Players, coaches and fans alike were quite aware of the calendar when the Jamesville-DeWitt and Homer boys lacrosse teams clashed on Thursday night.
The state Class C no. 2-ranked Red Rams would hand the state no. 4-ranked Trojans its first defeat of the season in a 12-8 decision, but both sides understood that this might prove an appetizer for an even more important meeting.
That’s because J-D and Homer are expected to be the top two seeds for the Section III playoffs, and the final takes place May 25 at Liverpool High School Stadium – a mere two weeks after the Rams and Trojans first got together.
If, indeed, there is a sequel, then it could prove quite fun since the first game was, for the most part, a tense, tight affair, J-D only getting away in the fourth quarter thanks to timely goals and tough defense.
On Senior Night, one of those Rams seniors, Jack Mulvihill, made quite an initial impression, taking the opening face-off and scoring just six seconds into the game. He did the same thing at the start of the second quarter, too, only it took seven seconds to find the net.
Homer was unfazed by these quick strikes, though. Taking advantage of some J-D turnovers, the Trojans twice took the lead in the opening period, requiring the Rams to get a goal from Griffin Cook with 9.2 seconds left in the quarter to pull even, 3-3. It wasn’t the last time Cook would have an impact.
The fast pace and back-and-forth play would continue throughout the second period, too. Neither side could gain a lead larger than one goal, and the Trojans played with full confidence, getting three goals apiece from Tucker O’Donnell and Lars Roos, and were even with the Rams, 7-7, at the break.
Once the pace slowed down in the third quarter, though, J-D’s defense began to assert itself. Seniors Nick Palin, Tom Edson and Jake Socia offered ample protection to the net, and when he needed to do so in the fourth quarter, senior goalie Bennett Chirco made some key stops All told, the Rams did not allow a goal in the game’s last 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Cook took over on the attack. Twice in the third quarter, he struck for goals, and with the score still 9-8 early in the final period, he rocketed home his fourth and fifth goals before Adam Fontana added a late tally.
Aside from Cook and Mulvihill, who finished with three goals and one assist, Ryan Archer got two goals and one assist. Joe Kiesa had one goal and one assist as Matt Paul and Casey Platenik also got assists.
Two days later, against reigning two-time state champion Victor (Section V), J-D got another big win, edging the Blue Devils 9-8 in overtime. The whole game went back and forth, with neither side getting any kind of sustained run.
Up 5-4 at halftime, the Rams were caught in the third quarter, yet Victor could not do much through the fourth quarter, only scoring once as, again, J-D’s defense stood up down the stretch and Chirco was superb, too, running his total to 11 saves.
It went to OT at 8-8, and Mulvhill, so good on face-offs in both this game and against Homer, won this draw, too. A mere 30 seconds later, Kiesa had flung in the winning goal, his second of the day a s Archer and Cook both got three goals, Archer adding two assists. Pat Murad had the other goal as Casey Platenik got two assists and Andrew Barclay a single assist.
In some ways, J-D was helped out by its neighbors from East Syracuse Minoa last Tuesday night as the Spartans gave Homer a full examination before taking an 11-8 defeat to the Trojans.
Even as Homer used a 5-2 push through the second quarter to take charge, eventually building an 11-5 lead through three periods, ESM stayed cool and, during the fourth quarter, erased half that deficit, even though the rally fell short.
Derrek Madonna had three goals and one assist, with Dan Boland scoring twice. Nate Jacobs has a goal and three assists as David Neff and Mark Willette also scored. Roos and Vincent Basile (three goals each) led the Trojans as O’Donnell added three assists.
While that was going on, Christian Brothers Academy, up to no. 4 in the state Class D rankings, cooled down late-charging LaFayette in a 15-4 romp where the Brothers blitzed through the first half, building an 11-2 advantage, far more than the Lancers could overcome.
With LaFayette trying to stop his teammates, Patrick O’Brien stepped up, earning a season-best five goals and adding an assist. Augie Bonacci had four assists to go with his pair of goals as Mike Matheson got three goals and one assist.
Ben McCreary and Alex Calkins weren’t quiet, each of them finishing with five points as McCreary had two goals and three assists, with Calkins adding a goal and four assists. Mike Adornato and Doug DeMarche earned single goals as, combined, Matt Vavonese and Will Fallon stopped 11 of the 15 Lancers shots they faced.
On Saturday, in Buffalo, CBA took a 7-5 defeat to St. Joseph’s, its first loss since falling to Homer on April 21. Cole Campbell led the Marauders with three goals as the Brothers fell to 10-5 and would face Marcellus in Tuesday’s regular-season finale.
