Though it was the 2017 opener for both sides, last Thursday afternoon’s girls lacrosse showdown between Skaneateles and Cicero-North Syracuse at Hyatt Stadium carried the quality and skill level normally seen at the end of the season, when championships are on the line.

And it was the Northstars emerging on top, prevailing 13-11 by overcoming a fast Lakers start and making the critical plays down the stretch on both ends of the field.

A year ago, Skaneateles made it to the state Class C final – a remarkable feat given that it had lost its best player, Kyla Sears, to an ACL tear in her right knee before the season started, while  C-NS reached the Section III Class A final, only to fall to eventual state champion CBA.

Sears, now fully healed, was ready to go for the Lakers, and took less than eight minutes to notch her first goal of the season. That gave Skaneateles a 4-0 lead as Mae McGlynn had converted a pair of free-position shots and freshman Riley Brogan also scored.

C-NS had to use a time-out – and it worked, for it started to find gaps in the Lakers’ defense, with Julia Alberici leading the way as she assisted on each of the Northstars’ first three goals.

Alberici’s goal tied it, 5-5, late in the half. Sears put Skaneateles back in front in the final minute, but a fast-break goal by Jessica Meneilly with 9.9 seconds left pulled C-NS even again, 6-6, going into the break.

Skaneateles tried to regain control by winning draws early in the second half and controlling the ball for the first 6 1/2 minutes. Yet it only got two goals, one each by McGlynn and Brogan, and the Northstars used goals by Alberici and Meneilly 48 seconds apart to catch up at 8-8.

They were still tied, 9-9, when Sears charged in and scored with 9:52 to play. Though it put the Lakers back in front, Sears left the game with an injury and did not return.

Without Sears to worry about, C-NS needed less than three minutes to take its first lead at 11-10 thanks to back-to-back goals by Megan Tryniski. Never trailing again, the Northstars needed Alberici and Olivia Africa to add to the goal total plus get big last-minute saves from goalie Kaitlyn Lippert.

Lippert, combined with Lauren Gilbert, had 11 saves as, throughout the game, Brenna Duffy fed great passes to her teammates and finished with six assists. Tryniski had four goals, with Meneilly and Alberici each scoring three times and Olivia Massena picking up two goals.

Now the question was whether Sears would return. She wasn’t on the field for Saturday’s game against Bethlehem (Section II), and the Lakers missed her as it lost a 9-7 decision to the Eagles.

This was the same Bethlehem team that lost 20-5 to Fayetteville-Manlius a night earlier, but the Eagles, on short rest, dashed out in front, 7-4, by halftime, forcing Skaneateles into catch-up mode for the second game in a row.

McGlynn and Abby Kuhns both scored twice, with Brogan, Olivia Navaroli and Grace Dower earning single goals. Mikaela Terhune added an assist, yet that work wasn’t quite enough to keep Bethlehem from prevailing.

On Tuesday night, Skaneateles would have a Laker duel with Cazenovia before returning home Thursday night to host Tully.