As it does each Labor Day weekend, the Liverpool boys soccer team hosts an invitational tournament with local sides battling each other plus a visit from an out-of-town side.
In this case, it was Bethlehem, from the Section II ranks, traveling to LHS Stadium to battle the host Warriors, and it was the Eagles prevailing 3-2 over Liverpool.
Having prevailed in its Aug. 29 opener against West Genesee, the Warriors got goals in each half as Ian Zingaro and Connor McClain converted. Yet it was Bethlehem going up 2-1 before intermission and hanging on late.
Liverpool played again Sept. 1 against Christian Brothers Academy, who had defeated West Genesee 4-2 the day before, but here it was the Warriors that got the jump and won by a two-goal margin, prevailing 3-1.
Even with Ben Vlassis scoring in the first half, for CBA, Liverpool jumped to a 2-1 edge, and then it doubled that margin late, Jake Zona converting twice as Jack Pento earned the other goal. Enrique Valencia was credited with an assist. Ben White earned five saves.
Back within the ranks of the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division last Tuesday night, Liverpool hosted Nottingham and emerged with a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Bulldogs.
It turned out that a first-half goal made the difference, allowing the Warriors to withstand a second-half tally from Nottingham’s Matt Houck, assisted by Diamond Weah.
Things were fairly even, White making eight saves, the same as the Bulldogs’ Ben Ashby, but getting a bit more help as Zona and Brady Barnard earned goals, with assists from Zingaro and Adam Ritter.
Now Liverpool (3-1, 2-0 league) could rest for a week until hosting Henninger at the outset of a brutal stretch that includes Thursday’s visit from Baldwinsville and a Saturday-night showdown with Cicero-North Syracuse at the Gillette Road complex.
For its part, the Northstars would host its own Optimist Tournament last weekend and go 1-0-1. C-NS faced Marcellus last Friday and proved quite impressive, turning back the Mustangs 4-2.
Marcellus already had a win over defending sectional Class B champion Westhill on its resume this season, but C-NS didn’t care for this, taking charge in the second half after they went 1-1 through the first 40 minutes.
Max Euceda, with one goal and one assist, led a well-balanced Northstars attack. Joe Barraco, Elyas Ayad and Jawad Kasimi also scored, with Isaac Bowne adding an assist as both Mustangs goals came from David Bosak.
Then it was C-NS against Christian Brothers Academy on Saturday, and it would end 0-0. Through 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, neither side could break through, Ethan Doerschuk matching CBA goalie Matt Buck as they each got five saves.
