Even with an expansion from three to four classes for state competition, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys lacrosse teams are still part of the Class A fold, and both want to vie for championship honors.
For the Warriors, the opening stretch would include two games against Frontier League opponents, starting with last Wednesday’s visit from Watertown. Any worries were dispelled by the second quarter, where a prolonged scoring stretch set the stage for an 18-9 victory over the Cyclones.
Each side found some early success, so Liverpool only had a 4-3 lead through one period. For the rest of the half, though, the Warriors dominated at the face-off circle and turned those extra possessions into an 8-1 burst.
Holding a 12-4 halftime lead, Liverpool was not as sharp in the second half, but still breezed home as 10 different players would net a goal by game’s end, led by Cabry Hildmann, who found the net four times, and Kyle Caves, who had a goal and four assists.
Dylan Wallace got two goals and two assists as Ben Root, Dan Salamino, Cade Clouthier and Devin Dewane also had two-goal outings. Jake Piseno had a goal and assist as single tallies also went to Zach Neufang and Andy Panganeli. Connor Jones and Ian Conroy had one assist apiece.
Liverpool went on the road Saturday afternoon to face General Brown, and quickly got humbled, taking an 8-5 defeat to the Lions.
GB had started 0-2, with defeats to Westhill and Skaneateles, yet turned it around here by starting and finishing strong. The Warriors were shut out in the first quarter, falling behind 3-0, and while it closed the gap and only trailed by one, 5-4, going to the fourth quarter, it saw the Lions reclaim its earlier margin down the stretch.
Only Hildmann scored twice, with Wallace, Ian Conroy and Connor Jones netting one goal apiece. Cole Zaferakis, playing in the net, finished with 12 saves. Bryce Johnson led the victorious Lions with three goals and one assist.
For C-NS, the season got underway last Tuesday night, at Bragman Stadium, with an impressive effort against Binghamton as Justin Griffith, who proved quite generous throughout the evening, led the Northstars past the Patriots 18-3.
Things were decided by the end of the first quarter. It only took those 12 minutes for C-NS to bolt to a 7-0 lead, and it continued to build from there, Griffith continually passing to his teammates as he earned a career-best six assists to go with three goals.
Hat tricks also went to Nate Scarlata and Austin Vandewalker, with Brian Rowe and Josh Brazell each getting two goals and one assist. Tommy Flynn also scored twice as Jon Abbott and Jason Meigs earned one assist apiece. Splitting time in goal, Hunter Dorgan and Brian Jobin had four saves apiece.
On Saturday, C-NS faced Troy LaSalle, and won big again, this time by a 19-6 margin. Much of that damage was rendered in the fourth quarter since the Northstars, up 5-0 after one period, allowed LaSalle to creep within range by halftime and stay in it through the middle stages.
But then C-NS put up eight unanswered goals in that final period, led by Josh Pickard, who scored five times. Griffith had four goals and four assists as Rowe, Vandewalker and Brazell gained two goals apiece, Rowe adding two assists. Flynn had one goal and two assists, with Abbott, Meigs and Joel Firth also finding the net and Aiden Longley earning an assist.
