Records hardly matter when rivals are on the field, and that was proven again when Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool clashed in boys lacrosse last Tuesday night at Bragman Stadium.
Even though the Northstars had lost its season opener to Syracuse on March 27 and the Warriors had ripped Central Square, it was C-NS emerging on top on this night, doing just enough to fend off Liverpool by a 10-9 margin.
All game long, it proved close. Neither side was able to make any sort of sustained run, with the game tied 2-2 after one period and C-NS nosing out in front, 5-4, by the time they reached halftime.
Liverpool centered its attack around Dom Castiglia, and he nearly produced a victory by himself, scoring six goals, two-thirds of the Warriors’ output.
Despite all of that, C-NS kept countering, and hung on down the stretch because its defense contained the rest of the Warriors’ lineup. Goalie Zach Sheridan made 12 saves, while Liverpool counterpart Kyle Halladay had 17 saves.
Plus, the Northstars’ attack was a bit more diverse. Brad Williams led with four goals, while Zach Debottis scored twice. Four others – Ray Scarlata, Ryan Waldron, Drew Flack and Zach Blake – managed one goal apiece, with Scarlata also earning an assist.
Other than Castiglia, only Kendall Keahey, with two goals and one assist, and Dante Dewane, with one goal and one assist, were able to find the net. Dillon Rogers added an assist.
On Thursday night, Liverpool encountered the combined Syracuse city squad and, just like C-NS six days earlier, lost a close decision, this one by a score of 12-11.
Early on, neither team could make stops. The Warriors took full advantage, sneaking into a 6-5 lead by the end of the first quarter, and when the game slowed down in the second period, it stayed close, the two sides going to halftime tied, 7-7.
During the third period, Liverpool again moved out in front, 9-8, but it could not hold on, Syracuse managing to outscore them 4-2 in the last period to pull out the game as Sean Eccles, with four goals and three assists, and Alec Smith, with three goals and one assist, led the way.
Castiglia and Keahey each had three goals and one assist, with Antonio Rey adding two goals and two assists. Rogers, Anthony Calabrese, Matt Sala and Connor Beaty each had one goal and one assist. Halladay finished with 14 saves, the same total as Syracuse counterpart John DeMott.
With no turnaround, Liverpool had to face defending Class A champion Fayetteville-Manlius on Saturday. C-NS, meanwhile, visited Union-Endicott – and both would earn victories. Of the two, the Warriors’ carried a lot more meaning as it held off the Hornets 14-13 in an early-season thriller.
Trailing F-M 4-2 in the second quarter, Liverpool surged in front, 8-5, by halftime, and then nursed that lead during a majority of the second half, going up 14-9 at one point in the fourth quarter before a furious late surge by the Hornets fell just short.
Spreading things around, Liverpool saw Keahey, Sala, Rey and Beaty each put finish with three goals, while Keahey added three assists and Rey two assists. Rogers earned the other two goals as each of Halladay’s 14 saves proved important. Tyler Papa (three goals, two assists) and Donovan Welsh (three goals, one assist) led F-M’s push.
C-NS had a far easier time of it, beating Union-Endicott 18-4 in a game that got away in the second quarter, where the Northstars outscored the Tigers 8-1.
Debottis augmented his three goals with five assists. Scarlata also scored three times, while Nick Riccardi had two goals. Flack and Conner Collins each had a goal and two assists. Brandon O’Brien, Brian Rowe and Brad Williams also found the net. Waldron and Mike Meneilly added assists.
