For the first time this season, the Skaneateles boys lacrosse team had just the players it wanted out front as it traveled to John Howes Field for last Tuesday’s game at Jordan-Elbridge.
And those attackers would do a number on the young, overmatched Eagles, netting eight goals in the first quarter alone and cruising to a 16-2 victory over the Eagles.
Pairing up Pat Hackler, the record-setting quarterback of the state Class C championship football team, with Nick Wamp and John Danforth led to a first-quarter assault and a quick 8-1 lead.
That margin swelled to 13-2 by halftime as Hackler delivered six assists to go with his pair of goals, with passes often going to Wamp and Danforth as they each netted four goals, Wamp tacking on two assists.
Will McGlynn joined Hackler in the two-goal column as Ben Spinelli had the other goal. The lone J-E tallies came from Wade Brunelle and Sam Feeney.
Back home Friday night to take on Cazenovia, Skaneateles was bent on winning this latest Laker duel, but were overwhelmed from the outset and never could make things close as it took a 13-7 defeat.
Though Cazenovia was 0-2, it had taken those losses to Baldwinsville and West Genesee, each of last season’s Section III Class A finalists, a far tougher slate than what Skaneateles had faced.
That bore itself out during a decisive first quarter, when Cazenovia scored three times in the first 2 ½ minutes and doubled that margin to 6-0 before Hackler’s goal got the hosts on the board.
From there, it turned into a futile chase. Skaneateles played on even terms, but after the deficit grew to 8-2 by halftime, it never got closer than a five-goal margin the rest of the way.
Hackler had three assists to go with his pair of goals as McGlynn scored three times. Wamp and Jeremy Castle had the other goals, with Oschner getting 17 saves.
Thomas Bragg (four goals, one assist) and Brian Pezzi (three goals, two assists) led Cazenovia’s well-balanced attack, as Alex Nowak (three goals, one assist) and Brady Coleman (two goals, two assists) each got four points.
Skaneateles faces three games this week, visiting reigning state Class D champion CBA on Tuesday before returning home for back-to-back tests against LaFayette Thursday and Rome Free Academy on Saturday.
