What the Cazenovia boys soccer team did to Westhill early in October was reversed on them just before the Lakers could lay claim to its first-ever Section III Class B championship.
During Monday night’s sectional final at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, Cazenovia had the lead for much of regulation, only to get caught late and then fall 2-1 in overtime to the Warriors.
It marked the fourth time in six years that the Lakers made it to the sectional final, only to get stopped. Three of those times, Westhill had spoiled the occasion, including a 2016 title game that was a 3-0 Cazenovia defeat.
This occasion had every reason to feel different than the previous three appearances.
Cazenovia had plenty of confidence stemming from the 2-1 win it gained over Westhill earlier in the month when it scored twice in the last six minutes of regulation to hand the Warriors its only defeat of the regular season. Plus, it was on the same J-D turf where the Lakers had handled Marcellus 3-1 in the sectional semifinals.
A bigger factor than confidence or experience turned out to be the wind, though. In the first half, Cazenovia had the win advantage, and wasted little time exploiting.
In the game’s 10th minute, the Lakers earned a free kick. From 35 yards outs, Ryan Modzeleski delivered a well-timed ball to the middle and Joe Spires flicked it past John Geer, giving Cazenovia a 1-0 lead.
That the lead remained for so long was a direct tribute to the Lakers’ defense. Sean McNerney, Trey Schug, Liam Flannery, Justin Gagnon and Steve LaFever shut down Westhill for much of the first half, rarely allowing any opportunities.
Even when the Warriors began to click and, in the second half, used its wind advantage to trap Cazenovia in its own end, that back line held up, McNerney making a tremendous save with 17:10 left when goalie Thomas Bragg was out of position.
But with 10:41 to play, Westhill charged again, and Jack Grooms, taking a pass from David McPeak, fit a low shot past Bragg to tie it, 11, where it stood for the rest of regulation thanks to more defensive stops.
As it turned out, the overtime coin flip proved decisive. Westhill again had the advantage and pressed hard, setting up a corner kick. With just 4:33 gone in the extra period, Grooms emerged from a scramble in front of the net to fling it home for the game-winner.
Cazenovia went 16-3-1 this fall, and now will see Modzeleski, Bragg, McNerney, LaFever, Tim Burr and Zach Simms graduate. However, having the likes of Spires, Schug, Flannery, Gagnon and Jack Aronson back in 2018 means the Lakers should contend again.
