At last, the West Genesee girls lacrosse team was heading home, having gone to several different fields that served as “home” venues” while the turf at Wildcat Stadium slowly improved and, finally, was deemed ready for play.
The homecoming to Camillus would come Saturday, in a game against another Section V foe, Pittsford, the two sides having famously squared off in an epic state semifinal at SUNY-Cortland last June that took five overtimes before the Wildcats won it, 10-9, on the way to yet another state title.
With far less at stake in the rematch, the game was far less suspenseful, too, with WG swarming Pittsford from the outset and roaring to a 14-2 victory.
Happy to be home, the Wildcats added to its delight with yet another quick start, initiated by goals from Mackenzie Baker, Lexie Meager and Kyra Bednarski in the game’s first 10 minutes.
It was 5-0, with added goals from Meager and Nicky Delaney, before Pittsford got on the board, but Brigid Regin answered with a goal that took the Wildcats to halftime with a 6-1 cushion.
Once Grace Osterdale scored on a free-position goal six minutes into the second half, the rout was on. Delaney, Baker, Meager and Madisyn Kittell all found the net in a flurry that made it 11-1 and initiated a running clock. Abby Collins scored late, as did Rachel Hillery and Cassidy Bartlett, each of them notching their first varsity goals in the process.
Before that, though WG had to make the short trip to Westhill for last Tuesday night’s game against Section V power Victor, who beat CBA to reach the state Class B final in 2014 before falling in the title game to Manhasset.
It was close for a half, but the Wildcats took over after intermission and beat the Blue Devils 13-6, again showing that, in a full game, it’s tough to beat.
Kittell, Delaney and Osterdale all scored in the game’s first six minutes, putting WG up 3-0, but Victor answered, pulling within 3-2 before Meager’s goal answered that push.
They went back and forth the rest of the half, Victor still within one, 4-3, before Mackenzie Baker hit a goal late in the half that made it 5-3 going into the break.
That single scoring play had a long-term impact, for WG opened the second half by pouring in five unanswered goals – three by Kittell, two by Bednardski.
Victor could not answer, and Baker tacked on two more goals in the late going to give her three for the night, plus two assists. Bednarski also had two assists as Delaney got a second goal and Jessica Dussing also managed an assist.
At Fayetteville-Manlius two days later, the Wildcats didn’t wait until the second half to seize control, rolling past the Hornets 15-5.
Five different players – Meager, Kittell, Delaney, Emily Salanger and Lauren Ferris – earned WG’s first five goals, and it was 6-0 before F-M got on the board late in the first half.
Just to make sure the Hornets didn’t get too close, Kittell and Meager both found the net late in the half for a 9-2 margin at intermission, one that kept growing as Kittell worked her total to four goals for the second consecutive games.
Meager and Delaney both followed with three-goal hat tricks of their own, while Baker had four assists and Osterdale three assists to go with their lone tallies. Dussing added a goal.
The win over Pittsford provided a confident lead-up to a big set of games this week, starting with WG hosting Cicero-North Syracuse Tuesday in their first encounter since last year’s Section III final, followed by Saturday night’s game at Alibrandi Stadium against reigning Class B sectional champion CBA, which starts at 6:45.