Maybe now the Cazenovia boys soccer team will get some attention beyond the Central New York ranks.
At 7-1-1, yet still not in the state Class B rankings, the Lakers set out to fix that omission by traveling west on Route 20 to meet its fellow Lakers from Skaneateles last Tuesday night and pull out a 2-1 victory.
Skaneateles, following a 6-1 start that included six shutouts, had lost two of three games, yet still owned the no. 14 state rankings. That could not have sat well with Cazenovia, who struck first in the Lakers clash before Tommy Reed’s header tied it, 1-1, going to halftime.
During the second half, the Cazenovia defense got even better, limiting Skaneateles to a handful of chances while also netting the goal to go back in front. Joe Spires had a part in both scoring plays, netting one goal and assisting on the other, by Alex Pezzi. Goalie Thomas Bragg only had to make three saves.
Now the Lakers rested until Saturday’s game at Solvay, where it maintained the momentum it had built at Skaneateles on the turf at Al Merola Field by recording a 4-1 victory over the Bearcats.
All of this is a warm-up for the showdown on Tuesday night at the Sean Googin Sports Complex where Cazenovia puts its 9-1-1 mark on the line against unbeaten, state no. 4-ranked Westhill, the first time these two teams have met since last year’s section III Class B final. The Lakers also host South Jefferson on Thursday afternoon.
Back on Tuesday night, Chittenango was home, putting together a 3-0 shutout of Tully where it inched out in front in the first half and then scored twice after intermission to get clear.
Sean Larsson put in two of the Bears’ three goals. Anthony Roberts earned the other goal, with assists credited to Tim Ryder and Vince Cameron. Chittenango’s defense held the Black Knights to five shots, all stopped by Noah Schnauffer.
That set the stage for one of the season’s wildest games on Thursday night at Alibrandi Stadium, where Chittenango rallied to force overtime against Christian Brothers Academy, only to take a 5-4 defeat to the Brothers.
CBA had taken a 3-2 lead by halftime, led by Tristan Kucera, who would produce a three-goal hat trick. However, the Bears caught up, 4-4, by the end of regulation, helped by two goals from Ryder and a goal and two assists from Spurgeon.
Roberts had the other goal, with assists going to Cameron and Zach Jasmin. And Schnauffer, under constant pressure, made 21 saves, but could not keep the Brothers from netting the OT winner as Dan Melvin and Ayu Oguntola both had one goal and one assist to help Kucera out.
On Monday night, Chittenango (7-3) faces a Skaneateles side that started 6-1, but has since lost four of five, including the defeat to Cazenovia. Phoenix would visit on Wednesday and Homer plays the Bears on Saturday at 1 p.m.
