From now until whenever it ends, the new campaign of the West Genesee boys lacrosse team cannot help but turn into a series of milestones.
That’s what happens when a coaching legend decides to walk away.
Mike Messere announced a year ago that the 2018 season would be his last, ending a half-century coaching association with his high school alma mater that has included a record 15 state Class A championships.
Add that to the motivation the returning players feel after dropping last year’s Section III final to Baldwinsville, and this particular Wildcats journey is certain to prove memorable.
Following scrimmages in New Jersey and against the likes of Westhill and Auburn, the Wildcats had its season opener Wednesday afternoon at Mike Messere Field against LaFayette, one of the few other programs in Central New York that could come close to matching WG’s heritage.
This was not one of those vintage games, with the Wildcats committing an uncharacteristic number of penalties, but led by the senior trio of Jack Howes, Kevin Sheehan and Pat Stanistreet, WG defeated the Lancers 19-10.
It took just 31 seconds for Howes to put the Wildcats on the board. Never trailing, WG pulled out to a 5-1 advantage by the midway point of the first quarter.
That it didn’t get away early was partly due to LaFayette’s aggression whenever it had the ball. It lulled the Wildcats into all kinds of fouls that gave the Lancers plenty of man-up opportunities.
Yet LaFayette could only convert on two of them, with just one coming in a two-minute advantage during the second quarter. So when Howes and Anthony Datellas both scored less than 30 seconds apart in the last minute of the half, WG took a 10-4 advantage to the break.
All told, the Wildcats were whistled for nine penalties, but was producing enough on the other end, never letting LaFayette get closer than five at any time in the second half and outscoring them 6-3 in the fourth quarter.
From the outset, Stanistreet was a prime factor in the victory. Usually, WG splits up its face-off duties, but here Stanistreet took all 34 draws and won 26 of them.
The Wildcats’ scoring depth was on full display, too. Howes, with four goals and four assists, and Sheehan, with four goals and three assists, got help from Noah Sabatino, who had a three-goal hat trick.
Three others – Ryan Sheehan, Ryan Smith and Brad Cunningham – each finished with one goal and one assist as single tallies went to Datellas, John Bergan, Billy Fisher, Max Rosa and David McCarthy.
