With each week, and with each victory, the Marcellus boys lacrosse team is proving that it can make a Section III Class D championship run when the playoffs get underway.
Having held off Cazenovia on May 3, the state Class D no. 12-ranked Mustangs, in its next outing, went to Alibrandi Stadium and won its seventh in a row, knocking off reigning state Class D champion Christian Brothers Academy 7-6 in overtime.
It looked, for a long while, that state no. 5-ranked CBA would halt the Marcellus win streak, steadily working its way in front as the Mustangs found itself
Neither team scored a goal in the third quarter, but the Mustangs stayed patient and, in the final period, made up all the ground before getting possession in OT and winning it.
A tremendous defensive effort by the Mustangs included 12 saves from goalie Rob Seeley. Matt Reich, Gabe VanOrder and Liam Tierney each got two goals, with Emmett Barry also converting.
Going for eight in a row against Chittenango Thursday night, the Mustangs bashed the Bears 14-2, maintaining a shutout until the third quarter as 11 different players scored at least once.
VanOrder had two goals and one assist, with Reich and Tighe Powell also finding the net twice. Mike Quick managed a goal and three assists as Barry, Matt Connell, A.J. Belvito, Ethan Ciota, Joe Martin and Joe Dimmler-Crysler also had goals.
Marcellus sought a ninth straight win at South Jefferson Saturday, and after a poor first half took over in the third quarter thanks to five unanswered goals that erased a 5-4 deficit and led to a 13-7 victory over the Spartans.
Connell and Matt Crysler got three goals apiece, supported by two-goal outings from Emmett Barry, Liam Tierney and Luke Ingianni. Reich got three assist and VanOrder a single goal.
The string of close, hard-fought contests continued for Westhill, last Tuesday night at Cazenovia, where it took a 9-8 defeat to the Lakers.
Steady play on both ends helped Cazenovia get in front 5-3 by halftime. The Warriors tried to catch up, getting three-goal hat tricks from Jack Grooms and Will Delano as Owen Matukas and Luke McAnaney each got one goal and one assist.
But the Lakers held on, seeing Thomas Bragg and Alex Nowak both finish with three goals and one assist, while Brody Coleman had two goals and one assist. The goalies were equal, too, with Liam Felter and Cazenovia counterpart R.J. Smith each getting 10 saves.
At home Friday night, Westhill met CBA, still remembering how the Brothers had broke their hearts in a double-overtime sectional Class D final last year that led to CBA’s first-ever state title.
Though it went to OT again, this time Westhill prevailed, 8-7, having got in front 6-5 by halftime but then nearly shut down for most of the second half by the Brothers.
What allowed the Warriors to persevere was a defense anchored by Felter’s 11 saves. Grooms, Matukas and Delano had two goals apiece, with Charlie Bolesh and Reilly Sizing earning the other goals.
Bishop Ludden/Onondaga roared past Jordan-Elbridge 17-4 last Tuesday night, deciding matters in the second quarter by putting together seven unanswered goals to build upon an early 4-2 advantage.
Bailey Martin outscored the Eagles by himself, finding the net five times to go with two assists. Ethan Gentile had four goals and one assist, while Zach and Matt Delany both got three goals, Zach adding two assists.
Mac Mulhern earned a team-best four assists as he and Jared Wood both got one goal. J-E’s Luke Pinckney had three of his team’s four goals, with the other going to Ethan Fraser as Deacon Hill got three assists and Steve Tripp made 16 saves.
J-E would face Holland Patent Thursday night and be tied with the Golden Knights going to the fourth quarter, only to make a late charge with five unanswered goals to prevail 14-9.
This made up for surrendering an early 5-1 advantage to HP as Wade Brunelle led the Eagles with four goals and four assists. Griffin LaFleur had three goals and one assist, with Luke Pinckney and Riordan Parker each scoring twice.Trent Thomas had a goal and two assists and Deacon Hill got three assists as Joel Blasko and Cole Mullen earned single goals.
On Friday, Ludden/OCS faced Tully and pulled out a 12-11 victory, squandering an 8-5 halftime lead to the Black Knights, but then regrouping in the fourth quarter, only allowing a single goal as it moved back in front for good.
Gentile amassed five goals and two assists, helped by the Delany brothers, each with three goals as Zach contributed four assists and Martin earned a single goal. Chris Hurley recorded 11 saves.
