Off to a 1-3 start, the Fayetteville-Manlius boys lacrosse team faced an early crisis point where its season could drift toward more turbulent circumstances, or find a more peaceful path.

The Hornets sensed that urgency – and when it hosted Cicero-North Syracuse last Tuesday night, it put together, by far, its best all-around effort, handling matters on both ends to defeat the Northstars 12-4.

It started with F-M’s defense, who had played well even in defeats to Syracuse and Skaneateles, but now saw its stinginess rewarded. The Hornets held C-NS without a goal in both the first and third quarters, giving the offense ample time to produce something.

And produce it did, F-M going  in front, 2-0, and then withstanding the Northstars’ uprising to extend its lead to 6-2 by halftime. Once the Hornets engineered a third quarter where it scored three more times to make it 9-2, C-NS was put away.

Donovan Welsh continued to flourish, earning four goals, while Tyler Papa had a three-goal hat trick. Mac Fish and James Rettinger each found the net twice as Luke Hamel got a single goal and Dan Burnam added two assists. Ryan Boshart was superb in the net, stopping 11 of the 15 shots he faced.

In a non-league game Saturday against visiting LaFayette, the Hornets had a closer call, but still beat the Lancers 12-9, led again by Welsh, who had four goals and one assist, and Burnam, who scored three times and added a pair of assists.

Papa contributed three assists. Five others – Fish, Hamel, Rettinger, Ryan Cicci and Zak Van Valkenburgh – earned one goal apiece, with Ryu joining Fish in the assist column.

Now F-M (3-3) would need to continue to step up its game, especially with Baldwinsville and West Genesee looming in this week’s action and Liverpool and Syracuse, plus a rematch with C-NS, looming during next week’s school break.