In order to get to the Section III Class A championship game, the Christian Brothers Academy girls lacrosse team first had to pass through a high-profile opponent it didn’t meet during the regular season – and nearly saw everything end right there.
Fayetteville-Manlius, the no. 4 seed, stood as the opposition for the undefeated, top-seeded, state no. 1-ranked Brothers in Thursday night’s sectional semifinal at Chittenango High School’s turf, and the opposition proved fierce before CBA regrouped and rallied to subdue the Hornets 12-10.
Then the news got better later that night when CBA saw state no. 3-ranked West Genesee get knocked out by Cicero-North Syracuse 10-8 in the other semifinal. So instead of a long-anticipated rematch of the 2015 final where it would want payback against the Wildcats, the Brothers instead would face the Northstars Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.
Of course, just getting past a determined, focused F-M squad was stressful enough for CBA, who had not seen any local opponent stay as close as the Hornets did.
Right from the opening face-off, F-M showed that it was ready to accept the challenge. Finding cracks in CBA’s defense, the Hornets grabbed the lead, and answered every time the Brothers tried to get going with big defensive stops of its own.
Thus, at halftime, CBA trailed 7-4, but its poise and experience would shine through in the second half. Gradually, the Brothers’ depth wore down F-M’s defenses, leading to a string of clutch goals as defenders Kate Derrenbacker, Adrianna Fess, Lexi Luthringer and Amanda Fess made adjustments to contain the Hornets on the other end.
As was the case all season, the Brothers spread things around on offense. Only Tessa Queri scored three times, while Emily Ehle and Olivia Penoyer each got two goals and two assists. Maddie Cook also found the net twice as Rachel Ziemba had a goal and two assists. Goals also went to Meredith Strott and Claire Jeschke as Rachel Vercillo gained two assists and Sam McKenna one assist.
Amid the Hornets’ valiant effort, Amanda Cramer and Kiera Shanley both notched three-goal hat tricks, Cramer adding a pair of assists. Mary Trop scored twice, adding an assist, and Allison Macrae had two assists as Sydney DeGirolamo and Annie Steigerwald got the other goals. Katie Shanley added an assist.
F-M got to the semifinal by getting through a Class A quarterfinal that was filled with emotion, even beyond the 11-6 victory it earned over no. 5 seed Baldwinsville.
From the Hornets’ side, it had to do with students dealing with the sudden passing of one of their own, junior Adam Frank, the day before. On B’ville’s side, it was the knowledge that a defeat would mark the end of long-time head coach Doug Rowe’s tenure following 25 seasons that included a state championship in 2000.
For a half, it was a close, tense affair, the Bees’ defense doing a solid job of containment and the offense producing enough t only trail, 4-3, at the break.
F-M took over in the latter stages, though, overcoming six saves by B’ville goalie Julia George as Cramer, in particular, led the Hornets’ charge, finishing the night with six goals.
Trop and Kiera Shanley had two goals apiece, while Katie Shanley piled up three assists. Jane Cote had a goal and two assists. Aubrey Deveau had a strong game in the net, earning seven saves.
Just two B’ville players – Julia Pelcher and Anna Mazurikiewicz – scored twice. Glory Johnson, the team’s leading offensive threat all season, had just one goal, stymied most of the way by a physical and relentless F-M defense, while Sara Goodwin had the other goal.
