More than anything else, the Skaneateles boys soccer team’s run to last year’s Section III Class B championship, along with a berth in the state final four, was defined by what it did against that other set of Lakers.
Three different times in 2014, Cazenovia challenged Skaneateles, and each time Skaneateles came out on top, not allowing a single goal in any of those three outings, including a 2-0 decision in the sectional title game at Liverpool High School Stadium.
Nearly 11 months later, the two sides were back together again. Sure, less was at stake, and granted, the rosters were quite different on both sides. But last Wednesday night’s Laker duel at the Sean Googin Sports Complex carried plenty of excitement, all the way into overtime before Skaneateles prevailed 3-2 on a penalty kick.
Entering the night with a 5-4 mark, Cazenovia didn’t panic when Skaneateles took a 1-0 lead early in the first half.
Instead, Derek White, off a feed from Mason Stehle, put in the tying goal, and it stayed 1-1 until the second half, when White converted a second time, with Ryan Modzeleski earning the assist.
Now trying to hang on, Cazenovia could not do so, Skaneateles pulling even 2-2 in the 64th minute and then maintaining that deadlock until the first OT period. Once there, a whistle for a handball inside the 18-yard box gave the visitors a penalty kick.
Jack Bailey would take the kick, opposing Cazenovia goalie Tom Bragg, who had made 12 saves so far, twice the total of Skaneateles counterpart Sam Smith. But Bailey converted to end it, joining Matt Benson and Kevin Danaher as the Skaneateles goal-scorers, with Sam Clymer and Luke Palmer earning assists.
This proved quite a lead-up to the annual Finger Lakes Cup, which started Friday at Hyatt Stadium with Skaneateles facing much-improved Henninger and Baldwinsville facing Canisius, from Buffalo.
After Canisius beat B’ville 2-1, the Lakers met Henninger, and got one of its best wins of the season, using a pair of late goals to knock off the Black Knights 3-1.
Graham McCarthy’s goal got Skaneateles in front 1-0, but Henninger pulled even later in the first half. They stayed 1-1 until the 51st minute, when Matt Neuman ripped one into the net for what turned out to be the game-winner, Benson later firing home an insurance goal with seven minutes to play.
Advancing to the Finger Lakes Cup final, Skaneateles confronted Canisius, and a pair of first-half goals made the difference as the Crusaders held off the Lakers 2-1. Earlier in the day, B’ville beat Henninger 2-0 in the consolation game.
All of this leads Skaneateles (5-2-1) toward Thursday night’s trip to Westhill, whose 0-0 draw with the Lakers on Sept. 5 was the only blemish for a Warriors side that did not allow a goal through its first eight games. That follows a Tuesday visit from Solvay and precedes a Saturday non-league test against reigning Section III Class A champion Jamesville-DeWitt.
