Much was learned by the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys soccer teams in the opening days of the 2015 season.
The two rivals were originally supposed to face each other last Thursday night at the Gillette Road complex, but they agreed to move it back to later in September, freeing up schedules.
This followed two high-profile openers, where Liverpool visited Baldwinsville last Monday and, less than 24 hours later, C-NS, who went 1-1 in the Clarence Tournament on Aug. 29-30, reunited with defending Section III Class AA champion Fayetteville-Manlius.
Liverpool, whose own 2014 season ended in a 6-0 defeat to F-M in the sectional quarterfinals, was ready to go, as it proved by going to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium and defeating B’ville 2-0.
Granted, the Bees had to replace more than half of its starting lineup from a season ago, but the Warriors took full advantage of the uncertainty, controlling the flow of play.
A goal in each half proved enough, as Sam Fuller and George Betoubaum found the net, getting assists from Mike Fensken and Jeff Meyers. Liverpool’s defense was just as solid, limiting B’ville to four shots, all of them stopped by Ben Bowers.
Then C-NS took its turn against F-M, a side having to replace much of its starting lineup from that 2014 championship team, and controlled most of the flow of play, though it still had to rally to beat the Hornets 2-1.
The Northstars applied plenty of early pressure, but in the 15th minute fell behind, 1-0, when goalie Matt Siegel saw a clearing pass deflect off the foot of F-M forward Cole Teelin and roll into the net.
It remained 1-0 until the 32nd minute, when Lucas Roberts, who scored four goals in his previous game (an Aug. 29 win over Nichols), made a superb move around F-M’s defenders and waited until goalie Mike Baril leaned out before hitting a left-footed shot past him.
Just 2:58 into the second half, Roberts returned to break the 1-1 tie, flashing open as Peter Civello passed from the left side and firing home the go-ahead goal.
F-M’s defense firmed up from there, and Baril recorded nine saves, none better than a point-blank stop on a charging Roberts with 2:20 left, but it couldn’t pull back even. Those two sides will meet again in mid-October at Swan Pond.
C-NS had an easier time of it Friday in a 4-0 shutout over Auburn. Two scoring plays in each half proved enough as Brady Engle earned three assists and the attack didn’t depend on Roberts, instead seeing Ryan Gilbert, Cameron Houser, Peter Civello and Nolan Byrnes earn the goals.
As that went on, Liverpool hosted its own two-day tournament at LHS Stadium and proved as hot as the temperatures, sweeping both contests.
First, the Warriors held off Christian Brothers Academy 2-1, the goals coming from Fuller and Marques Wright as Meyers picked up an assist. Tom Daviau found the net for CBA, but Ben Bowers stopped everything else, recording eight saves.
Then, in a 4-0 rout of defending Class A sectional champion Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday, George Betobaum emerged with one goal and one assist, leading an attack where Fuller and Wright also converted. Assists went to Meyers, Ben Root and Abe Haley.
