All that will satisfy the Fayetteville-Manlius girls lacrosse team in the 2018 season is gaining one more victory than it did a season ago.
Of course, that 2017 Hornets edition made it all the way to the state Class B championship game before getting denied by perennial Long Island power Garden City.
So with a large returning cast and an aggressive approach, F-M debuted last Saturday against South Jefferson, who reached last spring’s Section III Class D final and had already beaten Cicero-North Syracuse earlier in the week.
The Hornets did not meet the same fate as the Northstars, prevailing 21-14 over the Spartans in a game that featured a torrid pace that best suited F-M, who nearly doubled up South Jefferson while building an 11-6 lead by halftime.
Though the Spartans got five goals and three assists from Sydney Roderick, each of its runs was answered during the second half, the Hornets adding to its margin because it had a bit more depth.
Amanda Cramer scored five times as Gemma Addonizio and Annie Steigerwald each got four goals, Addonizio adding three assists. Feeding all of them, Katie Shanley earned six assists to go with her lone goal.
Maddie Noel and Ava Angello got two goals apiece, while Melanie Steigerwald and Kiera Shanley notched single goals. Busy in the net, goalie Mauwa Aombe made nine saves.
F-M was the only local team to debut before April, but all the other area girls lacrosse teams start this week as F-M will visit Victor on Thursday and host Ithaca on Saturday afternoon.
