What has proven to be a challenging spring for the Skaneateles boys lacrosse team remains that way as a crowded regular season heads into its homestretch.
One example of these struggles was last Tuesday’s game at LaFayette, where the Lakers had plenty of production, especially down the stretch, but still lost 13-12 to the Lancers.
Skaneateles entered May needing to rebound from all the ups and downs it had gone through in April, including lopsided defeats to long0-time rivals like Cazenovia, Marcellus, CBA and Westhill.
On April 28, the Lakers fell again, 9-6, to Hilton (Section V), unable to hold a 5-4 halftime lead. This happened even though Pat Hackler and Jeremy Castle had two goals apiece, with Nick Wamp adding a goal and two assists. John Danforth had the other goal as Scott Oschner recorded 12 saves.
Now, against a LaFayette team it beat 12-11 on April 12 at Hyatt Stadium, Skaneateles inched into a 5-4 lead by halftime, only to have the Lancers catch up at 7-7 to set up a wild, back-and-forth fourth quarter.
Hackler, who had five goals, and Danforth, who got four goals, did all they could, but LaFayette scored six times in the final period to finish on top as Evan Spratt, Gavin Hill and Devin Lyons each finished with three goals and Reid Jackowski got two goals and three assists.
Other than Nick Wamp, who had a goal and three assists, Hackler and Danforth didn’t get much help. Castle and Ryan Gick had single goals, with Jack Comer getting an assist as Oschner made eight saves.
At home Friday night to face Bishop Ludden/Onondaga, the Lakers nearly squandered an 8-2 first-quarter lead by halftime, but recovered to go on a critical 5-2 run in the third quarter on the way to a 16-11 victory.
Skaneateles changed up its attack and started to feature Wamp, who responded with a career-best six goals to go with a pair of assists as Danforth also had a big night, with five goals and two assists.
Not staying quiet, Hackler had five assists to go with his pair of goals as Will McGlynn also scored twice. Castle got one goal and one assist and Brendan Powers contributed an assist.
For Ludden/OCS, Bailey 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.
Then Skaneateles made it back-to-back wins in a span of less than 24 hours when it went to New Hartford Saturday and edged the Spartans 14-12.
Steadily, the Lakers built a 10-4 advantage that allowed it to withstand New Hartford’s late charge, with Hackler going back to the forefront as he scored five times and added a pair of assists.
Castle, Wamp and Danforth supported with three-goal hat tricks, while Oschner picked up 12 saves. New Hartford got three-goal outings from Amelio Ripa and Mike Fiorentino, with Ripa adding two assists.
Now at the .500 mark (7-7) and assured of going to the Section III Class D playoffs, the Lakers rest for most of this week before taking on General Brown Saturday and a May 15 regular-season finale against Tully.
