With its blazing 4-0 start, the East Syracuse Minoa boys soccer team found itself situated at no. 9 in the season’s first state Class A rankings.
To stay there, the Spartans had to get through its toughest challenge in last Tuesday’s game against PSLA-Fowler, and to some degree it did so, even as it ended in a 0-0 draw.
Eighty minutes of regulation, followed by 20 minutes of overtime, featured plenty of runs from both sides and excellent opportunities, none of which resulted in goals.
Ryan Cacace had to turn back nine PSLA-Fowler shots, but his Falcons counterpart, Gabe Venance, was even better, stopping all 15 of the Spartans’ direct shots.
Still at home Thursday night, ESM had a far different result against Oswego, prevailing 6-2 as Kyle Scalzo had two goals and two assists, with Sean Belcher adding one goal and one assist. Spencer Caramanna, Lance Madonna and Todd Durantini had one goal apiece.
Meanwhile, Jamesville-DeWitt had its own match against PSLA-Fowler and lost 4-0, Logan Roadarmel making nine saves, but surrendering goals to four different Falcon players as Ridwan Sarad and Ararso Mohammed each had one goal and one assist.
Then the Red Rams fell 3-2 in overtime to Fulton on Saturday, despite Joe Bertone netting a goal in each half.
The Red Raiders answered those tallies and won it in the extra period to overcome Roadarmel’s nine saves. Donovan Duell led Fulton with one goal and one assist the other goals going to Cameron Stuart and Collin Bennett.
Fayetteville-Manlius had started 0-1-1, but was starting to roll with back-to-back wins over Nottingham and Jamesville-DeWitt before it took over in the second half to beat Corcoran 5-1 last Tuesday at Swan Pond.
Bobby Cecile’s goal had the Cougars even with the Hornets 1-1 through 40 minutes. But F-M’s relentless attack led to a surge after intermission, led by Noah Craig, who scored twice.
Riley Burke was a key factor, too, notching two assists as he, along with Ty Teelin and Ben Hammond, had single goals. Joe Fragoso also earned an assist.
F-M went for four in a row against Henninger on Thursday night and got it with a 2-0 shutout, both goals coming in the first half as Burke and Hammond scored, with assists to Craig and Corey Gallgaher. Chris Szidat stopped all four shots he faced.
And this sets the table for a major stretch of games for the Hornets that include games at Swan Pond Thursday against Liverpool and Saturday against Baldwinsville.
