With the large advantage of competing in its home venue, the Cicero-North Syracuse boys bowling team sought out the Section III team championship Sunday at Strike-N-Spare Lanes, knowing a berth in the state tournament at Strike-N-Spare in early March was on the line.

And the Northstars did quite well, rising from fourth place in the morning session to second place overall by the time the day ended, though it was unable to catch Fulton, who claimed the sectional team title.

Throughout the first three games, C-NS improved, from 909 in the opener to 930 in the second game and then 969 in the third game.

As they went to the break, the Northstars had a pinfall of 2,808, second in Class A and fourth overall. Camden (2,845) and Sherburne-Earlville (2,812) were just ahead of them, while Fulton took the lead at the outset with 1,035 in the opening game and had 3,069 at the midway point.

Any shot of anyone catching the Red Raiders faded in the afternoon session, as Fulton’s 974 extended the margin. Games of 869 and 1,028 followed, leaving Fulton with a final total of 5,940, winning by a 467-pin margin.

In that battle for the runner-up spot, C-NS shot a team score of 877, moving ahead of Camden (834) and keeping pace with S-E (886), and then used an 898 total in the fourth game to move ahead of the Marauders, who had 871.

With a final-game score of 890 to S-E’s 894, the Northstars finished with a pinfall of 5,473, 10 pins ahead of S-E’s 5,463 and 13 pins ahead of Homer (5,460) in fourth place.

Jacob Fox led C-NS with a total of 1,283, never scoring less than 203 in any of the six games and taking second place in the individual portion, trailing only Auburn’s Andrew Kopec, who was seven pins better with 1,290. Nick Bough had a 1,090 total, two pins ahead of Nick Joss (1,088).

On the girls side, C-NS finished eighth overall in the team standings with a pinfall of 3,670 as Utica Proctor (4,379) earned the team sectional title. Lauren Wilkie led the Northstars with a six-game total of 957 that included a 220 high game, four pins ahead of Kaitlin Antinelli’s 953 series.

Back in last Tuesday’s match at Green Acres Bowl, C-NS swept both the boys and girls contests against Central Square.

Joss set the pace, his steady 657 series including a high game of 235 and beating out Central Square’s Zach Griffing (658 series) and Kyle Bacon (586 series) among individuals. Fox had a 611 series and high game of 235, with Zach Emm earning a 204 game and Josh Cloute a high game of 196.

During the 3-0 girls victory by the Northstars over the Redhawks, Antineli roared to a 234 high game and a 597 series, some of her best work of the season.

Also, Taylor Putkamer’s 212 game led to a 535 set, while Bryce Sabine had a 506 series that included a 190 high game. Wilkie added a 447 series (160 high game) as Central square’s top bowler, Mercedes Race, had a three-game total of 507.