No one who watched Tuesday night’s boys lacrosse encounter between Baldwinsville and West Genesee at Mike Messere Field would consider it a classic contest.
The combination of a field covered with mid-April snow and two high-energy sides offering an all-out effort led to a host of turnovers and plenty of other mistakes.
But the Bees didn’t mind any of it, because it prevailed 8-7, a result nearly identical to the 9-8 win it earned over the Wildcats last May to earn its first Section III Class A title in a quarter-century.
Anticipation for this game was present ever since the schedule came out, with WG bent on getting some payback against the Bees.
It only grew when the Bees started 5-0 and rose to no. 4 in the state rankings, with the Wildcats winning its first six games of the season and getting to no. 8 in that same state poll.
Yet that enthusiasm was tempered a bit by the snow cover and cold temperatures, which may have held the crowd down and certainly affected the way both teams would play from the outset.
More than usual, there was difficulty passing the ball, leading to constant scrambles for ground balls, something that would eventually turn in the Bees’ favor.
That came after a first half where the Bees battled its way to a 5-2 lead, getting two goals from Cole Peters and single tallies from Austin Bolton, Adam Davis and Brendan Wilcox.
WG’s attack sprung to life with a burst late in the second quarter as Ryan Smith scored twice and Anthony Datellas added a goal, all in a span of less than two minutes. That sent the game to halftime tied, 5-5.
As it turned out, the third quarter was decisive. All through the period, WG found it difficult to clear the ball out of its own end, the rash of turnovers giving the Bees ample chances to go back in front.
Finally, B’ville did so as Wilcox and Spencer Wirtheim converted, giving the visitors a lead it expanded to 8-5 when Bolton found the net with 10:29 left.
That cushion was needed, because WG pulled within one when Max Rosa converted and Smith returned to convert for the fourth time with 3:52 to play.
To hang on, B’ville’s defense, led by Ben Dwyer, David Steria, David Fuller, Caleb Voorhees, Braden Lynch and Brian Yeatts, stepped up in the waning minutes, while J.J. Johnson stopped Jack Howes point-blank.
The Bees got it back and ran out the clock, glad to win, but knowing WG would get another shot at them in a May 3 rematch at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
