The winners advance to the Class A final Nov. 2 at RFA Stadium.