For the Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrosse team, the week of the school break included plenty of practices –but also a chance to recuperate.
From April 1 to 22 – a span of three weeks – the Northstars had played 10 games, going 7-3. The last three of them – where it lost to West Genesee and Skaneateles before stopping Fayetteville-Manlius – had taken place within a four-day stretch.
Thus, C-NS built in eight days of rest between the April 22 win over F-M and last Saturday’s return to the field against Baldwinsville. Here, rest did not lead to rust as the Northstars, for the second time this season, defeated the Bees 13-10.
They had met April 12, and C-NS had won big, by a 12-4 margin. Now, back from a split of two games played in Georgia during the school break, B’ville would push the Northstars from the outset, but found itself unable to recover from the hosts’ 7-3 halftime lead.
Meghan Duffy flourished again, earning five goals and one assist. Samantha Tortora and Jessica Meneilly both scored twice, with Bryar Cummings getting a goal and two assists. Mallory Emyer, Megan Tryniski and Julia Alberici had the other goals, overcoming a five-goal effort by Bees star Glory Johnson.
While C-NS got that much-needed rest, Liverpool hosted F-M last Tuesday afternoon and never got close to the Hornets in an 18-5 defeat.
What made the margin so shocking was that both sides were state-ranked – Liverpool at no. 22, F-M at no. 12. Also, it figured to be a closer game since the Warriors appeared to improve in every phase of the game from the side that lost, 15-4, to the Hornets on F-M’s turf three weeks earlier.
Liverpool never warmed up in the chilly conditions, though, and the Hornets roared to an 8-2 halftime lead, continually building on that margin thanks to an attack where Kiera Shanley had four goals and three others – Katie Shanley, Sydney DeGirolamo and Gemma Addonizio – gained three goals apiece.
Overwhelmed by this, the Warriors only offered small resistance. Brittany Halpin did score twice, with Maggie Tassone, Julia Sardella and Veronica Brancato earning the other goals. Tassone added an assist.
Two days later, Liverpool was expected to bounce back at Auburn – but instead took an 11-8 defeat to the Maroons, who traded runs before getting out in front in the second half, limiting the Warriors to two goals in those last 25 minutes.
Halpin still had three goals and one assist, with Krystyna Sterio adding two goals and one assist. Maia Henry had one goal and one assist as Cassidy Hall and Julia Sardella also found the net. For Auburn, Marisa Locastro and Bridget Moore each scored three times and got one assist, while Lacey Netti had two goals and three assists.
Liverpool has its own home game with Baldwinsville Thursday after a Tuesday-night visit from Class A contender Fulton. Meanwhile, C-NS gets a second shot at defending Section III Class A champion West Genesee on Thursday night at Bragman Stadium before going to Auburn on Friday afternoon.
