What a difference a few wins can make.
The uncertainty surrounding the West Genesee boys lacrosse team in the wake of its April 8 defeat to Jamesville-DeWitt is long gone, replaced by a growing confidence based on three straight victories against state-ranked foes.
As a follow-up to beating Fayetteville-Manlius on April 13 and CBA two days later, WG was again at home last Tuesday to face 5-0, state Class A no. 21-ranked Syracuse, and led from start to finish in a 15-7 romp over the Cougars.
The Syracuse side brought a neighborhood feel to the game, plus the memories players on both had from their clash for the Section III Division I ice hockey championship (won by WG in overtime) at the Syracuse War Memorial nearly two months ago.
WG quickly humbled the Cougars here with a 4-0 push through the first quarter. It got to 8-1 late in the second period before Syracuse made a belated push, cutting the gap to 8-4 by halftime.
Throughout the second half, the Wildcats continued to add to that margin, getting so comfortable that it could afford a strange occurrence such as seeing Cougars goalie Bob Martin, short-handed, run the length of the field and put one past Luke Staudt, a rare instance of a netminder finding the net. Martin finished with 10 saves.
Jack Howes, with seven assists and three goals, and Jay Considine, with five assists to go with his pair of goals, led an attack where Kevin Sheehan had a career-best six goals, plus an assist. Max Rosa, Ryan Smith, Ryan Sheehan and Pat McDonald had one goal apiece. Jack Kane scored four of the Cougars’ seven goals.
In Thursday’s game at Cicero-North Syracuse, WG head coach Mike Messere passed yet another staggering milestone, coaching in his 900th game (he’s won more than 800 of them), and once more the Wildcats were victorious, easing past the Northstars 11-4.
The recent pattern of quick starts continued for WG as it outscored C-NS 4-1 in each of the first two quarters. Having established this big margin, the Wildcats nursed it throughout the second half, glad to control the tempo and not let the Northstars get too close.
Since the C-NS defense was zeroing in on Considine, his teammates were glad to pick up the scoring burden. Kevin Sheehan, in particular, stepped up, scoring four times and adding an assist as Rosa and Howes got two goals apiece. Considine notched two assists and Smith got one assist as he, along with John Galimi and Ryan Sheehan, earned single goals.
To end this busy week, WG would, on Saturday, host Loyola Academy (Chicago), who had nearly ended reigning state Class A champion Victor’s 49-game win streak two nights earlier, but had taken a 5-4 defeat to the Blue Devils before facing Ithaca on Friday.
Here, it would go to overtime, and the Wildcats would win it, 8-7, over the Ramblers, with both sides playing superb defense most of the way. Loyola led, 4-3, going to the fourth quarter, but WG caught up and took it to the extra period, where it gained possession and saw Ryan Sheehan put in the game-winner.
Only Sheehan and Rosa were able to score twice on the Wildcats’ side. Considine was well-contained, earning one goal and one assist as Howes, Hudgins and Noah Sabatino also netted goals. Smith, McDonald and Kevin Sheehan earned assists.
There was no rest for WG since, on Tuesday night, the 8-1 Wildcats faced another big game at 5-1 Baldwinsville before taking on Liverpool Thursday night and a May 2 trip to Fayetteville-Manlius.
