Just when West Genesee was reasserting its case as the best girls lacrosse team in Central New York, a visitor changed the argument on Saturday night.
Skaneateles, concluding a demanding stretch against each of the Section III Class A favorites, saved its best work for the second half against the state Class A no. 1-ranked Wildcats, overcoming a three-goal deficit to prevail by an 11-9 margin.
Four days earlier, WG had smashed Cicero-North Syracuse 15-4, avenging its April 14 loss to the Northstars. That, along with a 19-1 rout of Liverpool, appeared to indicate that the Wildcats were finding the top form a seven-time state champion is used to.
None of this intimidated Skaneateles, though. The reigning state Class C champions, led by sophomore sensation Kyla Sears, was going through the “Triple Crown” of Class A powers and had split the first two legs, beating C-NS 16-11 on April 25, but falling to CBA 11-8 last Wednesday night before its arrival in Camillus.
Now it was WG’s turn to test Skaneateles. Much of the first half was played on even terms until, in the last three minutes, WG scored four times – two from Kyra Bednarski, one each from Grace Osterdale and Nikki Delaney, that created a 7-4 halftime lead.
Everything turned around in the second half, though. WG was hurt by yellow cards and turnovers, while Skaneateles stayed patient with the ball and wore down the Wildcats’ defensive pursuit. By keeping the ball, the Lakers shut out WG in the last 15:45 of the game after Mackenzie Baker’s goal put her team in front 9-7.
Midway through the half, the Lakers tied it, 9-9, and when Hannah Logan converted with less than 10 minuets left, Skaneateles went in front for good, adding an insurance goal and getting a two-player advantage from all the cards issued in the late going.
Osterdale would finish with three goals and one assist. Bednarski and Delaney each scored twice, with Baker and Lexie Meager getting single goals.
Goalie Katherine Widrick, so good in the C-NS win, only managed five saves (less than she had in the first half against the Northstars) as Sears proved her worth with five goals and two assists.
Before that game, and after the C-NS rout, the Wildcats went to Liverpool and whipped the Warriors 19-1 on Thursday, seeing Osterdale record five goals and two assists and Baker earn three goals, plus three assists.
Bednarski, content to feed others, piled up four assists. Lauren Ferris and Brigid Regin each scored twice as Meager, Delaney, Emily Salanger, Caroline McGuigan, Abby Collins and Cassidy Bartlett earned single goals.
