The problem wasn’t that the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team lost back-to-back games to West Genesee and Victor in the first week of May.
It was the margin of those games, the Bees never really close as it got outscored a combined 30-13 by the Wildcats and Red Devils and caused it to tumble to no. 10 in the latest state Class A rankings.
Still, there was a chance to share the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division regular-season title if the Bees won its last two league games against both of its neighbors.
It started last Tuesday night at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium as B’ville faced Cicero-North Syracuse and, for the second time this spring, prevailed by a three-goal margin over the Northstars, this one 11-8.
These teams had met in a near-blizzard on April 19, and B’ville won it 9-6. It was 50 degrees warmer when the rematch got underway, and the Bees’ defense clamped down hard throughout the first half, overcoming its own inconsistent attack and holding C-NS to a single goal.
During the third period, the Northstars’ attack came to life. Joel Firth, Austin VanDewalker and Brody Guido would each score twice as Josh Pickard and Nate Scarlata got single goals.
Yet B’ville, seeing its lead cut to 8-6, would regain control late and overcome Brian Jobin’s 13 saves as Pete Fiorini and Austin Bolton each got three goals and two assists.
Cole Peters and Adam Davis each scored twice, with Spencer Wirtheim getting one goal and one assist, and Brandon Mimas adding two assists. J.J. Johnson stopped 12 of 20 shots he faced.
B’ville then visited Liverpool Thursday night, and while it wasn’t as lopsided as their April 24 encounter, the Bees still completed a regular-season sweep of the Warriors by a score of 16-11.
Even that margin didn’t reflect the way B’ville attacked hard from the outset, not letting up until it had gained an 11-5 advantage at the end of a fast-paced first half.
Protecting that lead, the Bees saw Peters get five goals and two assists, with Fiorini scoring three times. Bolton and Davis both got two goals and two assists and Justin Hunter also converted twice, with Wirtheim earning a goal and three assists. Cameron Slink had the other goal as Ben Root (four goals) paced Liverpool.
One more regular-season game remained, B’ville taking on state Class B no. 3-ranked Webster Thomas, who proved that its lofty standing was legitimate as it defeated the Bees 11-6.
Things were rough from theoutset, B’ville shut out in the first quarter. And even though it only trailed 3-2 at halftime, the Bees were contained as Thomas went on a decisive 4-1 run through the third quarter.
Mimas had three goals and Wirtheim scored twice, with Fiorini getting a goal and assist and Bolton finishing with three assists. Johnson finished with 10 saves.
It would be more than a week before B’ville (12-4) would get underway in the Section III Class A playoffs, plenty of time to rest, regroup and practice before seeking a second straight sectional title.
