Each of the area’s top high school girls lacrosse teams ended their 2017 seasons too soon for their own liking.
Whether it was West Genesee in the Class A ranks or Marcellus in the Class D ranks, they both dealt with painful defeats in their respective Section III semifinals.
The changes continued in the off-season as Dick Lundblad, the coach that built the Mustangs’ program, stepped down, only to resurface as an assistant to Kevin Hennigan at West Genesee.
WG would start its season last Wednesday night, at Honeoye Falls-Lima, a traditional Section V small-school power. A steady all-around effort pushed the Wildcats to an 11-5 victory over the Cougars.
Elise Mancabelli netted the season’s first goal, but WG trailed 2-1 before a decisive run late in the first half where Mancabelli, Adrianna Nojaim, Phoebe Nelson and Emily Stratton all found the net.
That helped establish a 5-3 halftime lead, and the Wildcats pulled away in the latter stages as Madison Schaut took over, netting all three of her goals as Nelson got three assists to go with her pair of tallies. Eliza MacCaull and Mackenzie Meager also found the net. Samantha Detor added an assist.
Meanwhile, a Westhill team bent on making its own championship push made quite the opening statement last Tuesday night, hosting General Brown and taking the Lions apart in a 20-4 romp.
Four different Warriors players earned hat tricks as Rebecca Gilhooley got five goals and one assist, with Katherine McPeak matching Gilhooley’s point total thanks to four goals and two assists.
Maura McAnaney and Caroline Miller each scored three times and added single assists. Kendra MacCaull got one goal and one assist as Julia Lasher and Gianna Zerillo also found the net.
Two nights later, hosting Tully, Westhill moved to 2-0, handling the Black Knights 14-5 as Reilly Geer got into gear with a four-goal outing and Miller had three goals and two assists.
Gilhooley amassed four assists as McPeak and Zerillo each found the net twice. McAnaney and Ashley Wiezalis joined Gilhooley in earning single goals as MacCaull and Katelyn Karleski earned assists.
That same night, Jordan-Elbridge returned to action and, also moving to 2-0 on the season, handled Watertown by that exact same 14-5 margin, with the Eagles’ Katie Goodrich managing to match the Cyclones by herself thanks to a five-goal outing.
Helping out, Allison Jennings, Alexis Braun and Chelsea Curtis had two goals apiece, Jennings and Braun adding assists. Sophia Titus had one goal and one assist, with Anna Simpson and Gabby Gunnip also finding the net .Delaney Dunham earned an assist.
Marcellus does not open until this week, with three games in five days against Bishop Ludden, Cicero-North Syracuse and Niskayuna.
