Everyone in Marcellus green, from the players on the sidelines to the fans in the Carrier Dome stands, was in full roar late in the second half of Tuesday night’s Section III Class C girls lacrosse championship game.
Once down by five goals, the Mustangs had trimmed the Skaneateles lead to one with more than six minutes to play, and it had won the ensuing draw. One more goal, and the comeback was complete, with the tantalizing possibility of a long-awaited sectional title within reach, too.
But it never got to that point.
As it had done so often in this title game, and so often in post-season games of the past, the Lakers broke Mustangs’ hearts, making the key defensive stop and then possessing the ball for the last five minutes, hanging on to defeat Marcellus 9-7.
This was supposed to be the year the Mustangs turned around its post-season luck against the Lakers. Not only had Marcellus rallied to beat Skaneateles in overtime 9-8 late in April, it had seen its rivals go through a lot of struggles against a tough schedule without junior Kyla Sears in the lineup.
With most expecting the same tense thriller as in late April, the Lakers seized the lead just 29 seconds into the game on Molly Newton’s fast-break goal. Right after, though, the game settled into a stalemate characterized by turnovers, missed shots and plenty of physical play. It was just where Skaneateles wanted it.
Thanks to the hard work on the back line (all of the Skaneateles starting defenders are seniors) and key early saves by goalie Emily Baldwin, the Mustangs were kept off the board, and another fast break led to Catie Woodruff’s goal at the nine-minute mark.
Bailey Herr’s rebound goal made it 3-0 late in the half, and Marcellus saw its frustrations grow. One of its top scorers, Maddie Conklin, drew a yellow card, and while she was out yet another goal came courtesy of a rebound, Olivia Navaroli pouncing on a loose ball and converting.
More than 22 minutes passed before Grace Coon finally put Marcellus on the board. But Herr and Newton answered with goals 23 seconds apart right before the half, and the Lakers took a 6-1 cushion to the break.
Though Coon scored twice more early in the second half, the Mustangs’ hopes for a sustained run got dashed again by the Lakers’ defense, Baldwin making two point-blank stops.
A single play, with 12:37 left, symbolized the Mustangs’ frustration for much of the game. Sarah Annable, herself strong in the net with nine saves, had made another stop, but then Navaroli stepped in front of her clearing pass, intercepted it and passed the ball to Herr, who threw it into the unoccupied net.
Yet that seemed to spark the Mustangs, who pulled within 8-5 on goals by Conklin and Katie Locoastro, forcing the Lakers to use a timeout with 11:08 to play. But that didn’t halt Marcellus, who saw Coon hit a fourth time and then Lily Powell convert a free-position goal with 6:44 left.
Coon, celebrating her birthday, won yet another draw, and now the Mustangs could tie it. But the Lakers forced a turnover, and then went into its possession game. Woodruff, Navaroli, Hannah Logan, Mae McGlynn and Abby Kuhns did most of the work keeping the ball away until Woodruff netted a clinching goal with 2.6 seconds left.
It proved yet another bitter ending for the Mustangs, who had come this far with just two seniors on its roster – Annable and defender Maddy Locastro. The fact that everyone else could return in 2017 brought some consolation for Marcellus as, once again, it will try to claim that long-denied championship.
