Sometimes a great effort in something other than a victory can prove valuable if success is found in the long term.
That is a way the Marcellus boys soccer team can address last Tuesday night’s 0-0 draw with state Class B no. 8-ranked Westhill, a game where, for most of the night, the Mustangs had to play top-notch defense in order to escape.
These two long-time rivals had met on Aug. 30, in much warmer conditions where the Warriors prevailed 2-1 on the Mustangs’ home turf. Both teams had improved plenty since, but it was the Marcellus back line that had gained the most.
That was needed since, for large portions of the first half, the Mustangs found itself surrounding its own net, However, Jack Santariello, Justin Costa, Caleb Wetherell, Sam Grattan and the rest of the Marcellus back line held up well.
And they would continue to do so in the second half, too, though goalie Sam Hayduke had to make some stops. So did Westhill counterpart Antonio Scrimale, who in the second half twice had to make tough stops when the Mustangs made spirited pushes.
With 13:30 left, Westhill had its best opportunity to go in front when a series of passes set up Sam Zell’s header that got past Hayduke, but was just wide. Bernat Carbonell’s free kick bounced off the player wall late in regulation, and 20 minutes of overtime elapsed without a goal, too.
Westhill still had a tough game at Cazenovia on Saturday afternoon, a chance at payback for its lone defeat this season, a 4-1 decision at home on Sept. 12. And it got even in the most fitting way possible, posting its own 4-1 victory.
Already up 2-0 by halftime, the Warriors added to that margin by spreading out its attack in a manner not seen in weeks. Braeden Elmer, Charlie Bolesh, Jon Holl and Brian Coman each would score, with Bernat Carbonell and Liam Ristoff picking up assists. Ryan Modzeleski had Cazenovia’s lone goal in the second half.
A day earlier, Marcellus roared past Jordan-Elbridge 8-1, getting two goals apiece from David Bosak and Alec Stasyuk as Brendan Shanahan earned a pair of assists. Carter Austin got one goal and one assist as Caleb Weatherell, Tim Sheridan and Hugh White also found the net, with Nate Kellar and Shawn Manke earning assists. Mason Barrigar had the Eagles’ lone goal in the first half.
Solvay made its own news last Wednesday afternoon, as the Bearcats’ 3-0 shutout of Phoenix clinched a Section III Class B playoff berth.
Going into the game, the Bearcats were 6-8, and it needed a seventh win to guarantee a regular-season record better than .400, which is the requirement for the sectional tournament.
A well-balanced attack helped Solvay get there as Nazar Trut and Joe Santoro each put up one goal and one assist. Jordan Devereaux picked up the other goal, while the Bearcats’ defense held the Firebirds to four shots, all of which were stopped by Joe Guadagnolo.
Now, if Solvay could beat Chittenango on Friday (something it did by a 3-2 margin on Sept. 8), it would get to the .500 mark, but the Bears wouldn’t let that happen, getting even with a 4-2 victory where it overcame two goals by Trut, one in each half. Keoni Saturnio, Seth Spurgeon, Zach Jasmin and Andrew Larrson scored for Chittenango.
Solvay drew the no. 12 seed in the sectional Class B bracket, meaning that it would travel to no. 5 seed Clinton in the opening round as Marcellus, with the no. 7 seed, hosted no. 10 seed Oneida on Wednesday night.
And that could lead the Mustangs straight to a quarterfinal with none other than Westhill, who despite its top 10 state rankings only has the no. 2 seed behind top-seeded South Jefferson, though the Warriors did gain a valuable first-round bye to rest before Friday night’s quarterfinal.
