Though only a few games into a new season, it’s apparent that, for the East Syracuse Minoa boys soccer team, outsized expectations are getting more reasonable.
The Spartans lit into Auburn last Tuesday night, an 8-0 romp which featured another productive effort from Kyle Scalzo, who along with a three-goal hat trick gained a pair of assists.
Ty Mulcahy and Todd Durantini each had one goal and one assist, with Sean Belcher getting two assists. Goals also went to Spencer Caramanna, Jimmy Ferns and Conner Stark. ESM took 24 shots to Auburn’s one.
It wasn’t as lopsided when the Spartans took on Fulton Friday night, but once again ESM passed the test without allowing a goal in a 2-0 shutout of the Red Raiders, its fourth win in row.
They were scoreless until the second half, when Scalzo hit on his eighth goal of the season and Durantini converted, too. ESM’s defense again kept an opponent quiet, Fulton only getting a handful of good scoring chances.
Up the road that same weekend, Fayetteville-Manlius met its neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt Saturday night at Swan Pond, and the Hornets, winning its second straight game, edged the Red Rams in a 3-2 thriller.
Twice, F-M would go in front, first with Noah Craig’s header off a free kick in the 24th minute and again in the 53rd minute on Riley Burke’s goal, assisted by Corey Gallagher.
Both times, J-D would get even, as early in the second half it made the score 1-1 and then, after Burke’s goal, it waited until the five-minute mark before tying it again, Johnny Keib and Jalique Huntley earning the goals as assists went to Joe Bertone and Mike Potamianos.
Just when it looked like it was going to overtime, though, Ty Teelin, with two minutes left, poked a shot past J-D goalie Logan Roadarmel for the game-winner. Before that, Roadarmel had made seven saves, Ethan Pinsky getting credit for an F-M assist.
This week had started for F-M with a rare defeat at West Genesee as it fell in overtime to the Wildcats by that same 3-2 margin.
WG was 0-3 going into the game, yet still got a goal from Ryan Washo late in the first half. Dan Hammond tied it in the opening minute of the second half, only to have Ricky Francisco convert less than three minutes later and the Wildcats led once more.
Late in regulation, F-M still trailed 2-1, but with 1:47 left the Hornets earned a free kick and Craig headed in a well-placed cross from Yousef Kamel, forcing overtime.
After one 10-minute extra period settled nothing, early in the second OT the Wildcats charged down the left side, Francisco passing to the middle, where Washo put the game-winner past Hornets goalie Chris Szidat.
Back home at Swan Pond Thursday night, F-M hosted Nottingham and got into the win column, blanking the Bulldogs 2-0.
Gallagher proved the spark for the Hornets, converting one goal and assisting on Ziad Abdul-Malak’s tally as Jason Cavanagh got the assist when Gallgaher scored. F-M’s defense held Nottingham to four shots all night.
After a rough opening week, J-D showed some improvement last Tuesday by going to Central Square and blanking the Redhawks 2-0.
Bertone proved the spark for the Red Rams’ attack, notching one goal and assisting on the other, by Ben Oppedisano. Potamianos assisted on Bertone’s tally as Roadarmel stopped all four shots he faced.
J-D followed up Thursday by blanking Auburn 3-0, all the goals coming in the first half as Bertone stayed in top form, scoring twice. Ben Catania twice picked up assists as Huntley earned the other goal.
