If knocking off previously unbeaten Auburn felt good the first time around for the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team, just imagine how a second victory felt.
Proving even more impressive in the rematch than in the original, the Bees topped the Maroons for the second time in six days Monday afternoon on its home turf, getting away early and not letting up until it had prevailed by a 16-6 margin.
An impressive run that included the narrow 11-10 win at Holland Stadium on April 27 had pushed B’ville to no. 17 in the state Class A rankings, up seven spots from the week before. That lone blemish hadn’t hurt Auburn too much, either, as it stood no. 7 in Class B, not far from the top spot Jamesville-DeWitt occupied.
Not wanting to let the Maroons get too close this time around, B’ville started to assert itself late in the first quarter, attacking at will and converting against a normally stout Auburn defense and gaining a 7-3 edge.
But it was in the game’s middle stages that it got decided. B’ville cooled off, but Auburn couldn’t take full advantage and, down 9-5 at halftime, got shut out by John Petrelli, Patrick Delpha, Kyle Pelcher and the rest of the Bees’ back line as Riley Smith worked his total to eight saves.
All told, B’ville outscored the Maroons 7-1 in the second half, seeing Charlie Bertrand, with five goals and two assists, lead the way and Connor Smith score four times. Ryan Gebhardt had two goals and one assist as Peter Fiorini, Dillon Darcangelo, Matt Dickman, Mark McCabe and Brandon Mimas earn single goals.
Cole Peters got two assists as Delpha and Ryan Ingerson also earned single assists, Ingerson continuing his stellar work in the face-off circle to help the Bees get more possessions and more chances to convert.
Having gone through two quick pairs of games against the same opponent (West Genesee twice in eight days, Auburn twice in five days), B’ville would have it happen again in the case of Cicero-North Syracuse, who visited Wednesday on Senior Day but then host the Bees eight days later at Bragman Stadium.
The Bees would not waste its Senior Day moment in the first of these battles, prevailing 10-6 over the Northstars and proving that it didn’t have to play at a fast tempo to knock off a quality opponent.
C-NS did not want to run with B’ville, and stuck to that plan even though they played through a 3-3 first quarter and the Bees went in front, 6-4, by halftime. The third period proved decisive as the Northstars, with many chances to catch up, instead got shut out, Riley Smith eventually working his way to 15 saves.
Getting away late, B’ville saw Gebhardt, with three goals, lead a well-balanced attack. Bertrand, Darcangelo and Connor Smith each found the net twice, and all of them benefited from passes by Fiorini, who notched five assists. Petrelli and Brandon Kohutanich had the other goals and Dickman contributed an assist.
Before the rematch with C-NS, B’ville will visit, on Tuesday night, reigning Section III Class C champion Cazenovia, and also will have to face Syracuse and F-M in the last week of the regular season.