Even with the five-game win streak it had built up, the Marcellus boys lacrosse team knew it had to keep going if it wanted to make a serious run at league and Section III Class D honors.
Hosting Cazenovia last Thursday night, the Mustangs got its ideal scenario, defeating an opponent with a similar record as took over in the middle stages held off the Lakers’ late charge to prevail 13-12.
Both teams came into the game with 7-4 records, and it was Cazenovia getting the jump, but even an early 4-2 deficit didn’t bother Marcellus, who proceeded to blank the Lakers in the second quarter and net five unanswered goals.
The second half was spent protecting that lead, with consistent defense and the occasional big goal making the difference as Gabe VanOrder, with two goals and three assists, led a well-balanced attack.
Matt Crysler scored three times, with Emmett Barry getting two goals and two assists. Matt Connell and Liam Tierney also found the net twice as Luke Ingianni had a goal and two assists. Matt Reich got one goal and one assist.
Cazenovia’s Alex Nowak led all individuals with four goals, but Marcellus contained the Lakers’ top threat, Thomas Bragg, holding him to two goals and two assists as Rob Seeley made 10 saves overall.
Westhill had to make up its snowed-out April 5 game with Fayetteville-Manlius last Monday night. It proved too difficult for the Warriors, who dropped an 11-8 decision to the Hornets.
For the most part, the game was on even terms, but F-M broke a 1-1 tie by containing the Warriors in the game’s middle stages, outscoring them 6-3 in the second and third periods.
Trying to finish strong, Westhill made a late offensive surge, Owen Matukas working his total to two goals and three assists as Jack Grooms and Charlie Bolesh also found the net twice, with Will Delano and Luke McAnaney also getting goals.
The Hornets answered every Warriors charge with a timely goal, though, and got 14 combined saves from goalies Ben Hammond and Jack Van Valkenburgh. Nick Papa (three goals, one assist) and Jack Shanley (two goals, two assists) paced F-M’s attack.
It wouldn’t get easier for Westhill as, on Thursday night, it went on the road to face state Class C no. 4-ranked Homer. In a possible playoff preview, the Warriors did a lot right, yet couldn’t recover from a rough start and lost to the Trojans 10-9.
Westhill didn’t get on the board until the second quarter. By then, Homer had built a 4-0 advantage, one it would nurse and keep even as the Warriors almost caught up in the final period.
McAnaney carried Westhill’s attack as he netted five goals, adding an assist. Bolesh had one goal and one assist, while Delano, Grooms and Mack Etoll had one goal apiece.
Goalie Liam Felter made nine saves, but Homer’s Mike Turck topped him with 15 saves, proving a difference-maker as Tucker O’Donnell led the Trojans’ attack by getting three goals and two assists.
Jordan-Elbridge had lost, 13-1, to Central Square on April 28. Looking to rebound against Oswego two nights later, the Eagles could not quite do so, falling to the Buccaneers 10-8.
What made it more frustrating was that J-E led, 7-6, through three quarters, having erased Oswego’s 5-3 halftime advantage as Sam Feeney, Wade Brunelle and Luke Pinckney each scored twice, with single goals going to Trent Thomas and Riordan Parker.
But it was the Bucs closing strong as it overcame Steve Tripp’s 10 saves. Jack Rice led Oswego with four goals, while Dan Doviak converted twice and Jack Wise had 10 saves to match Tripp.
In last Tuesday’s game with Tully, J-E fell to the Black Knights 14-4, with Brunelle getting three of the goals as Pinckney had one goal and one assist. Tripp got 15 saves as Tully had 10 different goal-scorers, led by Tyler Edinger and Dillon Koons with three goals apiece.
A 17-1 defeat to LaFayette on Thursday further illustrated the young Eagles’ struggles. Only Brunelle’s first-half goal, assisted by Pinckney, prevented a shutout as Evan Spratt (four goals) and Reid Jackowski (three goals, two assists) paced the Lancers.
Bishop Ludden/Onondaga routed Manlius-Pebble Hill 17-1 last Tuesday, with 13 of those goals in the first quarter alone as Matt Delany and Zach Delany each finished with four goals, Matt adding four assists.
Jared Wood (three goals, one assist) and Mac Mulhern (two goals, two assists) were close behind, Bailey Martin also scoring twice as Jake Beaver and Jeff Dargiewicz had one goal apiece.
A 16-11 defeat to Skaneateles followed on Friday night, with Ludden/OCS nearly erasing an 8-2 first-quarter deficit before a 5-2 Lakers run in the third quarter put the game away.
Martin, Matt Delany and Ethan Gentile each had three goals, with Gentile adding two assists as Zach Delany got five assists to go with his pair of tallies. Skaneateles got six goals from Nick Wamp and five goals from John Danforth.
