Once that snow fell on the first weekend of April, there was little question that plans had to alter for the Baldwinsville girls lacrosse team.
Originally, the Bees were set to host a pair of big games last week – one against long-time rival West Genesee, the other against visiting Section I power Suffern.
But since cold temperatures and the snow took a while to melt, B’ville’s grass field could not be used. Thus, the Bees moved the West Genesee game to the Wildcats’ home turf at Mike Messere Field, while the Suffern game was switched, too.
This meant that the Bees, who were supposed to wait until May 12 to visit Camillus, instead had to do so with just one game in the books, an April 2 road win at Corning, while WG had played twice, beating Honeoye Falls-Lima and Watertown.
It proved a typical B’ville-West Genesee battle, with tremendous defense on both ends, physical play and plenty of momentum shifts before the Wildcats got away and prevailed, 10-7, over the Bees.
Prior to the contest, Bees head coach Doug Rowe, who is stepping down at season’s end, was publicly recognized, having brought so many great B’ville teams to do battle with WG over the years.
The irony was that, due to Bob Elmer’s resignation last November, the Wildcats had its own new head coach in Kevin Hennigan, though assistant Dan Hallinan remains on hand and the Wildcats’ system that has produced seven state Class A championships remains firmly entrenched.
As it has done before, B’ville set out to control the game’s tempo, patiently working on the attack and waiting for the right shot. Glory Johnson’s goal 3:48 into the game was the only tally on either side for the first 10 minutes.
Lauren Paul, Kelly Pinkerton, Paige Smith and Natalie Farnett formed a formidable back line, keeping WG off the board until Kyra Bednarski’s goal at the 10:43 mark. But then the Wildcats found some rhythm and took a two-goal lead, 6-4, early in the second half.
B’ville fought back, seeing Peyton Fleming and Sara Goodwin net goals to forge a 6-6 tie, but right after Goodwin’s tally Mackenzie Baker converted 20 seconds later, putting WG in front for good.
The key sequence came midway through the half. Just as Johnson thought she had converted to tie it again at 7-7, the whistle for a foul, and free-position shot, went up. So Johnson had to shoot again – and WG’s goalie, Mackenzie Kittell, stopped it.
Instead of a deadlock, B’ville saw Emily Salanger and Madisyn Kittell net back-to-back goals to stretch the margin to 9-6, and though Goodwin converted with 6:20 left, the Wildcats were effective keeping the ball away from the Bees down the stretch.
Hannah Johnson joined her sister, Glory, plus Goodwin and Fleming, in the scoring column, while Madeline Curtis and Julia George, splitting duties in goal, had a combined seven saves.
Eventually, the game against Suffern on Friday was moved to the turf at Skaneateles High School’s Hyatt Stadium, but regardless of where it was played, B’ville would struggle in a 15-5 defeat to the Mounties.
Suffern rolled out to a 9-2 advantage by halftime, and the Bees could not answer it. Glory Johnson did score four times, with Goodwin getting the other goal, while Curtis and George had nine total saves. Suffern won here, and then went on to top Skaneateles 8-4 a day later.
