Having moved past the most difficult and crowded portion of its regular-season schedule, it was time for the Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrosse team to relax a bit – if the definition of relaxation meant challenging itself in a trip to Maryland.
In all, the state Class A no. 3-ranked Northstars played twice during its school-break trip, starting last Wednesday with a hard-fought 16-14 victory over Maryvale Prep.
A fast-paced, back-and-forth first half saw C-NS hang in there and force a 7-7 tie. Neither side let up, either, but the Northstars’ ability to win more draws eventually translated into a modest lead that it was able to protect.
Meghan Duffy, with five goals and one assist, led the charge, with Hanna Haven and Samantha Tortora each scoring three times. Haven added a pair of assists, as did Tiffany Ryan, who joined Courtney Kenny in the two-goal column. Jenna Lippert had the other goals as Bri Stahr made seven saves in the net.
Two days later, C-NS faced Garrison Forest, another Maryland foe. Again it was close – and again the Northstars won, by a 12-11 margin, inching out to a 7-6 halftime lead and then answering each of Garrison’s charges during a tense second half.
Ryan had another one of her big performances, scoring five goals and adding an assist. Haven and Duffy both had two goals and one assist, with Tortora getting one goal and one assist. Megan Caveny and Miriam Ghabarou got the other goals.
Before all that, he Northstars certainly had fun in last Monday’s game against Rome Free Academy, roaring out to a 13-2 halftime lead and breezing past the Black Knights by a final 21-4 margin.
No less than 12 C-NS players got at least one goal, with Meghan Duffy leading the way as she found the net five times and added an assist, with Morgan Silfer and Bryar Cummings each stepping up by earning three-goal hat tricks.
Kenny and Tortora both had four assists, while Ryan and Haven each got three assists. Ghabarou scored twice as Caveny got a goal and two assists. Mary Kate Bonanni, Mallory Eymer, Jenna Lippert and Lexi Knoblock had single goals, with Christie Hahn contributing an assist.
Meanwhile, Liverpool nearly got a high-quality win over visiting Fayetteville-Manlius last Tuesday night, but could not hold on to late lead in a 10-9 overtime defeat to the Hornets.
A strong first half appeared to give the Warriors full control, as it sailed to a 6-2 lead. Yet the Hornets reversed those numbers in the second half and forced an 8-8 tie, and though Liverpool scored in the first OT period, so did F-M, and it eventually pushed across the game-winner.
Kasi Cabrey led both sides with four goals, while Jen Kershner scored twice. Natalie Parkins, Julia Sardella and Rachel Kline had one goal apiece. F-M saw Jane Cote and Meg Kincaide each get three goals, with Olivia Tejan and Carly Primo adding two goals apiece.
The Warriors did prevail, 13-6, over Central Square, steadily pulling away from the Red Hawks after gaining a 6-2 halftime lead by having nine different players put in goals.
Only Cabrey and Maggie Tassone scored twice, with Kline, Christie Allen, Sierra DiPietro, Taylor Fahey, Megan Fitzpatrick and Farrah Ziaie also finding the net. Cassidy Hall added an assist.
Two days later, the Warriors took a 14-11 defeat to Watertown, who made the Section III Class B finals a season ago (falling to eventual state champion CBA) and was no. 8 in this season’s first state Class B poll.
All game long, the Warriors were within range of the Cyclones, largely because Cabrey was pouring in a season-best six goals and adding an assist. Kershner and Sardella added two goals apiece, with Kline getting one goal and one assist.
Still, Watertown fought its way to an 8-7 halftime lead, and held off all of Liverpool’s charges. Morgan Girardi led the Cyclones with four goals and one assist, while Olivia Miles and Madisyn Exford had three goals apiece, overcoming goalie Megan Evangelista’s 11 saves.
