For two decades, Kim Dominick led the Liverpool field hockey program to all sorts of heights, including 10 Section III Class A championships – fully half the titles handed out during her tenure.
All of this made the task for whoever was going to follow Dominick a large one. So it only made sense that one of Dominick’s former players, Nicole Charles, would get the assignment, one that got off to quite a promising start.
In its season opener on Sept. 3, the Warriors took on Rome Free Academy, nine times an opponent in sectional finals when Dominick was coach (Liverpool won six of them).
Here, it again went in the Warriors’ favor, only by a 7-2 margin. The Black Knights didn’t get on the board until the second half, by which point Liverpool already had a 3-0 lead as Bri Socker, with a goal and two assists, led a well-balanced attack.
Danielle Wilson scored twice, with Katrina Bragan earning a pair of assists. Lexi Penge and Claire Gaynor also earned goals. Brittany Cussen, taking over in goal after Katie Yudin graduated, finished with five saves.
Back home last Wednesday night, Liverpool met defending sectional champion Fayetteville-Manlius, who also changed coaches as Kristen Gallivan replaced Cynthia Vulcano. It turned into a fast-paced contest, but it was one the Warriors couldn’t snare as it fell to the Hornets 3-2.
F-M didn’t take the lead for good until the game’s latter stages. Gaynor and Nicole Wilson both picked up goals, with Socker and Bragan adding assists. F-M’s three goals came from three different players – Lindsey Kilpatrick, Sophie Craig and Campbell Kennedy.
Cicero-North Syracuse was at home Friday night to face red-hot Baldwinsville, who was 3-0 following impressive road wins at Cazenovia and Port Byron. Whoever won would have the early edge in the CNY Counties League race.
And the Bees would gain that edge, though only by a one-goal margin as it edged the Northstars 3-2 by scoring twice in the first half and answering when C-NS got the board again in the second half.
Jamie Wagner and Julia McDonough put in the Northstars’ goals, with Nessa McKie contributing an assist. B’ville got two goals from Chloe Lynch and one goal and one assist from Amanda Strenk, and despite an all-out C-NS push, it could not force overtime as Bees goalie Abigail Timmins made 10 saves.
Two days before tackling B’ville, C-NS went to Weedsport and recorded a 3-1 victory, adjusting to the natural grass surface enough to have Wagner net two of the three goals. Abbey Szumloz also found the net as Snyder got an assist. Ashley Wightman netted Weedsport’s lone goal.
Liverpool would get its own shot at B’ville on Monday, which would help to further shape the picture in the CNY Coutnies League.
