Just two wins separate the Skaneateles boys soccer team from a state Class B championship to match the one it earned in 2010.
The Lakers ventured to the Wright National Soccer Complex in Oneonta on Saturday afternoon for the Class B regional final, where it put together another fine all-around effort to beat Section IV champion Union Springs/Port Byron 3-0.
Here, unlike the Section III final against Cazenovia (where it scored both goals early in the second half of a 2-0 win), the Lakers didn’t wait to get on the board.
It was Eli Goodell, author of so many big goals for Skaneateles this season, putting his side on top with a goal in the 17th minute. Right after, Andrew Weiss would find the net, just as he did in the sectional final, and before the game hit the break, Alex Dunn came off the bench to earn the Lakers’ third goal with 4:36 left in the half.
From there, it was yet another defensive masterpiece from the Lakers, who never let US/PB get comfortable or build up a serious attack throughout the afternoon.
The Lakers are now at the state final four in Middletown, where it triumphed four years ago. On Saturday morning at 9:15 a.m., Skaneateles wakes up early to face Mattituck, the Section XI champions from Long Island, in the state semifinals, with the championship game set for Sunday at 10 a.m. between the winner of this game and Livonia (Section V) or Beekmantown (Section VII).
Skaneateles is one of three Section III teams still alive for a state title. Jamesville-DeWitt (Class A) And Copenhagen (Class D) also made it to Middletown, while Fayetteville-Manlius (Class AA) and Watertown IHC (Class C) lost close regional games on Saturday – the Hornets 1-0 to Shenendehowa, the Cavaliers 2-1 to Lansing.
