A pair of one-goal defeats did not sit well with the Fayetteville-Manlius boys lacrosse team, if the ensuing result was any indication.
The Hornets hosted Liverpool last Thursday night and, starting in the second quarter, asserted its will on the Warriors, romping through the game’s middle stages and eventually prevailing by a 14-5 margin.
All of the bad weather that struck the area gave F-M time to work on things after a last-second 5-4 loss to Syracuse on March 29 and, four days later, absorbing a first-ever loss to Marcellus by a 12-11 margin.
At first, it didn’t appear to lead to anything, since Liverpool led the Hornets 1-0 after one period. But once F-M got on the board early in the second quarter, the attack found its rhythm and plundered the Warriors’ zone to the tune of a 12-1 that lasted until the end of the third frame.
Donovan Welsh continued his hot start, scoring three times and adding four assists. Tyler Papa put together three goals and three assists, while Luke Burnam had a three-goal hat trick of his own. Dan Burnam and Mac Fish both scored twice, with Luke Hamel getting the other goal. Greg Zogby and Brett Barlow earned single assists.
Back home on Saturday afternoon, F-M would get tested again, this time by Skaneateles, but find itself shut down in the second half of a 10-4 defeat to the Lakers.
Neither side could break out during the first two periods. Despite some struggles, Fish, Papa, Welsh and Tommy Ryu all found the net, and F-M only trailed by one, 5-4, at the break.
But all through the last two periods, anything the Hornets tried on the offensive end got turned back by a tough Skaneateles defense. Meanwhile, Ryan Boshart had 11 saves, yet had four different Lakers — Jack VanSlyke, Sam Duggan, John Danforth and Reggie Buell — score on him twice, with VanSlyke getting four goals and one assist.
In its second game of the season, Jamesville-DeWitt went to Fulton and did much the same thing that it had against Oswego nine days earlier, controlling matters on both sides of the ball in a 15-3 victory over the Red Raiders.
More than anyone else, Ryan Collins broke out for the Red Rams, joining Ryan Archer as they both scored five times, Archer adding an assist. Close behind them, Grayson burns notched four goals, while Andrew Barclay found the net twice. Nick Palin had a goal and assist as Griffin Cook, Kyle Hurley and Jack Mulvihill notched single goals of their own.
While all this was going on, East Syracuse Minoa, who was 2-1 coming into the week, went for its third straight win at Central Square and got it, rallying in the fourth quarter to edge the Redhawks 10-9.
This game required patience and poise from the Spartans, who trailed 3-1 after one quarter, and no matter what it tried over the course of the next two periods, Central Square would match it, the Redhawks led by Jake Winks’ three goals and one assist.
As the final quarter got underway, Central Square still led, 8-7, but ESM finally caught up and then took the lead, hanging on as Derrek Madonna led the rally, ultimately having a part in half the Spartans’ scoring plays thanks to three goals and two assists.
Mark Willette and Chad Temple helped out, each scoring twice, while Nate Sturick, Jeremy Perry and Nate Jacobs gained one goal apiece. Connor Smith added an assist as each of Andrew Steigerwald’s eight saves proved important.
With no time to rest, ESM had to host undefeated Westhill 24 hours later, and the well-rested Warriors, who lost in last year’s Section III Class C final to Cazenovia in overtime, beat the Spartans 14-5, using a 4-0 first-quarter run and 7-0 third-quarter spurt to put the game away.
Sturick and Smith put up two goals apiece, with Madonna also finding the net. Perry finished with two assists as Steigerwald amassed 12 saves. Luke McAnaney (four goals), Ryan Zimmerman (four assists), Nick French (three goals) and Casey Rogers (three goals) led Westhill’s efforts.
