While each of the members of the West Genesee girls lacrosse team felt angry about surrendering a four-goal lead late in the second half in a 12-11 defeat to Cicero-North Syracuse on April 14 in Camillus, goalie Katherine Widrick felt the pain more than others.
Having given up that late string of goals, Widrick was determined to have a different result when the Wildcats reunited with the Northstars Tuesday night at Bragman Stadium – and her quick stick sparked WG to a complete all-around effort and a 15-4 victory.
During the decisive first half, the Wildcats raced to a 7-1 lead, even though C-NS had just as much possession time and legitimate scoring opportunities. But Widrick stopped seven of the eight shots she faced, most of them close-up shots.
“I didn’t want to lose again,” said Widrick, who admitted that her saves were “definitely a morale booster, and got everybody pumped up.”
Head coach Bob Elmer agreed. “Katherine has had a great season, and tonight was no different,” he said.
The irony about the rematch was that, in the two weeks since losing to C-NS, the Wildcats had climbed back to the top of the state Class A rankings, while the Northstars fell to no. 4 after a 16-11 defeat to Skaneateles on April 25, three days before seeing WG again.
So WG not only was going after payback against C-NS, it was defending the top spot in the state polls, and it would do both with, arguably, its best all-around effort of the season.
All that Widrick allowed in the first half was Meghan Duffy’s one-timer shot, fed by Hanna Haven, at the 6:01 mark. But that followed goals from Kyra Bednarski, Nicky Delaney and Lexie Meager that put WG in front to stay.
The entire Wildcat defense was in top form. Madison Pritchard, Courtney Shoults, Allyson Trice, Jessica Dussing and the rest of WG’s back line locked down the trio of Duffy, Haven and Bryar Cummings, and forced a string of turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ attack was patient and waited for chances to strike. Two more goals made it 5-1 and forced a C-NS time-out, but that didn’t stop WG’s surge, as Meager struck again late in the half and Mackenzie Baker struck for a goal 9.7 seconds before the horn.
Up 7-1 at the break, the Wildcats turned to senior Grace Osterdale, who thwarted any hopes of a C-NS rally. In a span of 45 seconds, the senior attacker assisted on Baker’s second goal, and then scored twice herself.
Both Osterdale and Baker finished with three-goal hat tricks, with Baker adding three assists and Bednarkski producing four goals. Delaney and Meager both had two goals and one assist.
