Though it dipped from no. 2 to no. 3 in the latest state Class A rankings, the same situation applies to the West Genesee girls lacrosse team as it moves into the Section III Class A playoffs.
The Wildcats are still the defending champions, and no matter what state no. 1-ranked Christian Brothers Academy does, the championship road still travels through Camillus in that it will take a special effort to end WG’s reign.
When the Wildcats hosted state Class C no. 12-ranked South Jefferson last Tuesday at Mike Messere Field, it was Senior Night, and despite all the festivities and possible distractions, WG handled matters in the first half and went on to beat the Spartans 15-9.
All told, 15 players were taking part in their last regular-season home game, and eight of them earned at least one point in an appropriate farewell, but everyone on the roster contributed in some way.
Essentially, the game got decided when WG bolted out to an 8-0 lead before South Jefferson could get on the board. Kyra Bednarski, Mackenzie Baker and Emily Salanger each had two goals in that run, with Maidsyn Kittell and Lexie Meager also finding the net.
Reserves got involved, too, as Catherine Farrell and Lauren Ferris also scored late in the first half, helping the Wildcats hold an 11-2 halftime advantage. Eventually, the lead go to 14-3 with a running clock before South Jefferson made a bleated late push, seeing Quincey Zimmerman, Lara Podvin, Mackenzie Hall and Sidney Alexander each score twice.
Bednarski added a second-half tally for a hat trick, the only Wildcats player to get three goals on this night. Salanger had two goals and two assists, with Baker andKittell each getting two goals and one assist. Nicky Delany, Jane Howes and Julia Williams joined Meager, Farrell and Ferris with single goals.
Six teams qualified for the sectional tournament, so WG, as the no. 2 seed, is automatically into next Thursday’s semifinal at East Syracuse Minoa Stadium against either no. 3 seed Cicero-North Syracuse or no. 6 seed Rome Free Academy. The title game is May 31 at 4 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.
